石灰吟 Song of Lime

石灰吟
shí huī yín
Song of Lime

千锤万凿出深山,
qiān chuí wàn záo chū shēn shān
The stones are taken out of mountains through a thousand hackings

烈火焚烧若等闲。
liè huǒ fén shāo ruò děng xián
They nothing care as they are burned in fiercely blazing flame

粉身碎骨浑不怕，
fěn shēn suì gǔ hún bú pà
And when to powder crushed, they show not a bit of fear

要留清白在人间。
yào líu qīng bái zài rén jiān
only hoping to leave to the world an untainted name

about the author:

Yu Qian (于谦 1398-1457) was a statesman, military strategist and poet in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is said that he wrote this poem when he was only 12. In writing about the process of getting lime, he expresses the idea of withstanding extreme hardships and even sacrificing himself for noble ideals.
[Translated by Wang Jianzhong]