An aged recruit parted from his wife

垂老别

The continued war here and there keeps us from enjoying a calm old age.  

四郊未寧靜，垂老不得安。

All our sons and grandsons have laid down their lives in battle. What's the need for us to survive？

子孫陣亡盡，焉用身獨完！

Seeing me throwing away my cane and walking out, all my fellow recruits shed hot and bitter tears.

投杖出门去，同行為辛酸。

I'm fortunate still having intact teeth. But it’s a pity that I've been feeble and decaying.

幸有牙齒存，所悲骨髓干。

Now that I'm clad in armor as a soldier, I have to bid farewell to the local officials with a cupped-hand salute.

男儿既介胄，長揖别上官。

My old wife clothed thinly sinks down on the road weeping and suffering the cold of the end of the year.

老妻卧路啼，歳暮衣裳單。

I clearly know we'll never meet again after this parting. Seeing her in the cold, I feel extremely sad.

孰知是死别，且復傷其寒。

She's fully aware that I can hardly return this time, but she still urges me to take good care of myself.

此去必不歸，還聞勸加餐。

The defenses of Tumen are very strong. It's hard for the rebels to make a forced crossing of the Yellow River near Xingyuan.

土门壁甚堅，杏園度亦難。

The present circumstances are favorable to us compared with the difficult situation of Yecheng in the past. So my unavoidable death won't come too soon.   

勢異鄴城下，縦死時猶宽。

How can we choose the time of separation and reunion, young or old, for the uncertainty of them？

人生有離合，豈擇衰盛端！

Recalling the good old days when we were young, I cannot help hesitating and heaving a sigh.  

憶昔少壯日，遅回竟長嘆。

All the country has been at war with the rebels and its flames rage over the hills.

萬國盡征戍，烽火被岡巒。

The heaped corpses stink the plants and trees out. The rivers and plains have been dyed in red with blood.

蹟屍草木腥，流血川原丹。

There's no any happy land at all. How dare I loiter there any longer?

何鄕為樂土？安敢尚盤桓！

On this occasion of my leaving our thatched cottage without return, how can I keep myself from being heartbroken？  

棄絕蓬室居，塌然摧肺肝。