宛丘 ① 先生长如丘,
宛丘学舍小如舟。
常时低头诵经史,
忽然欠伸屋打头。
斜风吹帷雨注面,
先生不愧旁人羞。
任从饱死笑方朔,
肯为雨立求秦优 ② !
眼前勃谿 ③ 何足道,
处置六凿 ④ 须天游。
读书万卷不读律,
致君尧舜知无术。
劝农 ⑤ 冠盖闹如云,
送老虀 ⑥ 盐甘似蜜。
门前万事不挂眼,
头虽长低气不屈!
①宛丘:陈州的别称。因为苏辙任陈州州学教授,所以戏称“宛丘先生”。②秦优:指秦始皇的歌童旃,是个侏儒。③勃谿(xī):争吵。④六凿:即喜、怒、哀、乐、爱、恶六情。⑤劝农:指朝廷派遣到各地视察农业的官吏。⑥虀(jī):指腌菜,切碎的酱菜。
My brother's tall as Confucius is said to be,
But his room in the schoolhouse looks like a boat small.
He bends his head while reading classics and history,
Suddenly he yawns, his head bumps against the wall.
The wind blows screens aside and raindrops into his
face, The onlookers feel sorry but he does not care.
The starving may be jeered at by well-fed men base,
He won't beg for shelter though rain drenches his hair.
He cares not for the discomforts before the eye,
If he can let his six spirits soar in the sky.
He's read ten thousand books without reading the law.
How could he serve a sovereign without a flaw!
The inspectors of agriculture come in throng,
Honey-like vegetables are given to the old.
Nothing at the door will remain in his eyes for long,
Though his head oft bends low, his spirit is still bold.
余杭别驾无功劳,
画堂五丈容旂旄 ① 。
重楼跨空雨声远,
屋多人少风骚骚。
平生所惭今不耻,
坐对疲氓重鞭箠 ② 。
道逢阳虎 ③ 呼与言,
心知其非口诺唯。
居高志下真何益,
气节消缩今无几。
文章小技安足程!
先生别驾旧齐名。
如今衰老俱无用,
付与时人分重轻!
①旂旄(qí máo):犛牛尾于杆首的旌旗,军将所建。②箠(chuí):杖刑。③阳虎:即阳货,孔子所鄙视而不愿意与之见面的人。
Official of Hangzhou, I've done no worthy deed,
My painted hall is so large that flags can be displayed.
My mansion stands high and from noise of rain is freed,
With rooms uninhabited soughing winds invade.
I'm no longer ashamed of what I used to be,
And punish with flogging the accused before me.
I greet those I dislike when we meet on the way,
Though I know they are wrong, yet I say only "Aye".
What is the use of a high literary fame
When ebbs our moral courage and lowers our aim?
The trifling art of writing is of no avail,
You and I, while young, we attained the same renown.
We become worthless now we're decrepit and frail.
Let our contemporaries play us up or down!
本诗前六句写苏辙生活清苦,接着十句称赞苏辙,再接十句自嘲,最后四句发泄对达官贵人的鄙视之情。全诗用喜剧的手法谱写悲愤之曲,显示了苏诗“嬉笑怒骂,皆成文章”的特色。