English Original
This is a story from the Three Kingdoms period. After suppressing the separatist forces in the north and consolidating his power at court, Cao Cao led his 830,000-strong army to the north bank of the Yangtze River, intent on defeating his rivals Sun Quan and Liu Bei on the opposite shore.
It was the fifteenth day of the eleventh month in the thirteenth year of the Jian'an era. The weather was clear, the wind calm, and the waves still. Cao Cao ordered a feast with entertainment for his commanders that evening. Under a bright moon, the great river lay placid, like an unrolled bolt of white silk. On board the ship, all attendants wore damask coats and embroidered jackets.
Cao Cao addressed the assembly: "We have raised this force to purge evil, dispel threats to the ruling house, and bring peace to the empire. Only the Southland remains beyond our reach. I invite you to join me today. Once the Southland submits and the empire is at peace, we shall share together the enjoyments of wealth and glory." The audience rose as one to thank him.
Gratified, Cao Cao made a libation to the river. He then quaffed three full goblets of wine, leveled his spear, and declared to his commanders: "This is the weapon that broke the Yellow Turbans, captured Lü Bu, eliminated Yuan Shu, subdued Yuan Shao, penetrated the northern frontier, and conquered the east as far as Liaodong. Across this vast land, no man has withstood me. My ambitions have always been those of a man of action, a leader among men. This scene before us stirs my soul with profound passion. I shall sing a song, and you must join me."
Cao Cao then recited:
Here before us, wine and song!
For man does not live long.
…
A southbound crow circles thrice a tree,
That offers him no haven.
The mountaintop no height eschews,
The sea eschews no deep.
And the Duke of Zhou spat out his meal,
An empire's trust to keep.
As Cao Cao finished, an imperial inspector named Liu Fu pointed out what he considered ominous words in the ode. Cao Cao, already inebriated, impaled Liu Fu with his spear, killing him. Liu Fu's warning was later proven true at the Battle of Red Cliffs (Chibi), where Cao Cao nearly lost his life.
中文翻译
这是一个出自《三国演义》的故事。曹操在平定北方割据势力、掌控朝廷大权后，亲率八十三万大军抵达长江北岸，意图消灭盘踞南岸的孙权与刘备。
时值建安十三年十一月十五日。天气晴朗，风平浪静。当晚，曹操下令设宴款待众将，并有歌舞助兴。明月当空，长江如一条展开的白练，静静横卧。船上侍从皆身着锦缎衣、绣花袄。
曹操对众人说道：“我兴此义兵，为的是扫除奸恶，匡扶汉室，安定天下。如今唯有江东未服。今日请诸君共聚，待收取江南，天下太平，我等自当共享富贵荣华。”众人听罢，齐声拜谢。
曹操心中大悦，以酒祭江。随后，他痛饮三大杯，横握长矛，对诸将言道：“此矛曾破黄巾、擒吕布、灭袁术、收袁绍，深入塞北，直抵辽东，纵横天下，未逢敌手。吾志在有为，当为人杰。今对此景，甚有慷慨。吾当作歌，诸君请和。”
于是曹操吟唱道：
对酒当歌，人生几何！
譬如朝露，去日苦多。
……
绕树三匝，何枝可依？
山不厌高，海不厌深。
周公吐哺，天下归心。
歌罢，谋士刘馥指出诗中“月明星稀，乌鹊南飞……绕树三匝，无枝可依”乃不祥之言。曹操当时已醉，闻言大怒，手起一槊，刺死刘馥。刘馥之言后来在赤壁之战中应验，曹操几乎丧命。