Qiang Village (3)
Flock chickens now disorder call Guests arrive chicken fight Drive chickens on tree Begin listen knock wicker tree Elders four five people Ask me long far travel Hand in each have carry Pour jug cloudy combine clear Bitter decline wine taste thin Millet field no person farm Soldier transform already no rest Children furthest east campaigning Ask for elders sing Difficult ashamed deep feeling Song finish face heaven sigh Everyone present cry freely
The flock of chickens starts to call wildly, As guests arrive, the chickens begin to fight. I drive the chickens up into the tree, And now I hear the knock on the wicker gate. Four or five elders from the village, Ask how long and far I have been travelling. Each of them brings something in his hands, We pour the clear and thick wine in together. They apologise because it tastes so thin, There's no-one left to tend the millet fields. Conscription still continues without end, The children are campaigning in the east. I ask if I can sing a song for the elders, The times so hard, I'm ashamed by these deep feelings. I finish the song, look to heaven and sigh, Everyone around is freely weeping.