唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。

不闻机杼声，唯闻女叹息。

Alack, alas! Alack, alas!

She weaves and sees the shuttle pass.

You cannot hear the shuttle, why?

Its whir is drowned in her deep sigh.

问女何所思？问女何所忆？

女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。

"Oh, what are you thinking about?

Will you tell us? Will you speak out?"

"I have no worry on my mind,

Nor have I grief of any kind.

昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵，

军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。

I read the battle roll last night;

The Khan has ordered men to fight.

The roll was written in twelve books;

My father's name was in twelve nooks.

阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，

愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。

My father has no grown-up son,

For elder brother I have none.

I'll get a horse of hardy race

And serve in my father's place."

东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，

南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。

She buys a steed at eastern fair,

A whip and saddle here and there.

She buys a bridle at the south

And metal bit for the horse's mouth.

朝辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边。

不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。

At dawn she leaves her parents by the city wall;

At dusk she reaches Yellow River shore.

All night she listens for old folk's familiar call,

But only hears the Yellow River's roar.

旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头。

不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑声啾啾。

At dawn she leaves the Yellow River shore;

To mountains Black she goes her way.

At night she hears old folk's familiar voice no more,

But only on north mountains Tartar horses neighs.

万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。

朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。

For miles and miles the army march along

And cross the mountain barriers as in flight.

The northern wind has chilled the watchman's gong,

Their coat of mail glistens in wintry light.

将军百战死，壮士十年归。

归来见天子，天子坐明堂。

In ten years they've lost many captains strong,

But battle-hardened warriors come back in delight.

Back they have their audience with the Khan in the hall.

策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。

可汗问所欲，“木兰不用尚书郎，

愿驰千里足，送儿还故乡。”

Honors and gifts are lavished on warriors all.

The Khan asks her what she wants as a grace.

"A camel fleet to carry me to my native place."

爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将。

阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆。

小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。

Hearing that she has come,

Her parents hurry to meet her at city gate.

Her sister rouges her face at home,

Her younger brother kills pig and sheep to celebrate.

开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。

脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。

She opens the doors east and west

And sits on her bed for a rest.

She doffs her garb wore under fire

And wears again female attire.

当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄。

出门看火伴，火伴皆惊惶。

同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。

Before the window she arranges her hair

And in the mirror sees her image fair.

Then she comes out to see her former mate,

Who stares at her in amazement great:

"We have marched together for twelve years,

We did not know there was a lass' mid our compeers!"

“雄兔脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离；

双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌！”

"Both buck and doe have lilting gait

And both their eyelids palpitate.

When side by side two rabbits go,

Who can tell the buck from the doe?"