I watered my horse at the Long Wall caves, water so cold it hurt his bones; I went and spoke to the Long Wall boss: “We"re soldiers from Taiyuan— will you keep us here forever?” “Public works go according to schedule— swing your hammer, pitch your voice in with the rest!” A man"d be better off to die in battle than eat his heart out building the Long Wall! The Long Wall—how it winds and winds, winds and winds three thousand li; here on the border, so many strong boys; in the houses back home, so many widows and wives. I sent a letter to my wife: “Better remarry than wait any longer— serve your new mother-in-law with care and sometimes remember the husband you once had.” In answer her letter came to the border: “What nonsense do you write me now? Now when you"re in the thick of danger, how could I rest by another man"s side?”
(He) If you bear a son, don"t bring him up! But a daughter - feed her good dried meat. Only you can"t see, here by the Long Wall, the bones of the dead men heaped about!
(She) I bound up my hair and went to serve you; constant constant was the care of my heart. Too well I know your borderland troubles; and I—can I go on like this much longer?
