對酒當歌，人生几何？ 譬如朝露，去日苦多。慨當以慷，憂思難忘。 何以解憂？唯有杜康。
青青子衿，悠悠我心。但為君故，沈吟至今。 呦呦鹿鳴，食野之苹。 我有嘉賓，鼓瑟吹笙。
明明如月，何時可掇？憂從中來，不可斷絕。越陌度阡，枉用相存。契闊談宴，心念舊恩。
月明星稀，烏鵲南飛，繞樹三匝，何枝可依？ 山不厭高，海不厭深。 周公吐哺，天下歸心。

A Short Poem
by Cao Cao of Three Kingdoms period

One should sing in front of the wine,
Since how long the life will be.
‘Tis like the dawn dew;
The days gone are bitterly so many.
Though at times I’m excited or agitated,
I still can’t forget my sorrows.
How can I abandon my grievance?
The sole thing is Du Kang1.
So black is your garment;
So carefree is my mind.
But for your sake,
I keep thinking till now.
“Yao, yoa,2” the deer bells,
Grazing fern in the fields.
I have venerable guests;
Zithers and flutes playing.
So bright is the moon;
When can I get it?
Woe comes from my heart,
And won’t stop or go away.
Guests come across fields
To greet me from afar.
Now we talk and feast,
Thinking of our old friendship.
The moon’s bright, stars scarce;
Crows and magpies fly southward.
They hover thrice round the trees;
On which bough can they perch?
Mountains can’t be deemed too high;
Water can’t be deemed too deep.
Duke Zhou spat out what he's chewing3,
And so all hearts under heaven went to him.