子夜吴歌
(春歌)
秦地[1]罗敷女[2],
采桑绿水边。
素手青条上,
红妆白日鲜。
蚕饥妾[3]欲去,
五马莫留连!
《子夜吴歌》共四首,分咏春、夏、秋、冬四季。六朝乐府有《子夜四时歌》,诗人依前人所创做了革新,将诗体由四句加为六句,手法也更胜一筹。此一首为春歌,这首诗吟咏罗敷女的故事,赞扬她不为富贵动心,不仅有美貌,更有美丽的心灵,她的勤劳品质在“蚕饥妾欲去,五马莫留连”一句中得到了很好的阐述。《汉官仪》:“四马载车,此常礼也,惟太守出,则增一马。”故称五马,这里指达官贵人。
注释:
[1]秦地:现今陕西省关中地区。
[2]罗敷(fū)女:乐府诗《陌上桑》有“日出东南隅,照我秦氏楼。秦氏有好女,自言名罗敷。罗敷善蚕桑,采桑城南隅”的诗句。
[3]妾:古代女子用以自称的谦词。
Ballads of Four Seasons
(Spring)
The lovely Lo Fo[1]of the western land
Plucks mulberry leaves by the waterside.
Across the green boughs stretches out her white hand;
In golden sunshine her rosy robe is dyed.
“My silkworms are hungry,I cannot stay.
Tarry not with your five-horse cab,I pray.”
注释:
[1]Lo Fo and below-mentioned Xi Shi were beautiful ladies.