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光武中兴兴汉世，上下相承十二帝。
桓灵无道宗社堕，阉臣擅权为叔季。
无谋何进作三公，欲除社鼠招奸雄。
豺獭虽驱虎狼入，西州逆竖生淫凶。
王允赤心托红粉，致令董吕成矛盾。
渠魁殄灭天下宁，谁知李郭心怀愤。
神州荆棘争奈何，六宫饥馑愁干戈。
人心既离天命去，英雄割据分山河。
后王规此存兢业，莫把金瓯等闲缺。
生灵糜烂肝脑涂，剩水残山多怨血。
我观遗史不胜悲，今古茫茫叹《黍离》。
人君当守苞桑戒，太阿谁执全纲维。
（1）
Slowly the Hans had declined but renewed their vigour with Kuang-Wu，
Twelve were the rulers before him，followed him also twelve others.
Foolish were two of the latest，dangers surrounded the altars，
These were degenerate days，with authority given to eunuchs.
Then did Ho Chin the simple，the inept，who commanded the army，
Warriors call to the capital，wishing to drive out the vermin；
Though they drove out the leopard，tigers and wolves quickly entered，
All kinds of evil were wrought by a low class creature from Hsichou.
Wang Yun，honest of heart，beguiled this wretch with a woman，
Much desired of his henchman，thus sowing seeds of dissension.
Strife resulted，and peace no longer dwelt in the Empire.
No one suspected that Li and Kuo would continue the evil，
Much to the sorrow of China；yet they strove for a trifle.
Famine stalked in the palace，grief for the clashing of weapons；
Why did the warriors strive？Why was the land thus partitioned？
We had turned aside from the way appointed of Heaven.
Kings must ponder these things；heavy the burden lies on them，
Chiefest in all the realm theirs is no common appointment，
Should the King falter or fail，calamities fall on the people，
The Empire is drenched with their blood，grisly ruin surrounds them.
Steeped in sorrow and sad，read I the ancient records，
Long is the tale of years；the tale of sorrow is longer.
Wherefore he who would rule，chiefly must exercise forethought.
This and his keen—edged blade，these must suffice to maintain him.
（C. H. Brewitt-Taylor）
（2）
The Later Han revived the line of Liu：
Twelve sovereigns in succession ruled the realm.
But Huan and Ling—the downfall of their shrines—
Let their eunuchs rule and doomed the house.
Feckless He Jin，raised to guide the state，
Called tigers into court to clear the rats.
Vicious vermin out！Savage killers in！
Then Zhuo，the western rebel，spread new bane.
But loyal Wang Yun deployed a subtle maid，
Who turned Lu Bu against his master Zhuo.
Dong Zhuo cut down，the realm again knew peace，
Till Li Jue and Guo Si avenged their lord
And plunged our hallowed realm in misery.
Their civil strife brought king and queen to grief.
Allegiance broken，Heaven's Mandate failed：
Ambitious heroes carved our hills and streams.
Let every future king keep vigil keen
For our nation's precious harmony，
Lest living souls be ground into the earth
And stain our soil with blood unjustly shed.
To read these pages must break every heart，
As men once sighed for great Zhou's glory gone.
They warn the prince to stabilize his rule，
And watch who holds the sword that guards the laws.
（Moss Roberts）