Song of Mulan
——Tr. by Xu Yuanchong
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。不闻机杼声，唯闻女叹息，
问女何所思？问女何所忆？女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。
昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵，军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
Alack, alas! alack, alas!
She weaves and sees the shuttle pass.
You cannot hear the shuttle, why?
Its whir is drowned in her deep sigh.
“Oh, what are you thinking about?
Will you tell us? Will you speak out?”
“I have no worry on my mind,
Nor have I grief of any kind.
I read the battle roll last night;
The Khan has ordered men to fight.
The roll was written in twelve books;
My father’s name was in twelve nooks.
My father has no grown-up son,
For elder brother I have none,
I’ll get a horse of hardy race
And serve in my old father’s place.”
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。
旦辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边，不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。
旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头，不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑鸣啾啾。
She buys a steel at eastern fair,
A whip and saddle here or there.
She buys a bridle at the south
And metal bit for horse’s mouth.
At down she leaves her parents by the city wall;
At dusk she reaches Yellow River shore.
All night she listens for old folks’ familiar call,
But hears only the Yellow River’s roar.
At down she leaves the Yellow River shore;
To Mountains Black she goes her way.
At night she hears old folks’ familiar voice no more
But only on north mountains Tatar horses neigh.
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。
将军百战死，壮士十年归。
归来见天子，天子坐明堂。策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。
可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，愿借明驼千里足，送儿还故乡。
For miles and miles the army march along
And cross the mountain barriers as in flight.
The northern wind has chilled the watchman’s gong,
Their coat of mail glistens in wintry light.
In ten years they’ve lost many captains strong,
But battle-hardened warriors come back in delight.
Back, they have their audience with the Khan in the hall,
Honours and gifts are lavished on warriors all.
The Khan asks her what she wants as a grace,
“A camel fleet to carry me to my native place.”
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将；阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆；
小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。
当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄。
Hearing that she has come,
Her parents hurry to meet her at city gate,
Her sister rouges her face at home,
Her younger brother kills pig and sheep to celebrate.
She opens the doors east and west
And sits on her bed for a rest.
She doffs her garb worn under fire
And wears again female attire.
Before the window she arranges her hair
And in the mirror sees her image fair.
出门看火伴，火伴皆惊惶。同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
雄免脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离。双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？
Then she comes out to see her former mate,
Who stares at her in amazement great:
“We have marched together for twelve years,
We did not know there is a lass ‘mid our compeers!”
“Both buck and doe have a lilting gait
And both their eyelids palpitate.
When side by side two rabbits go,
Who can tell the buck from the doe?”
The Song of Mulan
——Tr. by Yang Xianyi
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。不闻机杼声，唯闻女叹息，
问女何所思？问女何所忆？女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。
昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵，军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
One sigh after another,
Mulan sat opposite the door weaving;
But no sound of the shuttle was heard,
Except the sighs of the girl.
When asked what she was pondering over,
When asked what she had called to mind,
Nothing special the girl was pondering over,
Nothing special the girl had called to mind.
“Last night I saw the draft dispatch,
The Khan is mustering a mighty army;
The roster consists of many muster rolls,
And every roll has Father’s name on it.
Father has no grown son,
Nor Mulan an elder brother;
I want to buy a saddle and a horse,
And from now on fight in place of my father.”
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。
旦辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边，不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。
旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头，不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑鸣啾啾。
In the eastern market she bought a fine steed,
In the western market a saddle and a pad,
In the southern market a bridle,
In the northern market a long whip.
At daybreak she bid farewell to her parents,
At sunset she bivouacked by the Yellow River;
What met her ear was no longer her parents’ call,
But the gurgles and splashes of the rushing waters.
At daybreak she left the Yellow River,
At sunset she arrived at the top of the Black Hill;
What met her ear was no longer her parents’ call,
But the Hun horses neighing in the Yanshan Mountains.
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。
将军百战死，壮士十年归。
归来见天子，天子坐明堂。策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。
可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，愿借明驼千里足，送儿还故乡。
On the expedition of thousands of miles to the war,
She dashed across mountains and passes as if in flight;
In the chilly northern air night watches clanged,
In the frosty moonlight mailed coats glistened.
Generals laid down their lives in a hundred battles,
And valiant soldiers returned after ten years in the service.
When she returned to an audience with the Son of Heaven,
The Son of Heaven sat in the Hall of Brightness.
A promotion of many ranks was granted her for her merits,
With a reward that amounted to thousands of strings of cash.
The Khan asked Mulan what she desired to do,
“I don't need any high official position,
Please lend me a sturdy camel that is fleet of foot,
And send me back to my hometown.
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将；阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆；
小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。
当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄。
When her parents heard their daughter was coming,
They walked out of the town, each helping the other;
When her elder sister heard the younger sister was coming,
She decked herself out in her best by the door;
When her younger brother heard his elder sister was coming,
He whetted a knife and aimed it at a pig and a sheep.
“I opened the door of my east chamber,
And then sat down on the bed in my west chamber;
Taking off the mailed coat worn in wartime,
I attired myself in my apparel of former times;
By the window I combed and coiffed my cloudy hair,
Before the mirror I adorned my forehead with a yellow pattern.”
出门看火伴，火伴皆惊惶。同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
雄免脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离。双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？
When she came out to meet her battle companions,
They were all astounded and thrown into bewilderment.
Together they had been in the army for a dozen years or so,
Yet none had ever known that Mulan was actually a girl.
The male rabbit kicks its fluffy feet as it scampers,
The eyes of female rabbit are blurred by fluffy tufts of hair,
But when they run side by side in the field,
You can hardly tell the doe from the buck!
Ode of Mulan
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。不闻机杼声，唯闻女叹息，
问女何所思？问女何所忆？女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。
昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵，军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
Tsiek tsiek and again tsiek tsiek,
Mu-lan weaves, facing the door.
You don't hear the shuttle's sound,
You only hear Daughter's sighs.
They ask Daughter who's in her heart,
They ask Daughter who's on her mind.
"No one is on Daughter's heart,
No one is on Daughter's mind.
Last night I saw the draft posters,
The Khan is calling many troops,
The army list is in twelve scrolls,
On every scroll there's Father's name.
Father has no grown-up son,
Mu-lan has no elder brother.
I want to buy a saddle and horse,
And serve in the army in Father's place."
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。
旦辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边，不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。
旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头，不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑鸣啾啾。
In the East Market she buys a spirited horse,
In the West Market she buys a saddle,
In the South Market she buys a bridle,
In the North Market she buys a long whip.
At dawn she takes leave of Father and Mother,
In the evening camps on the Yellow River's bank.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears the Yellow River's flowing water cry tsien tsien.
At dawn she takes leave of the Yellow River,
In the evening she arrives at Black Mountain.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears Mount Yen's nomad horses cry tsiu tsiu.
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。
将军百战死，壮士十年归。
归来见天子，天子坐明堂。策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。
可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，愿借明驼千里足，送儿还故乡。
She goes ten thousand miles on the business of war,
She crosses passes and mountains like flying.
Northern gusts carry the rattle of army pots,
Chilly light shines on iron armor.
Generals die in a hundred battles,
Stout soldiers return after ten years.
On her return she sees the Son of Heaven,
The Son of Heaven sits in the Splendid Hall.
He gives out promotions in twelve ranks
And prizes of a hundred thousand and more.
The Khan asks her what she desires.
"Mu-lan has no use for a minister's post.
I wish to ride a swift mount
To take me back to my home."
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将；阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆；
小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。
当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄。
When Father and Mother hear Daughter is coming
They go outside the wall to meet her, leaning on each other.
When Elder Sister hears Younger Sister is coming
She fixes her rouge, facing the door.
When Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming
He whets the knife, quick quick, for pig and sheep.
"I open the door to my east chamber,
I sit on my couch in the west room,
I take off my wartime gown
And put on my old-time clothes."
Facing the window she fixes her cloudlike hair,
Hanging up a mirror she dabs on yellow flower powder
出门看火伴，火伴皆惊惶。同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
雄免脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离。双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？
She goes out the door and sees her comrades.
Her comrades are all amazed and perplexed.
Traveling together for twelve years
They didn't know Mu-lan was a girl.
The he-hare's feet go hop and skip,
The she-hare's eyes are muddled and fuddled.
Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?"
（ Tr. by Han H. Frankel, Yale University Press, 1976）
