The book of odes and hymns – part 31

JI GU

Hear the roll of our drums!

See how we leap about, using our weapons!

Those do the fieldwork in the State, or fortify Cao,

While we alone march to the south.

We followed Sun Zizhong,

Peace having been made with Chen and Song;

[But] he did not lead us back,

And our sorrowful hearts are very sad.

Here we stay, here we stop;

Here we lose our horses;

And we seek for them,

Among the trees of the forest.

For life or for death, however separated,

To our wives we pledged our word.

We held their hands;

We were to grow old together with them.

Alas for our separation!

We have no prospect of life.

Alas for our stipulation!

We cannot make it good.

jī gǔ 

擊鼓 

jī gǔ qí táng 、yǒng yuè yòng bīng 。

擊鼓其鏜、踊躍用兵。

tǔ guó chéng cáo 、wǒ dú nán xíng 。

土國城漕、我獨南行。

cóng sūn zǐ zhòng 、píng chén yǔ sòng 。

從孫子仲、平陳與宋。

bú wǒ yǐ guī 、yōu xīn yǒu chōng 。

不我以歸、憂心有忡。

yuán jū yuán chù 、yuán sàng qí mǎ 。

爰居爰處、爰喪其馬。

yú yǐ qiú zhī 、yú lín zhī xià 。

于以求之、于林之下。

sǐ shēng qì kuò 、yǔ zǐ chéng shuō 。

死生契闊、與子成說。

zhí zǐ zhī shǒu 、yǔ zǐ xié lǎo 。

執子之手、與子偕老。

yú jiē kuò xī 、bú wǒ huó xī 。

于嗟闊兮、不我活兮。

yú jiē xún xī 、bú wǒ xìn xī 。

于嗟洵兮、不我信兮。