[updated October 2022]
Making Childhood Friends
结 客 少 年 场 行
紫 燕 黄 金 瞳
啾 啾 摇 绿 鬃。
平 明 相 驰 逐
结 客 洛 门 东。
少 年 学 剑 术
凌 轹 白 猿 公。
珠 袍 曳 锦 带
匕 首 插 吴 鸿。
由 来 万 夫 勇
挟 此 英 雄 风。
托 交 从 剧 孟
买 醉 人 新 丰。
笑 尽 一 杯 酒
杀 入 都 市 中。
羞 道 易 水 寒
从 令 日 贯 虹。
燕 丹 事 不 立
虚 没 秦 帝 宫。
武 阳 死 灰 人
安 可 与 成 功？
Jie Ke Shao Nian Chang Xing
Zi yan huang jin tong
Jiu jiu yao lu zong.
Ping ming xiang chi zhu
Jie ke luo men dong.
Shao nian xue jian shu
Ling li bai yuan gong.
Zhu pao ye jin dai
Bi shou cha wu hong.
You lai wan fu yong
Xie ci ying xiong feng.
Tuo jiao cong ju meng
Mai zui ren xin feng.
Xiao jin yi bei jiu
Sha ru dou shi zhong.
Xiu dao yi shui han
Cong jin ri guan hong.
Yan dan shi bu li
Xu mei qin di gong.
Wu yang si hui ren
An ke yu cheng gong?
Making Childhood Friends
Zi Yan horses with eyes of gold
Shake their colorful coats and neigh.
At dawn we chased and raced each other
We met our guests east of Luoyang.
From my early youth learned fencing skills
In this way I thought I could win the love of a beauty.
Wore shirts lined with pearls and brocade belts
Carry the famous Wu Hong sword.
Together we had the courage of ten thousand
Our swagger made us the elite and powerful.
Buy expensive wine and got ourselves drunk
Laughed after every cup of wine
Witnessed battles in the market squares.
Shame on us for being too young to join in
And to be too involved with imagined grandeur.
Fantasies of saving the country
And destroying the Qin imperial palace.
People of the military die and turn into ashes and dust
How can peace become the success?
Notes:
Zi Han horses: Early Chinese import from central Asia during the Han Dynasty. From paintings and statues these horses presented with short legs, powerful chests, and round-barreled bodies.
Wu Hong sword: Probably refers to the high quality and very valuable swords made from the kingdoms of Wu and Yue.