Translation of the song 白马入芦花 artist He Tu

黄河泄自星宿海 奔流入名篇

prosperity seems to flow everywhere else on earth

岭上云至洛邑雪 洋洋万山间

But only to our land as frozen harshness from over the mountains

西京灯市如海 喧嚣夜 长风穿楼阙

Our glorious land once thrived with seas of lights and the cheerful sounds of many

忽抬眼 晴翠成荒烟

But the hordes crept past our watchtowers

少年曾出长安道 籍籍入荒野

And in the blink of an eye, turned prosperity to desolation

塞鸿偶驮泉下魂 残碑负深雪

Once a centre of fame and noble prospects for its youth, it is but a desolate reminder of history now

三叠声里 缥缈梦冷冽 孤悬白月尖

Even here, far from home, I sometimes think of the lost souls, though it has been so long since they left

一身风流上明殿 傲立君前

In my lament for them, my prospects too become surreal and unlikely, like I have taken the wrong path

银碗盛雪 明月藏鹭 白马入芦花

I sing with a professional lack of emotion, as if I am simply fulfilling a task ordered of me

十八拍清笳 征人提灯走天涯

I look not closely at each life that was taken, but only at the easier summary of their combined fates

蜿蜒登高一刹 观飒沓

I sing songs of sorrow for the departed souls

于十万埋骨处 坠新霞

As I continue, I catch glimpses of understanding

边庭难越 长安何人还说侠

As time goes on, the memory of their souls grows tantalisingly close

少年曾出长安道 籍籍入荒野

Though they all perished long ago on the frontiers, and have been forgotten by most

塞鸿偶驮泉下魂 残碑负深雪

Once a centre of fame and noble prospects for its youth, it is but a desolate reminder of history now

三叠声里 缥缈梦冷冽 孤悬白月尖

Even here, far from home, I sometimes think of the lost souls, though it has been so long since they left

一身风流上明殿 傲立君前

In my lament for them, my prospects too become surreal and unlikely, like I have taken the wrong path

银碗盛雪 明月藏鹭 白马入芦花

I sing with a professional lack of emotion, as if I am simply fulfilling a task ordered of me

风流尚存 万般风流皆似他

I look not closely at each life that was taken, but only at the easier summary of their combined fates

静夜醉饮歌台 卧芳华

When accomplishment still existed in this world, our home was the epitome of it

任星芒泼黛瓦 忽飞沙

But in our greatness we were placid and unsuspecting

风蚀台下 盛唐风流皆是他

Over our innocent and unprepared homeland, sudden war broke

纵马一日 歌诗百篇 君曾生逢太平年

Long after the destruction, people ironically remember our homeland as the epitome of peace

崖畔听潮 亭里赏石 史书翻遍未消闲

of no fear, of literary brilliance and as a prominent city in an era of great calm

而后 杯中黄土 当头晦月

They remember it as a place of poetically examining the sorrows and joys of the world from far away without affliction, of appreciating nature and literature

人在枯草边 有碑石立峁原

However an unexpected darkness broke upon us

坐觉苍茫万古意 长空铺白练

And now I sit by graves built upon the ruin of our land

银碗盛雪 明月藏鹭 白马入芦花

Sitting here reminiscences fill my empty heart, as stars fill the empty skill

风流尚存 万般风流皆似他

I look not closely at each life that was taken, but only at the easier summary of their combined fates

静夜醉饮歌台 卧芳华

When accomplishment still existed in this world, our home was the epitome of it

任星芒泼黛瓦 忽飞沙

But in our greatness we were placid and unsuspecting

风蚀台下 盛唐风流皆是他

Over our innocent and unprepared homeland, sudden war broke