The Ballad of Mulan

唧唧復唧唧，木蘭當戶織。不聞機杼聲，惟聞女嘆息。

Hark to the sound of murmurs fill the room;
Mulan before the door does toil at loom.
The shuttle slacks; the clacking silent falls,
The only sound the maid's lamenting call.

問女何所思，問女何所憶。女亦無所思，女亦無所憶。

You wonder where the maiden's thoughts may bend,
What memory might her give such sweet torment.
Yet no phantasm grips her sturdy heart,
Nor does remembrance cause her aught of doubt.

昨夜見軍帖，可汗大點兵，軍書十二卷，卷卷有爺名。

Past eve were seen the martial rosters grand;
The Khan calls forth a muster 'cross the land.
The names march onward far as you can look,
And Father's name is found in every book.

阿爺無大兒，木蘭無長兄，願爲市鞍馬，從此替爺徵。

There's no grown son to stand in Father's stead;
No brother rides so she may rest her head.
At market will she buy her horse and gear,
And take her Father's place wherefore to serve.

東市買駿馬，西市買鞍韉，南市買轡頭，北市買長鞭。

Eastward she goes, the finest horse to buy;
Westward she goes for saddle fit to fly.
Southward she goes for bridle and a rein,
Northward she goes; a riding crop is gained.

旦辭爺孃去，暮宿黃河邊，不聞爺孃喚女聲，但聞黃河流水鳴濺濺。

At morning blush she rides, by parents blessed;
At nighttime dark by Yellow River slept.
No longer does she hear her parents' call,
Only the mighty water crash and fall.

旦辭黃河去，暮至黑山頭，不聞爺孃喚女聲，但聞燕山胡騎鳴啾啾。

She rides at dawn, the river at her back;
Encamp'd by night at the feet of Mountains Black.
No longer does she hear her parents' voice,
Only the savage horsemen's screaming noise.

萬里赴戎機，關山度若飛。朔氣傳金柝，寒光照鐵衣。將軍百戰死，壯士十年歸。

Machines of war a thousand leagues do blaze,
Fly past the strongholds, 'cross the mountain ways.
The frigid wind resounds with striking steel;
A frozen light is burnt on coats of mail.
A hundred battles fought, and many fall;
A decade's strife finds some still standing tall.

歸來見天子，天子坐明堂。策勳十二轉，賞賜百千強。

They come before the Son of Heaven high
Who sits in glory on the throne of light.
By all reports, courageous deeds were done;
Reward is given, just and princely sums.

可汗問所欲，木蘭不用尚書郎，願馳千里足，送兒還故鄉。

The Khan inquires, aught else does she desire?
Mulan thinks not of office nor of honor,
Her only wish to ride a thousand miles
Bound for the much-loved home where she would dwell.

爺孃聞女來，出郭相扶將；阿姊聞妹來，當戶理紅妝；小弟聞姊來，磨刀霍霍向豬羊。

Her parents head outside the city gates;
Clinging to one another, they but wait.
Big Sister, told Mulan will soon be there,
Puts on her dress and make-up with some care.
The Little Brother, welcome feast to roast,
Sharpens the knives and hurries to the goats.

開我東閣門，坐我西閣牀，脫我戰時袍，著我舊時裳。當窗理雲鬢，對鏡貼花黃。

"Eastward I open up the bower door;
Westward I sit upon my platform chair.
The long, grim cloak of war do I cast off;
The skirt of girlhood I put on with love.
By window clear I fix my cloud-soft hair;
In mirror bright affix the flowers fair."

出門看火伴，火伴皆驚忙：同行十二年，不知木蘭是女郎。

Outside she steps to meet her comrades' eyes,
And to a man they start in their surprise.
A decade on, they've been through thick and thin;
In all this time they never dreamed Mulan was not a man!

雄兔腳撲朔，雌兔眼迷離；雙兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？

"When held, a rabbit male will kick its feet,
While rabbit female looks through eyes that slit.
When they run close to ground and side by side
Female or male am I, can you decide?"