Bailiffs at Shihao village

石壕吏

At twilight I put up at Shihao village for the night when I saw
the local bailiffs were recruiting soldiers by force.

暮投石壕村，有吏夜捉人。

The old host escaped by climbing over the wall.
And the old hostess went outside having a look.

老翁逾墙走，老婦出门看。How angrily the bailiffs was barking! How pitifully
the old woman was crying!

吏呼一何怒！婦啼一何苦！I heard the woman saying that her three sons
had joined the army attacking the rebels at Ye City and one sent a letter home
telling that the other two had just been killed in battle. 聽婦前致詞：三男邺城戍。一男附書至，二男新戰死。The survivors had to drag out an ignoble existence
temporarily. The deceased were gone forever.

存者且偷生，死者長已矣！There was no other man in the house except her sucking grandson,
whose mother did not leave for the child and she had no intact clothes for
going out.

室中更無人，惟有乳下孫。有孫母未去，出入無完裙。She added although she was old and feeble, she could go back
with the guys to the military camp at Heyang that night for the urgency of the
situation there. She hoped to be in time for preparing breakfast for the
soldiers.

老嫗力雖衰，請從吏夜歸。急應河陽役，猶得備晨炊。As the night advanced, the speaking ceased at last. It sounded
like someone weeping intermittently. On my leaving at daybreak, I bade farewell
to the old host alone.

夜久語聲絕，如聞泣幽咽。天明登前途，獨与老翁别。