<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 哀王孫>
<Format: 樂府詩>
<Year: 1940>
<BookName: Selection from the Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty>
<Translator: Soame Jenyns>
<TranslatedTitle: Grieving for the Imperial Grandson>
<BookPage: 114-115>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 1, 3, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
長安城頭頭白烏，
夜飛延秋門上呼。
又向人家啄大屋，
屋底達官走避胡。
金鞭斷折九馬死，
骨肉不待同馳驅。
腰下實玦青珊瑚，
可憐王孫泣路隅。
問之不肯道姓名，
但道困苦乞爲奴。
已經百日竄荆棘，
身上無有完肌膚。
高帝子孫盡隆準，
龍種自與常人殊。
豺狼在邑龍在野，
王孫善保千金軀。
不敢長語臨交衢，
且爲王孫立斯須。
昨夜東風吹血腥，
東來橐駝滿舊都。
朔方健兒好身手，
昔何勇銳今何愚。
竊聞天子已傳位，
賢德北服南單于。
花門剺面請雪恥，
慎勿出口他人狙。
哀哉王孫慎勿疎，
五陵佳氣無時無。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
ON the city walls of C‘hang An there sit white-headed crows.
At evening they fly over the western city gate and perch there calling;
Alighting on the roofs, they peck at the eaves of the great houses.
From beneath these roofs important officials rushed out to escape the Tartars.
The golden whips are broken and the nine horses are dead.
Though he be of Imperial blood he could not ride fast enough to escape with the Emperor;
At his (the Emperor's grandson) waist are precious jewels and azure coral,
Yet pity him weeping at the corner of the road;
Ask him and he dare not tell you his name;
Only he speaks of his distress and sorrow and begs to be taken as a servant.
Already for a hundred days he has skulked amid palms and thorns;
On his body there is no inch of skin left unlacerated;
The first Emperor of T‘ang and his sons and grandsons have all prominent noses:
The dragon’s seed naturally differs from ordinary men.
Now the wolf is in the city and the dragon is in the wastes.
The grandson of the Emperor must protect that body of his worth a thousand pieces of gold.
I do not dare hold long speech with him when approaching the cross roads;
On his account I halt for a brief moment.
Last night the east wind carried the stench of blood;
From the east came the camel artillery filling the old city.
In the northern regions are vigorous men strong of body and hand;
Of old times' what courage and strength, to-day what clowns
I hear the Emperor has already abdicated,
Yet the Emperor's prestige in the north subjugate the southern Khans.
(So much so that) the “Hua Mên” gashing their faces ask to wash out his disgrace.
Be careful, do not speak out, there are spies around us;
0 Be cautious and careful and may the propitious influence of the five imperial tombs of your ancestors still watch over you.
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
ON the city walls of C‘hang An there sit white-headed crows.
At evening they fly over the western city gate and perch there calling;
Alighting on the roofs, they peck at the eaves of the great houses.
From beneath these roofs important officials rushed out to escape the Tartars.
The golden whips are broken and the nine horses are dead.
Though he be of Imperial blood he could not ride fast enough to escape with the Emperor;
At his (the Emperor's grandson) waist are precious jewels and azure coral,
Yet pity him weeping at the corner of the road;
Ask him and he dare not tell you his name;
Only he speaks of his distress and sorrow and begs to be taken as a servant.
Already for a hundred days he has skulked amid palms and thorns;
On his body there is no inch of skin left unlacerated;
The first Emperor of T‘ang and his sons and grandsons have all prominent noses:
The dragon’s seed naturally differs from ordinary men.
Now the wolf is in the city and the dragon is in the wastes.
The grandson of the Emperor must protect that body of his worth a thousand pieces of gold.
I do not dare hold long speech with him when approaching the cross roads;
On his account I halt for a brief moment.
Last night the east wind carried the stench of blood;
From the east came the camel artillery filling the old city.
In the northern regions are vigorous men strong of body and hand;
Of old times' what courage and strength, to-day what clowns
I hear the Emperor has already abdicated,
Yet the Emperor's prestige in the north subjugate the southern Khans.
(So much so that) the “Hua Mên” gashing their faces ask to wash out his disgrace.
Be careful, do not speak out, there are spies around us;
0 Be cautious and careful
and may the propitious influence of the five imperial tombs of your ancestors still watch over you.
<End Formatted Translation>