Strike the Drum | Strike the drum, beat the drum

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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Translation © by Kairui (Kerry) Zhou

击鼓

Language: Chinese (中文)

Our translations: ENG

击鼓其镗，
踊跃用兵。
土国城漕，
我独南行。

从孙子仲，
平陈与宋。
不我以归，
忧心有忡。

爰居爰处？
爰丧其马？
于以求之？
于林之下。

死生契阔，
与子成说。
执子之手，
与子偕老。

于嗟阔兮，
不我活兮。
于嗟洵兮，
不我信兮。

Notes from the researcher (Kairui Zhou): The text is from 诗经 (Classic [Collection] of Poems), a collection created between the 11th and 7th centuries BCE (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_of_Poetry [wikipedia] ). The source website was https://so.gushiwen.cn/gushi/shijing.aspx. This type of ancient Chinese is written in an unbroken series of characters, without modern punctuation, but the editor of the website has added punctuation to provide a more structural feeling. We have changed the formatting to allow the English translation to appear in parallel.

Text Authorship:

by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "击鼓" [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Kairui (Kerry) Zhou) , "Strike the Drum", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Kairui (Kerry) Zhou

This text was added to the website: 2024-03-06
Line count: 20
Word count: 20

Strike the Drum

Language: English after the Chinese (中文)

Strike the drum, beat the drum,
Excitedly prepare for war.
While people reinforce the city,
I march alone south,

Accompanied by Sun Zizhong.
Against Chen and Song I march,
I can’t return home.
Worry fills my heart, anxiety clings to me.

Where shall I stay, where shall I live?
Where has my horse gone?
How can I find it?
Beneath the mountain trees.

Life and death have connected us,
With you, I make this pledge.
Holding your hand tightly,
Together, we'll grow old.

Oh, the pain of separation!
I won't live without you.
Oh, the sorrow of uncertainty!
Can’t keep my promise.

Text Authorship:

Translation from Chinese (中文) to English copyright © 2024 by Kairui (Kerry) Zhou, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Chinese (中文) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2024-03-06
Line count: 20
Word count: 102