1 披圖竟忍委傾城，戎服輕妝萬里行。多恐漢宮埋國色，畫工誤卻未知名。
Unrolling her portrait, how could (he) bear to cast away such a devastating beauty;
In light armour and simple adornment, she travels ten thousand miles.
How lamentable that the deep Han palace buried a beauty of the nation,
All because a painter's deception left her true radiance unknown.

2 玉關一去別爹娘，十二年來返故鄉。奇事奇人傳誦久，休論元魏與蕭梁。
Beyond the Jade Pass she departs, bidding farewell to her parents;
Twelve years pass before she returns to her homeland.
Strange deeds and a remarkable life are told and retold through time—
Why speak only of the Yuan Wei or the Xiao Liang?

3 颯颯悲風漢壘多，驚聞四面楚人歌。請憑一劍尊前盡，不忍君主喚奈何。
Swift and sorrowful winds sweep past the Han encampments;
Startled, she hears songs of Chu rising from all sides.
She asks only to drain a cup before the honoured one with a single sword—
Unable to bear hearing her lord cry out in helpless despair.

4 虢囯夫人承主恩， 平明騎馬入宮門。卻嫌脂粉污顔色，淡掃峨眉朝至尊。
The Lady of Guo receives the favour of her sovereign;
At dawn she rides her horse straight into the palace gates.
Disdaining cosmetics that might mar her natural beauty,
With lightly brushed brows, she attends upon the Son of Heaven.