Out For Battle

Out For Battle
By Du Fu of Tang Dynasty
Translated by Laijon Liu 20081229

To wax a bow; one must wax a strong bow;
To pick an arrow, one must pick a long arrow.
To bring down a knight, one must shoot the horse.
To capture his enemy, one must capture the king.
There should be a limit for every slaughtering,
As all the nations patrolling their own borders.
And such method is to fend off an invasion,
Or for the purpose to slay more and more?

Note:
This poem shows the great learning of poet Du Fu’s view about war.
He wrote this poem to tell his people and colleagues (most officials),
That war was not for killing, but only a nation to defend an invasion.
But our TV news often reminds that we are not civilization yet, and
People never get tired fighting, killing, whatever any reason we use,
or religion, or land property, or security, or even for peace: Shalom,
or Liberty, Freedom, Human Rights, or Helen… it seems we human
can only solve all and every problem by using method of killing.
As the great poet argued with his last two verses by a question form,
All wisdom of war is for defending or slaughtering more and more?

That’s why I try to live a new way,
ain’t gonna be a nationalist, common man must pay tax to any government,
ain’t gonna fight for land, Jesus said what was good to lose life for world?
Ain’t gonna fight for a woman, she has all her God given rights to pick.
The best way to get out conflict, Run Forest! Run! Coz hell is on fire and
Satan loves toasting, and never get tired.