石鼓歌
韩愈
张生手持石鼓文，劝我试作石鼓歌。
少陵无人谪仙死，才薄将奈石鼓何！
周纲陵迟四海沸，宣王愤起挥天戈。
大开明堂受朝贺，诸侯剑佩鸣相磨。
于岐阳骋雄俊，万里禽兽皆遮罗。
镌工勒成告万世，凿石作鼓隳嵯峨。
从臣才艺咸第一，拣选撰刻留山阿。
雨淋日炙野火燎，鬼物守护烦呵。
公从何处得纸本，毫发尽备无差讹。
辞严义密读难晓，字体不类隶与蝌。
年深岂免有缺画，快剑斫断生蛟鼍。
鸾翔凤翥众仙下，珊瑚碧树交枝柯。
金绳铁索锁纽壮，古鼎跃水龙腾梭。
陋儒编诗不收入，二雅褊迫无委蛇。
孔子西行不到秦，掎摭星宿遗羲娥。
嗟余好古生苦晚，对此涕泪双滂沱。
忆昔初蒙博士征，其年始改称元和。
故人从军在右辅，为我量度掘臼科。
濯冠沐浴告祭酒，如此至宝存岂多？
毡苞席裹可立致，十鼓祗载数骆驼。
存诸太庙比郜鼎，光价岂止百倍过？
圣恩若许留太学，诸生讲解得切磋。
观经鸿都尚填咽，坐见举国来奔波。
剜苔剔藓露节角，安置妥帖平不颇。
大厦深檐与盖覆，经历久远期无佗。
中朝大官老于事，讵肯感激徒婀。
牧童敲火牛砺角，谁复著手为摩挲？
日销月铄就埋没，六年西顾空吟哦。
羲之俗书趁姿媚，数纸尚可博白鹅。
继周八代争战罢，无人收拾理则那！
方今太平日无事，柄任儒术崇丘轲。
安能以此上论列，愿借辩口如悬河。
石鼓之歌止于此，鸣呼吾意其蹉跎！
An Ode to the Stone Drums
Han Yu
Holding rubbings of writings engraved on the Stone Drums，
Young Zhang urged me to write an ode of praise that them
becomes.
The Shaoling poet and the Banished Fairy were both gone.
How could a talentless man like me have it well done？
When the Zhou reign declined and in turmoil was the land，
Emperor Xuan rose and fought with troops under his command.
Widely oped’ was the Grand Hall where he received the cheer
By dukes and princes whose swords clashed and clanged as they
came near.
On the Qiyang hunting ground， gallantry was in full play；
For myriad miles around beasts and fowls fell their prey.
Rocks were chopped off the cliffs and chipped into form of drum，
Whereon their feats were carved to show generations to come.
The arts of courtiers that wrote and carved were of the first rate；
At last the finished Stone Drums in a valley corner sate.
They had been rain-drenched， sun-scorched， and baked by the
wild fire，
So demons took great pains to keep them sound and entire.
“Where you managed to get these rubbings， please let me know.
Everything is in such detail and yet precise so！”
To comprehend those strict words with close sense isn’t easy，
Not “Official” nor ”Tadpole” is their calligraphy.
Being ages old， there are words that have of strokes a lack，
Yet they are like soaring dragons cut by a sword’s hack.
The writings seem droppings of phoenix-riding fairies，
Or entwinings of branches of coral and jade trees，
Or hard fastening locks of iron chains and gold strings，
Or Ancient Tripods’ divings and Dragon-Shuttles’ springs.
Pedants left out the work in their Book of Songs edicted；
The two Hymns are too restrained to have it admitted.
On his westward tour， Confucius ne’er reached the Qin Land；
He picked up stars but let Sun and Moon slip from his hand.
O， a curio lover like me should be born so late！
I couldn’t help shedding tears over the Stone Drums’ fate.
I recalled that when I was first conferred the Doctorate，
It was the year the Reign Yuanhe began in the State.
In the West Garrison then served an old friend of mine，
Who helped me to spot the Drums and dig them out in fine.
Bathed and with my hat washed， I told the Academy Dean：
Could many remaining treasures like these there have been？
If wrapped in rags or mats， they can easily be got，
And it needs just a few camels to have them here brought.
If like Gao Tripod they’re kept in the Ancestral Shrine，
A hundred times brighter than the Tripod they will shine；
Or if by the Emperor’s grace， in the Academy
They remain， they’ll help in students’ debate and study.
E’en Hongdu was crowded with Inscribed Classics sightseers，
Surely people from all quarters will flock to see the Drums here.
With lichens scooped out and mosses scraped， strokes will appear.
If properly placed and well kept in steadiness sheer，
Under the safe shelter of a strong deep-eaved grand hall，
They’ll be fore’er free from ill luck that may them befall，
But how worldly-wise were those high officials at court，
Who were slow to action and hesitating in thought.
So Drums lay there， as cowboys’ flint and cow-horns’ whetstone.
Who again took good care of them as they should have done？
They’d soon vanish under the sun’s and moon’s consuming shine；
My six-year westward look proved to be nothing in fine.
Of Xizhi’s popular script， pursuing charm and ease，
Just a few sheets could be exchanged for a lot of geese.
In the Eight Dynasties since Zhou， when the war ended，
It seemed absurd that to Drums none should have attended.
Now over the whole country， secure peace has long reigned；
Confucius’s and Mensus’s disciples have power obtained.
How I wish my above points be brought to His Majesty
Through someone vested with eloquent ability！
And here must be ended my poor Ode to the Stone Drums.
But alas， would that my intention might not to naught come！
