Du Fu: The Conscription (From Chinese)

Written in 759 during the height of the An Lushan rebellion. "Stonemoat" (Shíháo) is a village in Henan province. Press-gangs were combing the villages, looking for men who could be forced into military service to replace the imperial army's massive losses against An Lushan.

The Conscription
By Du Fu
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

So I stopped at sundown　to rest in Stonemoat Village
　They came in the night 　to collar more men for war
The old inn-keeper　slipped out over a wall
　While his elderly wife　went out to the front door
Such angry curses 　the pressgang officer bellowed
　Such pitiful tears　the woman sobbed away
I listened to her　proffer regretful pleas:
　I had three sons　all serving at posts in Yeh¹
One of my boys　 just told me in a letter
　The other two 　were killed in the attack
The one alive　 won't last on borrowed time
　The dead are gone 　dead boys do not come back 
There aren't any more　men left to this household
　Just my grandson　still nursing with his mother
My daughter cannot　leave him here just yet
　And a shredded skirt 　is all she has for cover 
I'm an old woman 　I know my strength is gone
　But please let me come 　tonight with your convoys
If you've urgent need 　in Heyang² I can be there
　In time to cook　 some breakfast for our boys
As night drew on 　all sounds of speaking stopped
　I thought I heard　a whimper being choked down
Rising at dawn　 to get back on the road 　
　I took my leave 　of the old man alone　

Notes:

¹ Yèchéng — city about 300 miles northeast of Stonemoat, where imperial forces had suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the rebels earlier in the year

² Héyáng — name of a place about 125 miles down the Yellow River from Stonemoat, and the site of an encampment for imperial forces that year.

The Original:

石壕吏

暮投石壕村，
有吏夜捉人。
老翁逾墻走，
老婦出門看。

吏呼一何怒，
婦啼一何苦。
聽婦前致詞：
三男鄴城戍，

一男附書至，
二男新戰死。
存者且偷生，
死者長已矣。

室中更無人，
惟有乳下孫。
有孫母未去，
出入無完裙。

老嫗力雖衰，
請從吏夜歸。
急應河陽役，
猶得備晨炊。

夜久語聲絕，
如聞泣幽咽。
天明登前途，
獨與老翁別。