Li Bai (701-762) was one of the greatest poets of the Tang Dynasty.

 

豫章行

胡风[1]吹代马[2],

北拥鲁阳关[3]。

吴兵[4]照海[5]雪,

西讨何时还?

半渡上辽津,

黄云惨无颜。

老母与子别,

呼天野草间。

白马绕旌旗,

悲鸣相追攀。

白杨秋月苦,

早落豫章山。

本为休明人[6],

斩虏素不闲。

岂惜战斗死,

为君扫凶顽[7]。

精感石没羽,

岂云惮险艰?

楼船若鲸飞,

波荡落星湾。

此曲不可奏,

三军发成斑。

《豫章行》为乐府《清调曲》调名,古辞写豫章山上白杨变为洛阳宫中栋梁,述其与根株分离之苦。李白借用旧题,描写行军作战的悲壮情景。诗人是矛盾的,朝廷的征兵,造成了多少亲人的生离死别和家庭的破碎,给人民带来多大的苦难,诗人看在眼里。而征兵对朝廷来说实属无奈之举,为了维持国家的和平,必须做出牺牲。所以诗人更多的流露出来的是同情和祝愿,这正是诗人忧国忧民的写照。

注释:

[1]胡风:北风。

[2]代马:代地(今山西省东北与河北省张家口市蔚县一带)所产的良马。此处指胡马。

[3]鲁阳关:战国时称鲁关,汉称鲁阳,在今河南省平顶山市鲁山县西南。

[4]吴兵:吴越之地的征调之兵士,泛指江南之兵。

[5]海:指鄱阳湖。

[6]休明人:太平盛世时期的人。休明:形容生活美好清闲。

[7]凶顽:凶暴愚顽之人。

Song of Yuzhang[1]

The horses neigh to hear the north wind blow,

The rebels[2]occupy the Northern Pass.

The Southern armour bright as lake-side snow,

When will our men be back from war?Alas!

Half of them are aboard,ready to part,

E’en yellow clouds look gloomy and turn pale.

Old mothers see their sons off,sad at heart,

Crawling amid wild grass,they weep and wail.

Around the flags turn steeds which parting grieves,

They chase each other,foaming at the mouth.

’Neath autumn moon the poplars shed their leaves

Early which cover mountains of the South.

I am a man living in time of peace,

Not used to fighting or exchanging blows.

But I am not afraid to fight without cease,

And sweep away our formidable foes.

Our concentrated efforts could break stone

And enemy however hard they are.

Our galleons swift like whales which might have flown

O’er waves which surge in the Bay of Falling Star.[5]

This isn’t a tune for army-men to play:

On hearing it,their hair would soon turn grey!

注释:

[1]Present-day Nanchang,capital of Jiangxi Province.

[2]An Lushan who rebelled in 755.

[5]Present-day Poyang Lake of Jiangxi Province.