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先秦 Pre-Qin · 诗经 Classic of Poetry

君子于役

My Husband is Away on Service

诗经

Shijing

思妇Longing Wife 民生People's Livelihood

君子于役，不知其期。
曷至哉？
鸡栖于埘，日之夕矣，羊牛下来。
君子于役，如之何勿思！
君子于役，不日不月。
曷其有佸？
鸡栖于桀，日之夕矣，羊牛下括。
君子于役，苟无饥渴！

My husband is away on service,
No knowing when he'll return.
Oh, when will he come?
The hens roost in the coop,
The sun sets,
The sheep and cattle come down.
My husband is away on service,
How can I not miss him!

My husband is away on service,
Countless days and months.
Oh, when will we meet?
The hens roost on the perch,
The sun sets,
The sheep and cattle come together.
My husband is away on service,
If only he lacks not food and drink!

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Meaning

A wife laments her husband's prolonged military service, using the peaceful dusk scene of animals returning home to contrast his absence, expressing deep longing and concern.

我的丈夫远行服役，归期茫茫难料。他何时才能回来啊？黄昏时分，鸡儿归巢栖于墙洞，夕阳西下，牛羊缓缓下山。丈夫在外服役，教我如何不想念！二章再写岁月无计、重逢无期，鸡栖木桩、牛羊下括，只余一声「但愿你莫受饥渴」的牵挂。全诗以思妇口吻，借日暮禽畜归栏的反衬，写尽征役离散、闺中望归的凄楚与温厚。

Appreciation

The poem masterfully uses a simple rural dusk scene—chickens roosting, cattle returning—to create a poignant contrast with the husband's absence. This 'dusk longing' (暮怀) technique became a classic motif in Chinese poetry. The language is plain yet emotionally rich, with repetitive structure deepening the sense of endless waiting.

【白话串讲】丈夫去服役，不知什么时候回来。妻子看着太阳落山、鸡回窝、牛羊下山，说：“君子于役，如之何勿思”——你不在家，我怎么能不想你。【意象与手法】全诗两章重章叠句，结构对称而微变：首章「不知其期」对次章「不日不月」，「埘」对「桀」，「下来」对「下括」，递进写归期愈渺。最妙在「鸡栖于埘，日之夕矣，羊牛下来」一组白描，以乡村黄昏禽畜归栏的静穆反衬征人未归的孤寂，景语即情语，不著一「怨」字而怨深。【情感与主旨】《君子于役》出自《诗经·国风·王风》。东周王畿屡遭战乱，征役繁重，男子远戍、妻室独守乃普遍之痛。此诗即一位农妇在日暮时分思念远役丈夫的歌唱，真切反映春秋之际征役制度下民生的离散与艰辛。汉代《毛诗序》谓「刺平王也，君子行役无期度，大夫思其危难以风焉」，虽附会政教，然诗文本确为思妇怀人之作，最见《国风》「哀乐遥深」的民间底色。【名句点睛】常考「日之夕矣，羊牛下来」的景物描写及其反衬作用；「苟无饥渴」的朴素深情；以及《诗经》重章叠句的手法与「日暮怀人」母题的开创意义。

Background

From the 'Airs of the States' section of the Book of Songs (Shijing), this poem reflects the harsh corvée labor system of the Eastern Zhou period (770–256 BCE). Constant warfare forced men into long military campaigns, leaving their wives to manage households alone. This poem is a woman's heartfelt cry against such separation.

《君子于役》出自《诗经·国风·王风》，是东周王畿（今河南洛阳一带）的民歌。周平王东迁之后，王畿屡遭戎狄侵扰与诸侯争霸的战乱，兵役徭役极其繁重，男子被迫远戍边地，妻室独守空房，成为普遍的社会现象。此诗即一位农妇在日暮时分思念远役丈夫的歌唱，真切反映春秋之际征役制度下民生的离散与艰辛。汉代《毛诗序》谓「《君子于役》，刺平王也。君子行役无期度，大夫思其危难以风焉」，虽附会政教，然诗文本确为思妇怀人之作，最见《国风》「哀乐遥深」的民间底色。朱熹《诗集传》云「此国人行役而室家念之之辞」，直指思妇望归之旨。此诗是最早以「日暮」写「怀人」的诗篇，开后世闺怨诗之先河，在《诗经》征役诗中与《采薇》《东山》鼎足而三。周平王东迁洛邑后，王畿之地兵连祸结，所谓「王风」即东周王畿的民歌，多写乱离之痛，《黍离》《扬之水》等皆此类。此诗不写征战场面，只写思妇倚门盼归的日常，却比写战场更见征役之害——它把战争之苦落实到一个家庭、一位妻子的等待上，更易感人。

Art

The poem uses repetitive stanzas with slight variations (重章叠句), a common feature in folk songs. The stark contrast between the natural order of animals returning at dusk and the disorder of the husband's absence creates a powerful emotional effect. The diction is simple and direct, typical of the 'Airs' style.

全诗两章重章叠句，结构对称而微变：首章「不知其期」对次章「不日不月」，「埘」对「桀」，「下来」对「下括」，递进写归期愈渺、思念愈深。最妙在「鸡栖于埘，日之夕矣，羊牛下来」一组白描：鸡儿归巢、夕阳西下、牛羊下山，都是乡村黄昏最寻常的景致，禽畜尚知归栏，而征人未归——以禽畜之归反衬人之不归，景物愈静穆，思念愈难堪，景语即情语，不著一「怨」字而怨深。「君子于役，如之何勿思」以反问直抒胸臆，把压抑的情感倾泻而出；「苟无饥渴」则转作最低限度的牵挂，由「思」到「愿」，哀而不伤，最见民间深情。全诗两章结构对称，景情交错，以白描见长，是《诗经》「以景写情、以乐写哀」的典范，也是国风中艺术最精纯的篇章之一。全诗两章，章法如出一辙而微有变化：首章以「不知其期」写归期渺茫，次章以「不日不月」写岁月无计，递进之中情感渐深；每章皆先写盼归之问，次写日暮之景，再写思情之发，景情交错，回环往复。末句「苟无饥渴」以退为进，把千言万语化作一声叮咛，正是《诗经》「温柔敦厚」的极致。

Allusions

The line 'The sun sets, the sheep and cattle come down' is considered the origin of the 'dusk longing' motif in Chinese literature, influencing countless later poems such as those in the 'Nineteen Old Poems' and Tang dynasty frontier poetry. The homely details (chicken coop, perch) ground the emotion in everyday life.

「日之夕矣，羊牛下来」为日暮怀归母题之祖，后世「日暮乡关何处是」「夕阳西下，断肠人在天涯」等意象多承其绪，如《古诗十九首》「日暮途且远」、唐人闺怨诗之黄昏起兴，皆从此出。「君子于役」遂成征人远戍、妻子盼归的代称，后世「于役」「役夫」之语皆本于此。诗中「鸡栖于埘」之「埘」为墙上挖的鸡窝，「鸡栖于桀」之「桀」为鸡栖的木桩，皆农事家常之物；以鸡、羊、牛、夕阳等寻常物象写怀人，不取奇景，正见《诗经》「即事而兴」的传统。全诗两章重章，仅换数字而情感递进，是《诗经》重章叠唱手法的典型，其「日暮—归栏—怀人」的意象组合，成为后世思妇诗、闺怨诗反复沿用的经典结构，影响垂二千年而不衰。「羊牛下来」之「来」与次章「下括」之「括」，皆写牲畜归栏，是农家黄昏的实景；以禽畜之归写征人之不归，正是「兴」体的妙用。后世谢朓「馀霞散成绮，澄江静如练」写黄昏之景，孟浩然「日暮客愁新」写日暮之愁，皆可溯源于此诗「日之夕矣」的黄昏意象，足见其影响之深远。

Commentary

The Mao commentary explains it as a criticism of King Ping of Zhou for excessive conscription. Zhu Xi interprets it as a wife's heartfelt longing. Qing scholar Fang Yurun praised it as the 'ancestor of boudoir lament poetry' for its deep emotion and simple style.

《毛诗序》谓「《君子于役》，刺平王也。君子行役无期度，大夫思其危难以风焉」，虽以政教说诗，亦点出征役无期之弊。朱熹《诗集传》释曰：「君子行役，不知其还反之期，且今亦何所至哉？鸡则栖于埘矣，日则夕矣，羊牛则下来矣，而君子之光景如此，使我如何而不思乎？」极赞其以景写情之妙。清人方玉润《诗经原始》评此诗「傍晚怀人，情最深挚」，推为「后世闺怨之祖」。今人论此诗，多赏其于平常景致中见至深情感的本领：不写战场、不写刀兵，只写黄昏、鸡、羊、牛，而征役之苦、思妇之痛尽在其中，正是《国风》「饥者歌其食，劳者歌其事」的写实精神。此诗以二十余字写尽无限牵挂，语言朴素而情味深长，是中国诗歌「以少总多」的典范，也是古代战争诗中最富人情味的一篇。朱自清《诗言志辨》论《诗经》「以景结情」的传统，常举此诗为例，以为「鸡栖于埘」数句是「融情入景」的鼻祖。全诗语言之简、情感之深、章法之妙，皆臻国风极致，是学习《诗经》不可不读的名篇，也是理解中国思妇诗、闺怨诗源头的钥匙。

Prosody

Form Shijing, Airs of the States; mainly four-character lines with occasional three- or five-character variations诗经·国风（四言为主，杂三五言）

Rhyme First stanza: 期(qī), 哉(zāi), 埘(shí), 来(lái), 思(sī) – final -i/-ai; Second stanza: 月(yuè), 佸(huó), 桀(jié), 括(kuò), 渴(kě) – final -e/-o (approximate)首章韵脚：期、哉、埘、来、思（之部）；次章韵脚：月、佸、桀、括、渴（月部），两章各自押韵，重章叠句。

Tone pattern Four-character lines with a two-two rhythm, repetitive structure creating a chanting effect四言二二节拍为主，重章叠句，景语与情语交错；「曷至哉」「曷其有佸」以问句增顿挫，末句「如之何勿思」「苟无饥渴」以反问与祈愿收束，声情摇曳。

Reading note This poem established the 'dusk longing' (暮怀) motif, influencing later Chinese poetry for centuries.此诗为《诗经·王风》篇，属四言为主的国风体，句式以二二节拍的四言为主，间以「曷至哉」「曷其有佸」等五言问句，长短错落，节奏自然。全诗两章重章叠句：首章「不知其期」对次章「不日不月」，「埘」对「桀」，「下来」对「下括」，仅换数字而情感递进，是《诗经》重章叠唱手法的典型。用韵上两章各自押韵，首章「期、哉、埘、来、思」叶之部韵，次章「月、佸、桀、括、渴」叶月部韵，韵脚疏朗，一唱三叹。全诗章法为「景—情」往复：每章先以问句写盼归，次以日暮归栏之景写怀人，再以直抒或祈愿收束，景情交错，回环往复。此诗以四言的简古写日暮怀人的深挚，开「日暮怀人」意境之先，对后世闺怨、思妇诗影响深远，是《诗经》中声情与辞情高度统一的典范。

Line by line

君子于役，不知其期。曷至哉？

My husband is away on service, no known return date. 'When will he come?' expresses the wife's anxious waiting.

丈夫去服役，不知归期。何时才能回来啊？

My lord is away on service; I know not the term. When will he come home?

起笔直抒盼归之情，三句写尽等待的茫然。「君子于役」点明丈夫在外服役，「君子」是妻子对丈夫的尊称，亲昵中见敬重；「不知其期」写服役没有确定的期限，归期渺茫难料；「曷至哉」以反问发问：他何时才能回来啊？三句层层推进：由「于役」之实，到「不知期」之茫，再到「曷至」之盼，一个思妇倚门望归的形象呼之欲出。「不知其期」四字是全诗情感的基础——正因为归期无定，日复一日的等待才如此煎熬，也为下文「日之夕矣」的日暮怀人作了铺垫。此句以平常口语入诗，不加雕饰，正是《诗经》民歌本色的开端。

The waiting. My lord is away on service; I know not the term. When will he come home? The lord-away-service and the know-not-term and the when-come-home are the opening. To have been away on service would be a being; the my-lord-is-away-on-service-i-know-not-the-term-when-will-he-come-home is the being.

鸡栖于埘，日之夕矣，羊牛下来。

Hens roost in the coop, the sun sets, cattle and sheep come down—a tranquil dusk scene contrasting with the husband's absence.

鸡儿回窝，太阳西沉，牛羊下坡归来。

The roosts hold the chickens; the sun is setting; sheep and cattle come down from the hills.

此三句是全诗最著名的白描，以日暮归栏之景写怀人之情。鸡栖于埘，是鸡儿回窝；日之夕矣，是夕阳西沉；羊牛下来，是牛羊下山归栏——三个画面并置，构成一幅宁静的乡村黄昏图。禽畜皆有所归，而征人未归；万物各得其所，而思妇独守空闺。以归衬不归，以安宁衬孤寂，景物愈静穆，思念愈难堪，不著一「怨」字而怨意自深，正是「景语即情语」的极致。此句开创「日暮怀人」母题，后世无数黄昏思归的诗歌皆由此化出。其妙在选取最寻常的乡村景物，不事渲染而境界全出，是《诗经》以白描写情的典范，也是中国诗歌史上最著名的黄昏意象之一。

The dusk. The roosts hold the chickens; the sun is setting; sheep and cattle come down from the hills. The roosts-hold-chickens and the sun-setting and the sheep-cattle-come-down are the famous scene. To have held the chickens would be a holding; the the-roosts-hold-the-chickens-the-sun-is-setting-sheep-and-cattle-come-down-from-the-hills is the holding.

君子于役，如之何勿思！

How can I not miss him? A direct outpouring of longing.

丈夫在外服役，教我怎能不思念！

My lord is away on service—how could I not think of him!

此句以反问收束首章，直抒胸臆，是全章情感的喷发点。「君子于役」复沓首句，重章之中见回环往复之致；「如之何勿思」以反问出之：教我如何能不想念！不言「思之甚」而言「如之何勿思」，反问的语气比直陈更强烈，仿佛思念已到不可抑制的地步，非问不足以泄其情。承接前句「日之夕矣，羊牛下来」，禽畜归栏而征人不归，睹物思人，情不能已，于是这一声反问喷薄而出。全章由「不知其期」的茫然，经日暮景物的触动，到此句情感的爆发，层层蓄势、一气呵成，是《诗经》「一唱三叹」的典型，也是思妇情感最直接的表达。

The longing. My lord is away on service—how could I not think of him! The lord-away-service and the how-could-not-think are the cry. To have been away on service would be a being; the my-lord-is-away-on-service-how-could-i-not-think-of-him is the being.

君子于役，不日不月。曷其有佸？

Countless days and months—when will we meet? Despair at the endless separation.

服役没日没月，何时才能团聚？

My lord is away on service; no counting the days or months. When shall we meet again?

次章起笔递进一层，写归期愈渺、重逢无期。「不日不月」较首章「不知其期」更进：不知其期尚是未知，不日不月则是连日月都无可计算，服役漫无尽头，归期永无确定之日，等待的绝望愈深；「曷其有佸」问何时才能相聚，「佸」作「聚会、相聚」解，由「曷至哉」的「何时归」变为「曷其有佸」的「何时聚」，由盼归变为盼重逢，情感推进了一层。重章叠句而换字见义：首章写「归」，次章写「聚」，等待的主题由归期渺茫深化为团聚无望。此句以「不日不月」的夸张写时间之漫，以「曷其有佸」的反问写重逢之难，是《诗经》重章递进手法的典型，为末句「苟无饥渴」的深情埋下伏笔。

The reckoning. My lord is away on service; no counting the days or months. When shall we meet again? The lord-away-service and the no-counting-days-months and the when-meet-again are the deepening. To have counted the days would be a counting; the my-lord-is-away-on-service-no-counting-the-days-or-months-when-shall-we-meet-again is the counting.

鸡栖于桀，日之夕矣，羊牛下括。君子于役，苟无饥渴！

Hens on perches, dusk, cattle together; only hope he escapes hunger and thirst—a shift from longing to concern.

鸡栖木桩，日暮牛羊聚拢归来；只愿他莫要忍饥受渴！

The chickens roost on the pegs; the sun is setting; sheep and cattle gather home. My lord is away on service—if only he knows neither hunger nor thirst!

末章复沓日暮之景而以「苟无饥渴」收束，是全诗情感的最高处。「鸡栖于桀，日之夕矣，羊牛下括」与首章「埘」「下来」对换，重章叠句而景致依旧：又一个黄昏，鸡栖木桩、牛羊聚拢，禽畜依然归栏，征人依然未归，等待的轮回令人心碎。「君子于役」再唱，「苟无饥渴」陡然一转：既然归期无望，只愿他在外莫要忍饥受渴！由「如之何勿思」的强烈思念，转为「苟无饥渴」的最低祈愿，情感由奔放归于温厚，哀而不伤。此句以「苟」（但愿、只要）字退一步作愿，把无尽的牵挂凝为一句最朴素的话，愈平淡愈深情，是《诗经》写情的最高境界，也是此诗千载传诵的原因。

The prayer. The chickens roost on the pegs; the sun is setting; sheep and cattle gather home. My lord is away on service—if only he knows neither hunger nor thirst! The chickens-roost-pegs and the sun-setting and the sheep-cattle-gather and the lord-away-service-if-only-no-hunger-thirst are the close. To have roosted on the pegs would be a roosting; the the-chickens-roost-on-the-pegs-the-sun-is-setting-sheep-and-cattle-gather-home-my-lord-is-away-on-service-if-only-he-knows-neither-hunger-nor-thirst is the roosting.

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不知其期／不日不月 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「不知其期」与「不日不月」分置两章之首，是重章叠句递进的关键词。「不知其期」言服役没有确定期限，归期渺茫难料，是首章的情感基调；「不日不月」言服役漫长到无法以日月计算，较「不知其期」更进一层——前者是「不知何时」，后者是「无可计量」，等待的绝望由未知深化为无望。两词相承，把征役的漫无尽头与思妇的盼归之切层层写足。以「期」「日月」这些时间概念写等待，把抽象的归期化为可感的日升月落，愈数日月愈见日月之遥，正是《诗经》以寻常语写深情的体现。两章仅换两词而情感递进，见重章叠句「以少变写渐深」之妙，是《君子于役》章法上的匠心所在。

夕 Dusk; the time of day when animals return home, triggering the wife's longing. 「日之夕矣」之「夕」是全诗的诗眼，点出日暮时分，正是怀人最切之时。夕阳西下，鸡栖羊归，万物各归其所，而征人未归——「夕」字营造出「归」的氛围，禽畜之归与人之不归形成最强烈的对照，思妇的孤独与牵挂于此达到顶点。「夕」字之妙在于选取了一天中最易引人思归的时刻：日暮本是归家之时，禽畜尚知归栏，人何以堪！此字为「日暮怀人」母题立下典范，后世「日暮乡关何处是」「夕阳西下，断肠人在天涯」皆由「夕」字化出。一个「夕」字，既是实写时间，又是写情之眼，把黄昏的静穆与思念的翻涌凝于一字，是《诗经》炼字「以一字摄全篇」的典范。

苟 If only; a wish particle expressing the wife's minimal hope that her husband avoid hunger and thirst. 「苟无饥渴」之「苟」作「但愿、只要」解，是末章由思转愿的关键词，也是全诗情感最见功力的一字。「苟」字有一种退让、勉强的语气：既然归期无望、重逢无期，我还能怎样呢？只愿他在外莫受饥渴之苦。「苟无饥渴」四字，把无尽的思念与牵挂，压缩为对丈夫温饱的最朴素祈愿——不求归来，但求平安。以「苟」字领起，愈显愿望之卑微、深情之无尽：越是退到最低的期待，越见思妇用情之深。此字由「如之何勿思」的强烈直抒，转作「苟无饥渴」的低回祈愿，情感由奔放归于温厚，哀而不伤，正是《诗经》「温柔敦厚」诗教的体现，也是此诗最打动人心之处。