from Frontier Songs, First Series, Section Three by Tu Fu

If you draw a bow, draw the strongest,
If you use an arrow, use the longest:
To shoot a man, first shoot his horse,
To capture rebels, first capture their chief.
In killing men, also, there are limits,
And each state has its own borders.
So long as invasion can be curbed,
What’s the use of much killing?

translated by Ronald C. Miao

One thought on “from Frontier Songs, First Series, Section Three by Tu Fu

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