Anonymous: South of the Walls We Fought (From Chinese)

South of the Walls We Fought
Anonymous (Han-era)
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

"South of the wall we fought　
North of the city we died　
Dead in the wastes unburied for crows to eat — we rot　

Call to the crows for us　
Say — cry for these strangers brave and true　
Dead in the wastes who go unburied　
Their rotting flesh has no escape from you" 　

The water is deep 　roiling and moiling
The reeds in darkness　 spread and sway 
Here fearless horsemen　 fought to the death
Their weary mounts　 still pace and neigh 

"They've built guardposts at the bridge　
Now the people can't go north　
And the people can't go south　
We want to be loyal — but how? 　
How can we harvest the grain　how can our master eat? 
We hoped to be loyal subjects　but what can we do now?" 

"I think of you — my faithful subjects　
My faithful men — how could I not?　
At dawn — you set off to attack　
Night fell — you never came back"　

The Original, with transcription of Late Han pronunciation:


戰城南　　　　　tɕanh dʑeŋ nǝm 
死郭北　　　　　siɁ kuɑk pək
野死不葬烏可食　jaɁ siɁ pu tsɑŋh Ɂɑ kʰɑiɁ ʑiǝk

為我謂烏　　　　wɑih ŋɑiɁ wǝs Ɂɑ
且為客豪　　　　tsʰiaɁ wɑih kʰak gɑu
野死諒不葬　　　jaɁ siɁ liɑŋh puh tsɑŋh
腐肉安能去子逃　puoɁ ɲuk Ɂɑn nəŋ kʰiɑh tsiəh dɑu

水深激激　　　　ɕuiɁ ɕim kǝk kǝk
蒲葦冥冥　　　　bɑ wuiɁ meŋ meŋ
梟騎戰鬥死　　　keu giɑih tɕanh toh siɁ
駑馬裴回鳴　　　nɑ maɁ pui ɣuəi mieŋ

梁築室　　　　　liɑŋ ʈuk ɕit 
何以南　　　　　gɑi jəɁ nəm 
何以北　　　　　gɑi jǝɁ pǝk
禾黍而穫君何食　guɑi ɕɑɁ ɲə ɣuɑk kun gɑi ʑiǝk
願為忠臣安可得　ŋionh wɑih ʈuŋ gin Ɂɑn kʰɑiɁ tək

思子良臣　　　　siə tsiəh liɑŋ gin
良臣誠可思　　　liɑŋ gin dʑeŋ kʰɑiɁ siə
朝行出攻　　　　ʈɑu gɑŋ tɕʰus koŋ
莫不夜歸　　　　mɑk pu jas kui