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 to 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:


??? t?anh d?e? n?m 
??? si? ku?k p?k
??????? ja? si? pu ts??h ?? k??i? ?i?k

???? w?ih ??i? w?s ??
???? ts?ia? w?ih k?ak g?u
????? ja? si? li??h puh ts??h
??????? puo? ?uk ??n n?? k?i?h tsi?h d?u

???? ?ui? ?im k?k k?k
???? b? wui? me? me?
????? keu gi?ih t?anh toh si?
????? n? ma? pui ?u?i mie?

??? li?? ?uk ?it 
??? g?i j?? n?m 
??? g?i j?? p?k
??????? gu?i ??? ?? ?u?k kun g?i ?i?k
??????? ?ionh w?ih ?u? gin ??n k??i? t?k

???? si? tsi?h li?? gin
????? li?? gin d?e? k??i? si?
???? ??u g?? t??us ko?
???? m?k pu jas kui