李商隐: 筹笔驿/ li shangyin: in the camp of the sketching brush

筹笔驿

李商隐

猿鸟犹疑畏简书， 风云常为护储胥。

徒令上将挥神笔， 终见降王走传车。

管乐有才原不忝， 关张无命欲何如？

他年锦里经祠庙， 梁父吟成恨有余。

　

in the camp of the sketching brush

li shangyin

monkeys and birds are still alert for your orders

and winds and clouds eager to shield your fortress.

...you were master of the brush, and a sagacious general,

but your emperor, defeated, rode the prison-cart.

you were abler than even the greatest zhou statesmen,

yet less fortunate than the two shu generals who were killed in action.

and, though at your birth-place a temple has been built to you,

you never finished singing your song of the holy mountain