征夫

征夫

1. traveler

   • 征夫懷往路，起視夜何其？ [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     征夫怀往路，起视夜何其？ [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 蘇武 Su Wu, 《詩四首》"Four Poems" No. 3, included in 文選 Selections of Refined Literature

     Zhēngfū huái wǎnglù, qǐ shì yè hé jī? [Pinyin]

     This traveler, thinking of the road ahead, rises to see how the night goes.

2. soldier on expedition

   • 何草不玄、何人不矜。
     哀我征夫、獨為匪民。
     匪兕匪虎、率彼曠野。
     哀我征夫、朝夕不暇。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
     何草不玄、何人不矜。
     哀我征夫、独为匪民。
     匪兕匪虎、率彼旷野。
     哀我征夫、朝夕不暇。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Hécǎo bùxuán, hérén bùguān.
     Āi wǒ zhēngfū, dú wéi fěi mín.
     Fěi sì fěi hǔ, shuài bǐ kuàngyě.
     Āi wǒ zhēngfū, zhāoxī bùxiá. [Pinyin]

     Every plant is purple; every man is torn from his wife.
     Woe to us soldiers on these expeditions! How are we alone dealt with as if we were not people?
     We are not buffaloes, we are not tigers, to be led in these desolate wilds.
     Woe to us soldiers on these expeditions! Morning and night we have no rest.