两岸饶商贾。
Between two shores alive with trade.
吴牛喘月时，
Under the heat pants buffalo.
拖船一何苦！
O think what pain it is to tow!
水浊不可饮，
The water's muddy and can not
壶浆半成土。
Be drunk: thick silt fills half the pot.
一唱都护歌，
When tow-men sing their song's refrain.
心摧泪如雨。
With broken heart, tears fall like rain.
万人凿盘石，
Ten thousand quarry-men would groan
无由达江浒。
To haul to riverside rough stone.
君看石芒砀，
If rocky mountains could have ears,
掩泪悲千古！
Would they not melt into sad tears?