黑云压城城欲摧，甲光向日金鳞开。
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角声满天秋色里，塞上燕脂凝夜紫。
半卷红旗临易水，霜重鼓寒声不起。
报君黄金台上意，提携玉龙为君死。
Yan Men Governor
1
, a Lay
Li He
Black clouds loom heavy over the city,
And the city on the verge of caving in,
Armors gleam golden with open scales in the sun.
Battle horns fill the sky of an autumnal hue,
Frontier rouge
2
freezes into a nocturnal purple.
Battle banners half-furled over the Yishui River,
Drums go mute from heavy frost and cold.
To return the favor on the Golden Stage,
I tote my
Yulong
3
sword to die for him.
1. In the mid-late reign of the Tang Dynasty, the governors of some northern prefectures had become fractionalized and intractable, seriously threatening the unity and stability of the nation. The poem depicts the wars waged in the north to suppress the disturbances. Lay is the name of an ancient tune taken from the collection of songs by the Musical Bureau.
2. Rouge here signifies blood.
3.
Yulong
, literally the “Jade Dragon”, is the name of a famous sword.
（任治稷、余正
译）
Song of Goose Gate’s Governor
Li He
Black clouds hang heavy across the city
As if to overwhelm city and daylight together.
The General’s chain-mail glitters,
Metal scales gaping open.
Bugles sound; autumn frost comes down.
At night dark blood on the ground
Looks darker still.
Scarlet flags half furled,
Our army advanced to the River Yi.
In the heavy frost, the cold air,
Our drums beat dull, low.
But for all you gave us
At the Golden Tower,
We will fight for Your Majesty,
We will die for Your Majesty,
Through fire and through water.
（丁祖馨
译）
