Mulan holds the shuttle and sighs,
I ask again, for whom?
Wishing to hear her sorrows,
Moved, she forces a smile.
Her old father is listed in the army register,
His strength declines daily.
How can he march ten thousand miles?
And his son is still too young.
Desert sands swallow horses' hooves,
Northern winds split human skin.
Her father is old and frail,
How can he force himself to go?
Mulan goes in her father's place,
Feeds the horse, prepares for war.
Changes her silk finery,
Washes off her lead-powder makeup.
Gallops her horse to the army tent,
Heroically carries her fine sword.
At dawn, camps at the foot of snowy mountains,
At dusk, lodges by the Blue Sea.
At night, raids the Yan Zhi enemy,
Also leads the Yutian Qiang.
The general returns victorious,
Soldiers go back to their hometowns.
Parents see Mulan,
Extreme joy turns to sorrow.
Mulan can face her parents,
Then removes her warrior's gear, attends to silk and strings.
Once a heroic warrior,
Now a delicate maiden's appearance.
Relatives bring wine to congratulate the parents,
Then they know a daughter is the same as a son.
Before the gate, old army comrades,
Ten years shared hardships.
Originally sworn as brothers,
Vowed to fight to death, never wavering.
Now they see Mulan,
Her voice is the same, but her face is changed.
Astonished, they dare not approach,
Sighing in vain, 'Ah!'
If the world has loyal subjects' hearts,
Able to match Mulan's integrity.
Loyalty and filial piety never waver,
Her name through the ages, how can it perish?