In the Twelfth Month of the Winter of the Imsul Year, Travelling with the Headquarters of the Eastern Campaign, I Reached Cheonsu Temple and Gave This to the Guests Who Saw Us Off, Over Wine壬戌冬十二月。從征東幕府行次天壽寺。飮中贈餞客。
平生不折春螽股。今日將抽乳虎牙。破賊朝天參御宴。紫微宮裏揷宣花。
All my life I never broke even the leg of a spring grasshopper, and today I am to pull out the teeth of a suckling tiger. Having smashed the bandits I shall go to court and join the banquet before the throne, and inside the Ziwei Palace I shall pin on the proclaimed flower (宣花).
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紅旗白刃討黃巾。膽怯書生忝幕賓。楯墨何曾乾一日。東江水盡必生塵。</div>===幕中書懷示同營諸公===
With red banners and white blades we strike the Yellow Turban bandits, and a timid-hearted scholar has presumed to become a guest of the headquarters. When was the ink on my shield ever dry for even a day? Only when the eastern river runs out will dust surely rise from it.
Interlinear notes 1
予以參謀兼書記。
I served as staff adviser and as recorder besides.
4Writing Down My Feelings in Camp, to Show to the Gentlemen of the Same Encampment
冬十二月歲將迫。愚儒作佐元戎幕。平生不慣聞鳴鏑。今日鞬弓還荷戟。元帥相公萬人敵。胷中早蓄龍韜策。遇士披心示恢廓。使人忘𨈬無顧惜。所以乾坤放曠客。不詞俯首就銜勒。少年麤膽敢許國。北無玁狁南無貊。完山往日遭譴謫。有如鎩却摩天翮。今日悠悠復何適。湘吳山高江水碧。舊習未除猶擧白。酒酣四顧天地窄。君不見雞林黠俗眞小賊。不足汙我劒三尺。不如用一壯士力。縛來麾下費一索。不然走我手中檄。坐召渠魁見銜璧。明年春風氷解脉。金柳低垂玉梅拆。朝天歸路一條直。奏凱聲中千指拍。公卿迎勞東郊陌。蟬首蛾眉羅密席。紅旆悠揚光赫赫。紫髥將軍扶醉腋。入朝天闕獻俘䤋。大者封侯次千碩。如予拙澁縮自却。口不言功甘遁迹。但願諸公梟盧期一擲。
In the twelfth month of winter the sun is about to set, and a foolish scholar has become an aide in the marshal's headquarters. All my life I never grew used to the sound of whistling arrows, and today I gird a bow and even carry a spear. His Excellency the Marshal is a match for ten thousand men, and in his breast he has long stored the stratagems of the Six Bowcases (六韜). Meeting a scholar he opens his heart and shows its breadth, and makes a man forget himself and hold nothing back. And so a wanton wanderer between heaven and earth does not refuse to bow his head and come to the bit and bridle. With the rough courage of my young days I dared pledge my body to the state, but there were no Xianyun (玁狁) in the north and no Mae (貊) in the south. At Wansan I was reprimanded in days gone by, as though the wing that had brushed the sky were broken. Today, far off, where am I going again? The mountains of Xiang (湘) and Wu (吳) are high and their rivers blue. Unable to rid myself of the old habit, I still raise the forfeit cup, and when the wine has ripened I look all round and heaven and earth are narrow. Do you not see — that crafty band of Gyerim are truly petty bandits, not even enough to soil my three-foot sword. Better to use the strength of a single stout fellow: to bind them and bring them in under command, one rope will do. Failing that, I shall send running the proclamation in my hand and, sitting still, summon their chief to come out with jade in his mouth. Next year, when the spring wind loosens the veins of ice and golden willows hang low and jade plum blossoms burst, the road back to court will run straight as a single line, and amid the cries announcing our triumph a thousand fingers will clap. The high ministers will meet and comfort us on the road through the eastern fields, and cicada-headed caps and fair eyebrows will be arrayed in close-packed seats. Red banners will fly at ease and their light will flash, and red-bearded generals will hold up their drunken armpits. Entering the palace we shall present the captives and the severed ears: the greatest will be enfeoffed as lords, the next given a thousand bushels. One like me, clumsy and awkward, will shrink back and withdraw of himself, not speaking of merit with his mouth, content to hide his traces. I only beg you, gentlemen: with one throw, make it a Hyoro (梟盧).