<Header>
<Author: 李白>
<Title: 蜀道難>
<Format: 樂府詩>
<Year: 1940>
<BookName: Selection from the Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty>
<Translator: Soame Jenyns>
<TranslatedTitle: The Difficulties of the Road to Szechwan>
<BookPage: 27-28>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 1, 3, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
噫吁戲！危乎高哉！蜀道之難難於上青天！蠶叢及魚鳧，
開國何茫然。
爾來四萬八千歲，
不與秦塞通人煙。
西當太白有鳥道，
可以橫絕峨眉巔。
地崩山摧壯士死，
然後天梯石棧相鉤連。
上有六龍回日之高標，
下有衝波逆折之回川。
黃鶴之飛尚不得過，
猨猱欲度愁攀援。
青泥何盤盤，
百步九折縈巖巒。
捫參歷井仰脅息，
以手撫膺坐長歎。
問君西遊何時還？畏途巉巖不可攀。
但見悲鳥號古木，
雄飛雌從繞林間。
又聞子規啼夜月，
愁空山，
蜀道之難難於上青天，
使人聽此凋朱顏。
連峯去天不盈尺，
枯松倒挂倚絕壁。
飛湍瀑流爭喧豗，
砅厓轉石萬壑雷。
其險也如此，
嗟爾遠道之人胡爲乎來哉！劒閣崢嶸而崔嵬，
一夫當關，
萬夫莫開。
所守或匪親，
化爲狼與豺。
朝避猛虎，
夕避長蛇。
磨牙吮血，
殺人如麻。
錦城雖云樂，
不如早還家。
蜀道之難難於上青天，
側身西望長咨嗟。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
0
How precipitous and lofty is the road to Szechwan,
Harder to scale than the road to Heaven;
Ts'an Ts'ung and Yü Fu opened out this kingdom.
How remote that time seems to-day.
After forty-eight thousand years they penetrated the Ch'in barrier and there was intercourse between the two countries;
Towards the west the T'ai-po has paths only birds can climb
Leading across the peak of Omei Shan.
The earth crumpled and the mountains were riven; stout heroes died.
Then afterwards they made a road of ladders and stone bridges like a connected chain.
Above is the Kao-piao Mountain, where six dragons revolve around the sun;
Below rebellious waves beat and recoil;
Even the yellow cranes find it hard to pass this way,
And gibbons wishing to scale it climb and clutch in great distress.
On the Ch'ing Ni range how the road turns and twists,
In a hundred steps nine bends beneath rock and cliff,
Panting we touch the constellation of Shan and tread the constellation of Ching.
As we gaze up the breath labours under our ribs;
Clasping our hands to our breasts we sit down with a long sigh.
From our western wandering when will we return?
How hazardous are such cliffs and rocks impossible to climb,
Around us naught but sad birds calling from aged trees, 
Male pursuing female through the woods.
Or again we hear the nightjar calling sadly under the evening moon among the empty hills.
How hard is the road to Szechwan,
Harder to scale than the road to Heaven.
When one hears only of its dangers cheeks turn pale.
Peak upon peak touch the heavens with scarce a foot between;
Blasted pines topple over to lean out over the uttermost abyss;
Plunging cataracts and hurtling rapids struggle and boil in chorus;
Waves dashing on rocky cliffs roll boulders down ten thousand gullies with a noise like thunder.
These are the dangers all must face who come this way.
Alas! for the wanderers from afar who travel such a road.
Why are they come on such a journey?
The “sword ledge” stands august and dignified on the lofty and rock-crowned heights.
Here a man could close this frontier pass.
And ten thousand could not open it.
Ah! if the man who holds it became a traitor
And were to turn fox or wolf!
In the morning we shun tigers,
In the evening we flee from snakes,
Teeth that grind and suck blood,
Mowing down men like hemp.
Ch'êng-tu has its pleasures,
But how to be compared with the happiness of an early return home.
How hard are the roads of Szechwan, 
Harder to scale than the road to heaven.
I turn my body to the west and gaze with a long sad sigh.
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
0
How precipitous and lofty is the road to Szechwan, Harder to scale than the road to Heaven;
Ts'an Ts'ung and Yü Fu
opened out this kingdom. How remote that time seems to-day.
After forty-eight thousand years
they penetrated the Ch'in barrier and there was intercourse between the two countries;
Towards the west the T'ai-po has paths only birds can climb
Leading across the peak of Omei Shan.
The earth crumpled and the mountains were riven; stout heroes died.
Then afterwards they made a road of ladders and stone bridges like a connected chain.
Above is the Kao-piao Mountain, where six dragons revolve around the sun;
Below rebellious waves beat and recoil;
Even the yellow cranes find it hard to pass this way,
And gibbons wishing to scale it climb and clutch in great distress.
On the Ch'ing Ni range how the road turns and twists,
In a hundred steps nine bends beneath rock and cliff,
Panting we touch the constellation of Shan and tread the constellation of Ching. As we gaze up the breath labours under our ribs;
Clasping our hands to our breasts we sit down with a long sigh.
From our western wandering when will we return?
How hazardous are such cliffs and rocks impossible to climb,
Around us naught but sad birds calling from aged trees, 
Male pursuing female through the woods.
Or again we hear the nightjar calling sadly under the evening moon among 
the empty hills.
How hard is the road to Szechwan, Harder to scale than the road to Heaven.
When one hears only of its dangers cheeks turn pale.
Peak upon peak touch the heavens with scarce a foot between;
Blasted pines topple over to lean out over the uttermost abyss;
Plunging cataracts and hurtling rapids struggle and boil in chorus;
Waves dashing on rocky cliffs roll boulders down ten thousand gullies with a noise like thunder.
These are the dangers all must face who come this way.
Alas! for the wanderers from afar who travel such a road. Why are they come on such a journey?
The “sword ledge” stands august and dignified on the lofty and rock-crowned heights.
Here a man could close this frontier pass.
And ten thousand could not open it.
Ah! if the man who holds it became a traitor
And were to turn fox or wolf!
In the morning we shun tigers,
In the evening we flee from snakes,
Teeth that grind and suck blood,
Mowing down men like hemp.
Ch'êng-tu has its pleasures,
But how to be compared with the happiness of an early return home.
How hard are the roads of Szechwan,  Harder to scale than the road to heaven.
I turn my body to the west and gaze with a long sad sigh.
<End Formatted Translation>