虎視何雄哉！
He broke the floating clouds while wielding swords,
揮劍決浮雲，
Westward to pay their homage came all lords.
諸侯盡西來。
He made great plans and formed decisions wise,
雄圖發英斷，
In front of him all heroes dwarfed in size.
大略駕群才。
He melted weapons into statues of brass,
收兵鑄金人，
And opened to the East the frontier pass.
函谷正東開。
He built a monument on Eastern Hill,
銘功會稽嶺，
And rode to Southern Tower to gaze his fill.
驊望琅玡台。
He worked seven hundred thousand slaves
刑徒七十萬，
To build in deep mountain recess his graves.
起土驪山隈。
He sought elixir of immortality,
尚采不死藥，
These contradictory deeds puzzle me.
茫然使心哀。
He bent his bow to shoot the monster whale
連弩射海魚，
Sweeping the sea with its enormous tail.
長鯨正崔嵬。
Its head and nose erect’d like mountains proud,
額鼻象五岳，
And water spouted like thunder and cloud.
揚波噴雲雷。
Its dorsal fin might cover azure sky.
鬢鬍蔽青天，
Could seamen find the Fairy Islands① high?
何由睹蓬萊？
The alchemist with maidens went to sea.
徐市載秦女，
When could their galleys come back?
We but see
樓船幾時回？ 但見三泉下， 金棺葬寒灰！
Buried in underworld, the ashes cold