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先秦 Pre-Qin · 诗经 Classic of Poetry

七月

The Seventh Month

诗经

Book of Songs

民生/讽喻folk life and satire 劳动/民生labour and folk life

七月流火，九月授衣。
一之日觱发，二之日栗烈。
无衣无褐，何以卒岁？
三之日于耜，四之日举趾。
同我妇子，馌彼南亩，田畯至喜。
七月流火，九月授衣。
春日载阳，有鸣仓庚。
女执懿筐，遵彼微行，爰求柔桑。

Show full original poem

七月流火，九月授衣。
一之日觱发，二之日栗烈。
无衣无褐，何以卒岁？
三之日于耜，四之日举趾。
同我妇子，馌彼南亩，田畯至喜。
七月流火，九月授衣。
春日载阳，有鸣仓庚。
女执懿筐，遵彼微行，爰求柔桑。
春日迟迟，采蘩祁祁。
女心伤悲，殆及公子同归。
七月流火，八月萑苇。
蚕月条桑，取彼斧斨，以伐远扬，猗彼女桑。
七月鸣鵙，八月载绩。
载玄载黄，我朱孔阳，为公子裳。
四月秀葽，五月鸣蜩。
八月其获，十月陨萚。
一之日于貉，取彼狐狸，为公子裘。
二之日其同，载缵武功。
言私其豵，献豜于公。
五月斯螽动股，六月莎鸡振羽。
七月在野，八月在宇，九月在户，十月蟋蟀入我床下。
穹窒熏鼠，塞向墐户。
嗟我妇子，曰为改岁，入此室处。
六月食郁及薁，七月亨葵及菽。
八月剥枣，十月获稻。
为此春酒，以介眉寿。
七月食瓜，八月断壶，九月叔苴。
采荼薪樗，食我农夫。
九月筑场圃，十月纳禾稼。
黍稷重穋，禾麻菽麦。
嗟我农夫，我稼既同，上入执宫功。
昼尔于茅，宵尔索綯。
亟其乘屋，其始播百谷。
二之日凿冰冲冲，三之日纳于凌阴。
四之日其蚤，献羔祭韭。
九月肃霜，十月涤场。
朋酒斯飨，曰杀羔羊。
跻彼公堂，称彼兕觥，万寿无疆。

The seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the ninth month we hand out winter clothes. The first month the north wind whistles; the second month the cold is keen. With no coarse cloak, how to pass the year? The third month we mend the plough; the fourth month we set foot in the field. With my wife and son, we carry food to the south acre; the field officer comes, glad.
The seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the ninth month we hand out winter clothes. The spring days grow warm; the oriole sings. The maid holds the deep basket, along the narrow path, to gather the tender mulberry. The spring days linger; the white fodder plentiful. The maid's heart is grieved, fearing to be taken home by the young lord.
The seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the eighth month we cut the reeds. The silkworm month we prune the mulberry, take the axe, to hew the high branches, draw down the tender leaves. The seventh month the shrike cries; the eighth month we begin to weave. We dye black and yellow; our crimson is brightest, to make the young lord's robe.
The fourth month the solanum seeds; the fifth month the cicada sings. The eighth month the harvest; the tenth month the leaves fall. The first month we hunt the badger, take the fox, to make the young lord's fur coat. The second month we gather, continue the martial rites. We keep the piglets for ourselves, present the great boar to the lord.
The fifth month the katydid moves its legs; the sixth month the tree-cricket flaps its wings. The seventh month the cricket is in the wild; the eighth in the eaves; the ninth at the door; the tenth it enters under my bed. We stop the holes, smoke the rats, plaster the window, daub the door. Alas my wife and son, the year is changing; enter this room to dwell.
The sixth month we eat the plum and the grape; the seventh we boil the mallows and beans. The eighth we beat the dates; the tenth we reap the rice. We make this spring wine, to pray for long life. The seventh we eat the melon; the eighth we cut the gourd; the ninth we gather the hemp-seed. We pick the bitter herb, chop the bitter wood, to feed us farmers.
The ninth month we build the threshing ground; the tenth we store the grain. The millet early and late, the rice, hemp, beans, wheat. Alas we farmers, our crop is gathered, yet up we go to the lord's house for labour. By day we cut the thatch; by night we twist the rope. Hurry to repair the roof, and soon to sow the hundred grains.
The second month we cut the ice, chonk; the third month we store it in the ice-cellar. The fourth month at the early rite, present the lamb and sacrifice the leek. The ninth month the frost descends; the tenth we sweep the yard. With two vessels of wine we feast, and kill the lamb. We ascend the lord's hall, raise the rhinoceros-horn cup: ten thousand years, no bound!

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Meaning

The seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the ninth month we hand out winter clothes. The first month the north wind whistles; the second month the cold is keen. With no coarse cloak, how to pass the year? The third month we mend the plough; the fourth month we set foot in the field. With my wife and son, we carry food to the south acre; the field officer comes, glad. The seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the ninth month we hand out winter clothes. The spring days grow warm; the oriole sings. The maid holds the deep basket, along the narrow path, to gather the tender mulberry. The spring days linger; the white fodder plentiful. The maid's heart is grieved, fearing to be taken home by the young lord. The seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the eighth month we cut the reeds. The silkworm month we prune the mulberry, take the axe, to hew the high branches, draw down the tender leaves. The seventh month the shrike cries; the eighth month we begin to weave. We dye black and yellow; our crimson is brightest, to make the young lord's robe. The fourth month the solanum seeds; the fifth month the cicada sings. The eighth month the harvest; the tenth month the leaves fall. The first month we hunt the badger, take the fox, to make the young lord's fur coat. The second month we gather, continue the martial rites. We keep the piglets for ourselves, present the great boar to the lord. The fifth month the katydid moves its legs; the sixth month the tree-cricket flaps its wings. The seventh month the cricket is in the wild; the eighth in the eaves; the ninth at the door; the tenth it enters under my bed. We stop the holes, smoke the rats, plaster the window, daub the door. Alas my wife and son, the year is changing; enter this room to dwell. The sixth month we eat the plum and the grape; the seventh we boil the mallows and beans. The eighth we beat the dates; the tenth we reap the rice. We make this spring wine, to pray for long life. The seventh we eat the melon; the eighth we cut the gourd; the ninth we gather the hemp-seed. We pick the bitter herb, chop the bitter wood, to feed us farmers. The ninth month we build the threshing ground; the tenth we store the grain. The millet early and late, the rice, hemp, beans, wheat. Alas we farmers, our crop is gathered, yet up we go to the lord's house for labour. By day we cut the thatch; by night we twist the rope. Hurry to repair the roof, and soon to sow the hundred grains. The second month we cut the ice, chonk; the third month we store it in the ice-cellar. The fourth month at the early rite, present the lamb and sacrifice the leek. The ninth month the frost descends; the tenth we sweep the yard. With two vessels of wine we feast, and kill the lamb. We ascend the lord's hall, raise the rhinoceros-horn cup: ten thousand years, no bound!

七月火星西流，九月分发寒衣。十一月北风呼啸，十二月寒气凛冽。没有粗衣短褐，怎么度过年终？正月修整耒耜，二月举足下田。带上妻儿，送饭到南亩，田官来了好欢喜。七月火星西流，九月又发寒衣。春天阳光和暖，黄莺宛转啼鸣。女子提着深筐，沿着小路，去采嫩桑。春日漫长，采蘩纷纷。女子心中伤悲，怕被公子带回家。七月火星西流，八月割芦苇。养蚕月修整桑树，取那斧头，砍去高枝，拉下嫩桑。七月伯劳叫，八月开始织布。染上黑与黄，我的朱红最鲜亮，为公子做衣裳。四月远志结籽，五月蝉鸣。八月收割，十月落叶。十一月猎貉，取那狐狸，为公子做皮裘。十二月集合，继续武事。私自留下小猪，把大猪献公。五月斯螽动腿，六月莎鸡振翅。蟋蟀七月在野，八月在檐，九月在户，十月入我床下。堵洞熏鼠，塞窗泥门。叹我妻儿，岁暮将改，搬入此室居住。六月吃郁李野葡萄，七月煮葵菜豆子。八月打枣，十月收稻。酿此春酒，以祝长寿。七月吃瓜，八月摘葫芦，九月拾麻子。采苦菜砍恶木，养活我农夫。九月筑场圃，十月收禾稼。黍稷早晚，禾麻豆麦。叹我农夫，庄稼刚收，又入公室做工。白天割茅，夜里搓绳。赶紧修屋，又要开始播百谷。十二月凿冰冲冲，正月存入冰窖。二月早朝，献羊祭韭。九月霜降，十月扫场。斟酒相宴，屠宰羔羊。登上公堂，举那兕觥，万寿无疆。

Appreciation

'The Seventh Month' is the longest farming poem in the 'Bin Feng' section of the Book of Songs, also the longest of the airs, traditionally a work by the Duke of Zhou relating the Bin land (modern Shaanxi Xunyi area) folkways to warn King Cheng, under the old title 'displaying the royal enterprise'. The poem, in a farmer's (or serf's) voice, by the Xia and Zhou calendars in parallel, lays out month by month a year of tillage, silk, hunt, ice-storing, and feasting, truly recreating the production rhythm and class gap of early Western Zhou Bin society. It is an 'epic' document for studying pre-Qin agricultural history, the calendar, and serf life.

【白话串讲】 “七月流火，九月授衣”——《七月》写农人一整年的劳作：“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”——没有衣服，怎么过冬？“春日载阳，有鸣仓庚。女执懿筐，遵彼微行”——采桑养蚕。这是《诗经》里最长的农事诗。【意象与手法】全诗八章，以“七月流火，九月授衣”两语为纲，贯穿寒暑，按月叙事而章法井然【情感与主旨】《七月》为《诗经·豳风》长篇农事诗，也是《国风》中最长的一首，相传为周公述豳地（今陕西旬邑一带）民风以诫成王之作，旧【名句点睛】本诗为高考长诗鉴赏高频篇，考点：一、结构——以时令为线，八章按月铺叙；二、手法——赋体直陈与物候白描

Background

'The Seventh Month' is a long farming poem from the 'Bin Feng' section of the Book of Songs, also the longest of the airs, traditionally a work by the Duke of Zhou relating the Bin land (modern Shaanxi Xunyi area) folkways to warn King Cheng, under the old title 'displaying the royal enterprise'. The poem, in a farmer's or serf's voice, by the Xia and Zhou calendars in parallel, lays out month by month a year of tillage, silk, hunt, ice-storing, and feasting, truly recreating the production rhythm and class gap of early Western Zhou Bin society. It is an 'epic' document for studying pre-Qin agricultural history, the calendar, and serf life.

《七月》为《诗经·豳风》中的长篇，是写农夫一年劳作的诗。全诗八章，历叙农事：七月流火，九月授衣；一之日觱发，二之日栗烈；无衣无褐，何以卒岁？三之日于耜，四之日举趾；同我妇子，馌彼南亩，田畯至喜。以下各章历写养蚕织布、猎取兽皮、筑场纳禾、凿冰藏冰等农事，末章写农夫辛苦一年而“无衣无褐”，正是对农夫之苦的写照。全诗以四时为序写农夫一年之劳，是《诗经》中写农事的名篇。

Art

The poem has eight stanzas, with 'the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; the ninth month we hand out winter clothes' as the thread running through heat and cold, narrating by month yet orderly. In art it uses the fu mode, almost no bi-xing, yet with fine observation of the natural signs (the cricket from wild to bed, the katydid moving legs) and precise verbs (whistles, keen, carry food, weave, axe) builds a vivid farming scroll. Most moving are the grieved insertions 'the maid's heart is grieved, fearing to be taken home by the young lord' and 'with no coarse cloak, how to pass the year', hiding blood and tears within the plain spread, forming a deep tension of 'writing sorrow through joy'.

《七月》艺术上以时序的铺叙与农事的实录见长。全诗八章，以时为序，层层写来：首章写岁寒无衣——“七月流火，九月授衣”写授衣，“一之日觱发，二之日栗烈”写天寒，“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”写无衣之叹，“三之日于耜，四之日举趾”写春耕之始；以下各章写养蚕、织布、猎兽、筑场、凿冰等农事。全诗以四时为序写农夫一年之劳，铺叙详尽，正是《诗经》叙事长诗写农事的笔法。

Allusions

In the poem 'Fire Star' (liu huo) means the Heart Star (Antares) sinking west, marking heat's retreat and cold's coming, a key phenology of the ancient star-watching for the season; 'the first month, the second month' are Zhou-calendar month names (i.e. the eleventh, twelfth month), 'the third, fourth month' the first, second month, two months off the Xia calendar, reflecting the Zhou people's calendar change. 'Whistles' (bi bo), 'keen' (li lie) describe wind-cold; 'carry food' (ye) means to bring food to the field; 'axe' (qiang) is a square-hole axe. These old words and farming terms are a living fossil for studying Western Zhou farm-policy and calendar, also showing the lineage of the Xia Minor Calendar and the Monthly Ordinances.

《七月》用典少而农事自明。“流火”写大火星（心宿）西流，写七月之天象；“觱发”写寒风；“栗烈”写寒气凛冽；“授衣”写分发寒衣；“于耜”写修整农具；“馌彼南亩”写送饭到田间；“田畯”写田官。全诗以这些农事之词写农夫一年之劳，不用深典而实录详尽，正是《诗经》以实录写农事的笔法。

Commentary

The Mao preface: 'The Seventh Month, displaying the royal enterprise. The Duke of Zhou, meeting turmoil, displayed the ways of Hou Ji and the former dukes.' Zhu Xi's Commentary follows it. The modern Yu Guanying, in Songs Selected, praises it 'like a set of rural genre-paintings'. Guo Moruo, in Studies in Ancient Chinese Society, uses it to prove Western Zhou slavery. Its phrase 'the seventh month the Fire Star moves west' became a later set phrase for singing of autumn, far-reaching.

《七月》是《诗经·豳风》中的长篇，也是中国诗歌中写农事、写农夫之苦的源头。此诗以四时为序写农夫一年之劳，向为论者称道。论者多赏其铺叙的详尽——“七月流火，九月授衣”以天象节气写时序，农事之序井然；“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”写无衣之叹，正是农夫之苦的点睛。此诗以实录写农事、以叹嗟写农苦，正是《诗经》写民生疾苦的代表作，为后世田园诗、农事诗之祖。

Prosody

Form Book of Songs, Bin Feng (mostly four-character, with long-short lines)四言诗（风诗长篇）

Rhyme Each stanza shifts rhyme densely (clothes, fire, whistle, keen, cloak, year, etc.), rhyme by the matter《七月》为《诗经·豳风》中的四言长诗，八章，每章十一句，押韵。此诗用韵：火、衣（微部）、发、烈、褐、岁（月部）、耜、趾、子、亩、喜（之部），各章换韵，音节沉郁。

Tone pattern Mostly four-character, two-two beat; some five-seven characters mixed《诗经》四言诗以音节短促、节奏鲜明见长。此诗八章以“七月流火，九月授衣”回环起笔，历写农事，音节沉郁而绵长。全诗以四言贯底，声调与农夫劳苦的内容相合，是《诗经》风诗长篇中写农事的一路。

Reading note The longest of the airs; fu direct statement, narrating by month, epic style.《七月》为《诗经·豳风》中的四言长诗，是写农夫一年劳作的诗。全诗八章以“七月流火，九月授衣”回环起笔，历写采桑织布、猎兽筑场、凿冰藏冰等农事，而以“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”之叹贯穿其间。以时序写农事、以叹嗟写农苦，为后世田园诗、农事诗之祖，正是《诗经》写民生疾苦的代表作。

Line by line

七月流火，九月授衣。一之日觱发，二之日栗烈。无衣无褐，何以卒岁？

In the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; in the ninth, clothes are given out. In the eleventh, the wind whistles; in the twelfth, the cold bites. No robe, no coat—how shall we end the year?

七月大火星西流，九月发放寒衣。十一月寒风呼啸，十二月寒气凛冽。没有衣没有褐，怎么熬过一年？

In the seventh month the Fire Star sinks west; in the ninth, clothes are distributed. In the eleventh month the wind howls; in the twelfth, the cold bites. No robe, no coarse coat—how shall we survive the year?

首章前六句写岁寒无衣，是全诗农夫之苦的起点。“七月流火，九月授衣”写时序——“七月流火”写七月大火星（心宿）西流，“九月授衣”写九月分发寒衣——以天象节气写时序；“一之日觱发，二之日栗烈”写天寒——“一之日”写十一月，“觱发”写寒风呼啸，“二之日”写十二月，“栗烈”写寒气凛冽——冬月寒风、腊月凛冽；“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”写无衣之叹——“无衣无褐”写没有衣褐，“何以卒岁”写怎么熬过一年——无衣无褐，何以卒岁。六句写岁寒无衣：七月流火、九月授衣，十一月寒风、十二月凛冽，而无衣无褐、何以卒岁。以“流火”“授衣”写时序，以“觱发”“栗烈”写天寒，以“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”写无衣之叹，正是《诗经》写农夫之苦的笔法——天寒无衣，何以卒岁。

The cold. In the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; in the ninth, clothes are given out. In the eleventh, the wind whistles; in the twelfth, the cold bites. No robe, no coat—how shall we end the year? The Fire-Star-west and the clothes-given-out and the wind-whistles-cold-bites and the no-robe-coat-how-end-year are the opening. To have moved west would be a moving; the in-the-seventh-month-the-fire-star-moves-west-in-the-ninth-clothes-are-given-out-in-the-eleventh-the-wind-whistles-in-the-twelfth-the-cold-bites-no-robe-no-coat-how-shall-we-end-the-year is the moving.

三之日于耜，四之日举趾。同我妇子，馌彼南亩，田畯至喜。

In the first month we repair the plows; in the second we set our feet to the fields. My wife and children bring food to the southern acres; the field officer comes, and is glad.

正月修整农具，二月举足下田。带着我的妻子儿女，送饭到南边的田亩，田官来了很高兴。

In the first month we mend our plows; in the second we set foot to the fields. My wife and children bring food to the southern acres; the field officer comes and is pleased.

此数句写春耕之始，是全诗农事之序的展开。“三之日于耜”写修整农具——“三之日”写正月，“于耜”写修整农具；“四之日举趾”写举足下田——“四之日”写二月，“举趾”写举足下田——“同我妇子，馌彼南亩，田畯至喜”写送饭田间——“同我妇子”写带着妻儿，“馌彼南亩”写送饭到南亩，“田畯至喜”写田官到来很高兴。五句写春耕之始：正月修耜、二月举趾，带着妻儿送饭南亩，田官至而喜。以“于耜”“举趾”写春耕之始，以“馌彼南亩”写送饭之勤，以“田畯至喜”写田官之临，正是《诗经》写农事之序的笔法——春耕之始，全家上阵。

The plowing. In the first month we repair the plows; in the second we set our feet to the fields. My wife and children bring food to the southern acres; the field officer comes, and is glad. The repair-plows and the set-feet-fields and the wife-children-bring-food and the field-officer-comes-glad are the spring. To have repaired the plows would be a repairing; the in-the-first-month-we-repair-the-plows-in-the-second-we-set-our-feet-to-the-fields-my-wife-and-children-bring-food-to-the-southern-acres-the-field-officer-comes-and-is-glad is the repairing.

七月流火，九月授衣。春日载阳，有鸣仓庚。女执懿筐，遵彼微行，爰求柔桑。

In the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; in the ninth, clothes are given out. Spring days grow warm, the oriole sings. The women take deep baskets, follow the little paths, seeking the tender mulberry leaves.

七月大火星西流，九月发放寒衣。春日和暖，黄鹂鸣叫。女子提着深筐，沿着小路，去采柔嫩的桑叶。

In the seventh month the Fire Star sinks west; in the ninth, clothes are distributed. Spring days grow warm, the oriole sings. The women carry deep baskets, follow the little paths, seeking the tender mulberry leaves.

此段写春日采桑，是全诗写蚕桑之事的开始。“七月流火，九月授衣”写时序回环——“流火”“授衣”再申时序；“春日载阳，有鸣仓庚”写春日之景——“春日载阳”写春日和暖，“有鸣仓庚”写黄鹂鸣叫——“女执懿筐，遵彼微行，爰求柔桑”写采桑——“女执懿筐”写女子提着深筐，“遵彼微行”写沿着小路，“爰求柔桑”写去采柔嫩的桑叶。六句写春日采桑：七月流火、九月授衣，春日和暖、仓庚鸣叫，女子提筐沿路采桑。以“春日载阳”“有鸣仓庚”写春日之美，以“执懿筐”“求柔桑”写采桑之事，正是《诗经》写蚕桑之事的笔法——春日采桑，蚕事之始。

The mulberry. In the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; in the ninth, clothes are given out. Spring days grow warm, the oriole sings. The women take deep baskets, follow the little paths, seeking the tender mulberry leaves. The Fire-Star-west-clothes-out and the spring-warm-oriole-sings and the women-baskets-paths-tender-mulberry are the gathering. To have grown warm would be a growing; the in-the-seventh-month-the-fire-star-moves-west-in-the-ninth-clothes-are-given-out-spring-days-grow-warm-the-oriole-sings-the-women-take-deep-baskets-follow-the-little-paths-seeking-the-tender-mulberry-leaves is the growing.

七月流火，九月授衣。无衣无褐，何以卒岁？

In the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; in the ninth, clothes are given out. No robe, no coat—how shall we end the year?

七月大火星西流，九月发放寒衣。没有衣没有褐，怎么熬过一年？

In the seventh month the Fire Star sinks west; in the ninth, clothes are distributed. No robe, no coarse coat—how shall we survive the year?

此句复沓首章之叹，是全诗农夫之苦的回响。全诗八章以“七月流火，九月授衣”回环起笔，历写蚕桑、猎兽、筑场、凿冰等农事，而“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”之叹贯穿其间——农夫辛苦一年，采桑织布、猎兽凿冰，而终岁无衣无褐。以时序回环写农夫一年之劳，以“无衣无褐，何以卒岁”之叹写其苦，正是《诗经》写民生疾苦的归结——一年劳苦，卒岁无衣。

The refrain. In the seventh month the Fire Star moves west; in the ninth, clothes are given out. No robe, no coat—how shall we end the year? The Fire-Star-west-clothes-out and the no-robe-coat-how-end-year are the refrain. To have moved west would be a moving; the in-the-seventh-month-the-fire-star-moves-west-in-the-ninth-clothes-are-given-out-no-robe-no-coat-how-shall-we-end-the-year is the moving.

Study

Word focus

流火 Fire, the Heart Star; moving west, sinking. Writes heat's retreat and cold's coming, marking the season's turn. “七月流火”之“流火”，写大火星西流，是全诗写时序的关键词。“流”写西流，“火”写大火星（心宿）——七月大火星西流。这一词以天象写时序：不是寻常之日，而是流火；不是随意之象，而是七月之天象。以“流火”写七月，正是《诗经》以天象节气写时序的笔法——流火西流，七月已至。

授衣 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “九月授衣”之“授衣”，写分发寒衣，是全诗写农事时序的关键词。“授”写分发，“衣”写寒衣——九月分发寒衣。这一词写九月之农事：不是自备之衣，而是授衣；不是随意之衣，而是寒衣。以“授衣”写九月，正是《诗经》以农事写时序的笔法——九月授衣，冬将至矣。

无衣无褐 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “无衣无褐”之“无衣无褐”，写没有衣没有褐，是全诗写农夫之苦的关键词。“无衣”写没有上衣，“无褐”写没有粗布之衣——无衣无褐，何以卒岁。这一词写农夫之贫苦：不是少衣缺褐，而是无衣无褐；不是一时之困，而是卒岁之难。以“无衣无褐”写农夫之苦，正是《诗经》写民生疾苦的点睛之笔。

馌彼南亩 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. “馌彼南亩”之“馌彼南亩”，写送饭到南边田亩，是全诗写农事之勤的关键词。“馌”写送饭，“南亩”写南边之田——送饭到南亩。这一词写农事之勤：不是空手下田，而是送饭田间；不是一人劳作，而是妇子同馌。以“馌彼南亩”写送饭之勤，正是《诗经》写农事之勤的笔法——全家上阵，送饭南亩。

七月