宋 Song · 诗 Poem
病起书怀
Written on Recovery from Illness
病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干。
位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺。
天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮。
出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看。
Low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state; the matter settled only when the coffin is closed.
Heaven and earth, gods and spirits, sustain the shrines and altars; the elders of the capital gaze for the imperial carriage.
The 'Memorial on Dispatching the Army' spans all ages; at midnight I trim the lamp to read it once again.
Meaning
My sick frame is frail, my gauze cap hangs loose; a lone minister ten thousand li away, a guest upon the river's bank. Though low in rank, I dare not forget to grieve for the state; the verdict comes only when the coffin is closed. May heaven and earth, gods and spirits, uphold the shrines and altars; may the elders of the capital look for the imperial carriage. The 'Memorial on Dispatching the Army' speaks through all ages; at midnight I trim the lamp to read it once again.
病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干。位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺。天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮。出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看。
Appreciation
Plain Retelling: Sick bones frail, gauze cap loose; a lone minister ten thousand li, a guest by the river's bank. Low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state; the matter settled only when the coffin is closed. Heaven and earth, gods and spirits sustain the shrines and altars; the elders of the capital gaze for the imperial carriage. The 'Memorial on Dispatching the Army' spans all ages; at midnight I trim the lamp to read it once again. Images and Technique: This is Lu You's famous poem of grieving for the state while ill. The first two couplets write the illness: 'sick bones frail, gauze cap loose' and 'a lone minister ten thousand li' write the frail sick man and guest's loneliness; 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state' and 'the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' are eternal famous lines. The last two couplets write the grief: 'heaven and earth sustain the shrines' and 'elders gaze for the carriage' write the state and the people; 'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read' is an eternal famous line. The whole poem uses the sick lone minister to write deep love for the state—'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' and 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read' exhaust Lu You's unchanging patriotism, a core work for understanding his patriotic style. Emotion and Theme: Written about summer of the third year of Chunxi (1176), when Lu You, aged fifty-two, was in Chengdu. In Chunxi 2 he was impeached and dismissed; in Chunxi 3 he fell ill in Chengdu (over a month), and wrote this on recovery. Lifelong he urged resistance against the Jin and recovery of the Central Plain, yet was repeatedly sidelined; this poem writes his lone minister's grief on recovery. 'Sick bones frail, gauze cap loose' writes sickness and guest life; 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' writes rank-low yet not forgetting the state; 'the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' writes devotion to death—eternal famous lines; 'heaven and earth sustain the shrines' and 'elders gaze for the carriage' write care for the realm and the Central Plain's elders; 'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read' writes admiration for Zhuge Liang and self-encouragement. The whole poem uses the sick lone minister to write deep love for the state—'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' and 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read' exhaust his unchanging patriotism. Famous Lines: Often examined are 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state' and 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read'—lines exhausting Lu You's unchanging patriotism.
【白话串讲】 陆游写《病起书怀》：“病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干”——“位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺”——“天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮”——“出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看”——他病中仍不忘忧国。 【意象与手法】 此诗是陆游写病中忧国的名篇，写病起后的孤臣忧国与忠君之情，是陆游诗中「以病写忧」的名篇。前两联写病中：「病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干」写病骨支离、孤臣客居；「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」写位卑忧国、事定盖棺，是千古名句。后两联写忧国：「天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮」写天地神灵扶庙社、京华父老望銮驾；「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」写出师表通今古、夜半挑灯细看，是千古名句。全诗以病中的孤臣写忧国的深情，那「位卑未敢忘忧国」「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽陆游至死不渝的爱国之情，是陆游「以病写忧」的名篇。 【情感与主旨】 此诗约作于宋孝宗淳熙三年（1176）夏，时陆游五十二岁，在成都。淳熙二年（1175），陆游因言官弹劾被免官（自蜀州通判罢归），次年（淳熙三年）在成都病倒（病了一个多月），病愈后作此诗。陆游一生力主抗金、收复中原，却屡遭排挤；此诗即写其病愈后的孤臣忧国。诗中「病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干」写病中与客居——病骨支离（病中骨瘦如柴）纱帽宽（纱帽都显得宽松），孤臣（孤臣，自指）万里客江干（客居在万里之外的江边），写尽病中的支离与客居的孤寂；「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」写位卑忧国——位卑未敢忘忧国（地位卑下不敢忘记忧国），事定犹须待阖棺（盖棺才能定论），那「位卑未敢忘忧国」写尽位卑不敢忘国的深情，「事定犹须待阖棺」写尽至死方休的执着，是千古名句；「天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮」写庙社与父老——天地神灵扶庙社（天地神灵保佑宗庙社稷），京华父老望和銮（京城的父老盼望皇帝车驾回京（收复中原）），写尽对国运的关切与对中原父老的挂念；「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」写出师表——出师一表（诸葛亮的《出师表》）通今古，夜半挑灯更细看（夜半挑灯，更仔细地看那《出师表》），那「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽对诸葛亮（忠君爱国）的仰慕与自身的忧国（以诸葛亮自励，夜半读《出师表》），是千古名句。全诗以病中的孤臣写忧国的深情，那「位卑未敢忘忧国」「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽陆游至死不渝的爱国之情，是理解其爱国诗风的核心作品。 【名句点睛】 常考“位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺”写位卑而忧国，是千古名句；“出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看”写夜半挑灯细看出师表，尽显爱国深情。
Background
This poem was written about summer of the third year of Chunxi (1176), a poem of Lu You grieving for the state while ill. Lu You (1125–1210), style Wuguan, named Recluse of Release (Fangweng), of Shanyin (Shaoxing, Zhejiang), was a Southern Song patriotic poet. Lifelong he urged resistance against the Jin and recovery of the Central Plain, yet was repeatedly sidelined (hated by Qin Hui for 'prizing recovery,' he faltered in the exams; later in office, repeatedly impeached and dismissed). In Chunxi 2 (1175) he was impeached and dismissed (from acting prefect of Shuzhou); in Chunxi 3 (1176) he fell ill in Chengdu (over a month), and wrote this on recovery. 'Sick bones frail, gauze cap loose' writes sickness and guest life; 'a lone minister ten thousand li, a guest by the river's bank' writes the lone minister's lodging; 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state' writes rank-low yet not forgetting; 'the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' writes devotion to death; 'heaven and earth sustain the shrines' writes care for the realm; 'the elders of the capital gaze for the carriage' writes care for the Central Plain's elders; 'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read' writes admiration for Zhuge Liang and self-encouragement. This is a core work of Lu You's 'writing grief through illness,' its two famous lines exhausting his unchanging patriotism.
此诗约作于宋孝宗淳熙三年（1176）夏，是陆游写病中忧国的诗。陆游（1125-1210）字务观，号放翁，越州山阴（今浙江绍兴）人，是南宋爱国诗人。陆游一生力主抗金、收复中原，却屡遭排挤（因「喜论恢复」被秦桧嫉恨，科举受挫；后虽入仕，亦多次被劾罢官）。淳熙二年（1175），陆游因言官弹劾被免官（自蜀州通判罢归）；淳熙三年（1176），陆游在成都病倒（病了一个多月），病愈后作此诗。诗中「病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干」写病中与客居——「病骨支离纱帽宽」写病中骨瘦如柴、纱帽显得宽松（「病骨支离」写病中消瘦（「支离」写骨瘦支离），「纱帽宽」写纱帽宽松（人瘦了，纱帽都显得宽）），「孤臣万里客江干」写孤臣客居（「孤臣」写孤忠之臣（自指），「万里客江干」写客居在万里之外的江边（成都临江，陆游客居于此）），那「病骨支离纱帽宽」写尽病中的支离、「孤臣万里客江干」写尽客居的孤寂；「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」写位卑忧国——「位卑未敢忘忧国」写地位卑下不敢忘记忧国（那「位卑」写地位卑下（被免官的陆游），「未敢忘忧国」写不敢忘记忧国），「事定犹须待阖棺」写事定犹须待阖棺（盖棺才能定论（「阖棺」写盖上棺材，令人想到「盖棺论定」）），那「位卑未敢忘忧国」写尽位卑不敢忘国的深情、「事定犹须待阖棺」写尽至死方休的执着；「天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮」写庙社与父老——「天地神灵扶庙社」写天地神灵保佑宗庙社稷（「庙社」写宗庙社稷（国运），「扶庙社」写扶助国运），「京华父老望和銮」写京城的父老盼望皇帝车驾回京（「京华父老」写沦陷区（或京城）的父老，「望和銮」写盼望皇帝车驾（和銮写皇帝的銮驾）回京（收复中原，车驾回京）），那「天地神灵扶庙社」写尽对国运的关切、「京华父老望和銮」写尽对中原父老的挂念；「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」写出师表——「出师一表通今古」写出师一表（诸葛亮的《出师表》）通今古（那《出师表》的忠义，通贯古今），「夜半挑灯更细看」写夜半挑灯更细看（那夜半挑灯，更仔细地看那《出师表》），那「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽对诸葛亮（忠君爱国）的仰慕与自身的忧国（以诸葛亮自励，夜半读《出师表》）。此诗是陆游「以病写忧」的名篇，那「位卑未敢忘忧国」「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽至死不渝的爱国之情，是理解其爱国诗风的核心作品。
Art
The lyric's art may be analyzed in four layers. First, the conception of writing grief through illness: the whole poem uses the sick lone minister to write deep love for the state—the frail sickness is the background of grief, the deep love its deepening, illness and grief blended. Second, writing deep feeling through antithesis: 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' against 'the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' is a strict parallel, the contrast of 'low rank' and 'matter settled,' the devotion of 'dare not forget' and 'must wait,' exhausting rank-low yet not forgetting and devotion to death. Third, writing grief for the state through ruler and people: 'heaven and earth sustain the shrines' and 'elders of the capital gaze for the carriage' set the shrines (state) against the elders (people), exhausting care for realm and hearts. Fourth, closing through the 'Memorial': 'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read' uses Zhuge Liang's Memorial to close, writing devoted reading at midnight, exhausting unchanging patriotism, long in aftertaste. The four techniques layer forward, making this a famous 'grief-through-illness' poem of Lu You.
此诗的艺术特色可从四个层面解析。其一，以病写忧的构思。全诗以病中的孤臣写忧国的深情——那「病骨支离纱帽宽」的病中，「位卑未敢忘忧国」的忧国，那病中的支离正是忧国的背景，那忧国的深情正是病中的深化，以病写忧、情景交融。其二，以对仗写深情。「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」以「位卑」对「事定」、「未敢忘忧国」对「犹须待阖棺」写工对，那「位卑」与「事定」的对照、「未敢忘」与「犹须待」的执着，写尽位卑不敢忘国的深情与至死方休的执着。其三，以君臣写忧国。「天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮」以「庙社」与「京华父老」写君与民——那天地神灵扶庙社（国运）、京华父老望和銮（民心），那「庙社」与「父老」的对举，写尽对国运与民心的关切。其四，以《出师表》写收束。「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」以「出师一表通今古」写《出师表》的忠义，以「夜半挑灯更细看」写夜半读《出师表》的执着，那「夜半挑灯更细看」以诸葛亮自励、以挑灯细看收束，写尽至死不渝的爱国之情，余味悠长。四重手法层层推进，使此诗成为陆游诗中「以病写忧」的名篇。
Allusions
The poem's images and allusions are rooted in the tradition of patriotism and loyalty. 'Sick bones frail, gauze cap loose' writes sickness and guest life; 'a lone minister ten thousand li' writes the lone loyal minister, echoing 'a lone city beneath myriad fathom peaks' (Wang Zhihuan)—the word 'lone' exhausting lone loyalty and loneliness. 'Low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state'—'low in rank' recalls 'low in rank yet to speak high is a crime' inverted: Lu You, low yet not forgetting the state, is precisely the noble 'low yet dare not forget'; 'grieve for the state' echoes Fan Zhongyan's 'first to worry for the world.' 'The matter settled only when the coffin is closed' echoes the saying 'judged only when the coffin is closed.' 'Elders of the capital gaze for the carriage' echoes Lu You's own 'the displaced elders' tears spent in Hu dust, southward they watch the royal army another year'—the gaze for the carriage is another expression of that. 'The Memorial spans all ages' evokes Zhuge Liang's 'Memorial,' echoing Du Fu's 'ahead of him no able man, after none to match.' The whole poem transforms Fan Zhongyan, Du Fu, Xin Qiji, and Lu You's own 'displaced elders' lines, writing grief through illness, encouragement through the Memorial—Lu You's craft of 'writing patriotism through loyalty.'
此诗的意象与典故深植于爱国与忠义传统。「病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干」写病中与客居——「病骨支离」写病中骨瘦如柴（「支离」写骨瘦支离，令人想到「支离疏」的形体意象与「支离憔悴」的消瘦），「纱帽宽」写纱帽宽松（人瘦了，纱帽都显得宽，令人想到「宽衣解带」的消瘦意象与「人比黄花瘦」（李清照《醉花阴》）的消瘦），「孤臣万里客江干」写孤臣客居（「孤臣」写孤忠之臣，令人想到「孤臣孽子」的意象与「一片孤城万仞山」（王之涣《凉州词》）的「孤」意象，那「孤臣」写尽孤忠与孤寂），那「病骨支离纱帽宽」写尽病中的支离、「孤臣万里客江干」写尽客居的孤寂。「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」写位卑忧国——「位卑未敢忘忧国」写位卑不敢忘国（「位卑」写地位卑下，令人想到「位卑而言高，罪也」的反用——陆游位卑而不忘国，正是「位卑未敢忘忧国」的高尚，「忧国」令人想到「先天下之忧而忧」（范仲淹《岳阳楼记》）的忧国传统），「事定犹须待阖棺」写盖棺定论（「阖棺」写盖上棺材，令人想到「盖棺论定」的成语与「知我罪我，其惟春秋」的定论传统），那「位卑未敢忘忧国」写尽位卑不敢忘国的深情、「事定犹须待阖棺」写尽至死方休的执着。「天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮」写庙社与父老——「庙社」写宗庙社稷（令人想到「宗庙社稷」的国运意象），「京华父老望和銮」写京华父老望銮驾（「京华父老」写沦陷区（或京城）的父老，令人想到「遗民泪尽胡尘里，南望王师又一年」（陆游《秋夜将晓出篱门迎凉有感》）的遗民意象——那「京华父老望和銮」，正是「遗民泪尽胡尘里，南望王师又一年」的另一种表达，「和銮」写皇帝的车驾，令人想到「鸾舆」的意象），那「京华父老望和銮」写尽对中原父老的挂念。「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」写出师表——「出师一表通今古」写出师一表通今古（诸葛亮的《出师表》，「出师一表」令人想到「出师未捷身先死，长使英雄泪满襟」（杜甫《蜀相》）的《出师表》意象与「三顾频烦天下计」的诸葛亮——那《出师表》的忠义，正是陆游的仰慕所寄），「夜半挑灯更细看」写夜半挑灯细看（「挑灯」写挑亮灯芯，令人想到「闲敲棋子落灯花」的挑灯意象与「挑灯看剑」（辛弃疾《破阵子》）的挑灯意象——那「夜半挑灯更细看」，正是「醉里挑灯看剑」式的壮怀），那「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽以诸葛亮自励、夜半读《出师表》的执着。全诗化用范仲淹、杜甫、辛弃疾（及陆游自己的「遗民」诗）的意象与典故，以病写忧、以表自励，正是陆游「以忠义写爱国」的本领。
Commentary
This poem has long been praised as Lu You's famous 'grief-through-illness' work and the source of the eternal lines 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' and 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read.' Critics note it uses the sick lone minister to write deep love for the state, the first line's 'low yet dare not forget' for noble rank-low loyalty, the second's 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read' for devotion to death—a representative of Lu You's patriotic poetry. Its special value in literary history: it writes the depth of grieving the state through illness—'sick bones frail, gauze cap loose; a lone minister ten thousand li' exhausts the frail sickness and guest loneliness (a dismissed, Chengdu-lodging sick minister); 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget; the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' exhausts rank-low loyalty and devotion to death. The seven characters 'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' are the model of the Chinese scholar 'low yet dare not forget the state'; 'the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' is the devotion of 'judged only when the coffin is closed'—to the death unrelenting. 'Heaven and earth sustain the shrines; elders of the capital gaze for the carriage' exhausts realm and hearts; 'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read' exhausts self-encouragement through Zhuge Liang. With 'Book of Regret' (also citing the Memorial) this is among his patriotic masterworks. For today's readers it is a window into Lu You's 'unchanging patriotism' and the spirit of 'low yet dare not forget'—the frail lone minister, the deep love, the devoted midnight reading still speak a patriot's unchanging heart across a thousand years.
此诗历来被推为陆游「以病写忧」的名篇，也是「位卑未敢忘忧国」「夜半挑灯更细看」等千古名句的出处。历代论者对此诗评价极高：论者多指出此诗以病中的孤臣写忧国的深情，以「位卑未敢忘忧国」写位卑不敢忘国的高尚，以「夜半挑灯更细看」写至死不渝的爱国，是陆游爱国诗中的代表作。在文学史上，此诗的特殊价值在于：它以病中写出了忧国的深沉——那「病骨支离纱帽宽，孤臣万里客江干」写尽了病中的支离与客居的孤寂（一个被免官、客居成都的病臣），那「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」写尽了位卑不敢忘国的深情与至死方休的执着——那「位卑未敢忘忧国」七字，正是中国士人「位卑未敢忘忧国」的典范（地位卑下，却不敢忘记忧国），那「事定犹须待阖棺」七字，正是「盖棺论定」的执着（一生的功过，盖棺才能定论，故至死不懈）；那「天地神灵扶庙社，京华父老望和銮」写尽了国运与民心（天地神灵扶庙社、京华父老望銮驾），那「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」写尽了以诸葛亮自励的执着——夜半挑灯，细看《出师表》，那《出师表》的忠义，正是陆游的仰慕与自励。词（诗）中「位卑未敢忘忧国」写位卑忧国，是千古名句；「夜半挑灯更细看」写挑灯读表，更是千古名句。此诗与陆游的《书愤》（「早岁那知世事艰」「出师一表真名世，千载谁堪伯仲间」）一样，都写到《出师表》，都是忧国爱国的名篇。对于今日读者，此诗是理解陆游「至死不渝爱国」与「位卑未敢忘忧国」精神的窗口，也是感受中国诗「忠义爱国」传统的典范——那病骨支离的孤臣、位卑未敢忘忧国的深情、夜半挑灯细看的执着，穿越千年，仍在诉说着一个爱国诗人「至死不渝」的忠心。
Prosody
Line by line
位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺。
These two lines are the poem's famous couplet and eternal lines, writing rank-low yet not forgetting the state, and devotion to death, deep and firm. 'Low in rank, yet I dare not forget to grieve for the state' writes rank-low loyalty—low in station, yet not forgetting the state; 'low in rank' the low station (the dismissed, Chengdu-lodging Lu You), 'dare not forget' the not-daring—not that he does not think, but dares not forget, exhausting the conscious loyalty; 'low yet dare not forget' exhausts the Chinese scholar's model of 'low yet dare not forget the state.' 'The matter settled only when the coffin is closed' writes the verdict of a life—only when the coffin is closed is the verdict given; 'must wait for the coffin' the devotion to death—the grief for the state is judged only at death, hence unrelenting to the end. These lines' deep meaning: 'low yet dare not forget' writes rank-low loyalty—the contrast of low station and grieving heart; 'the matter settled only when the coffin is closed' writes devotion to death. They are the poem's 'poetic eye'—the heart of Lu You's patriotism, his craft of 'writing grief through illness,' making the couplet eternal.
地位卑下，不敢忘记忧国；一生功过，盖棺才能定论。
Lowly as my station is, I dare not forget my care for the country; the final judgment must wait for the closed coffin.
这两句是全诗的名句，也是千古名句，以「位卑未敢忘忧国」写位卑不敢忘国的深情，以「事定犹须待阖棺」写至死方休的执着，深沉而坚定。「位卑未敢忘忧国」写位卑忧国——地位卑下，不敢忘记忧国，「位卑」写地位卑下（那被免官、客居成都的陆游，地位卑下），「未敢忘忧国」写不敢忘记忧国（那「未敢」写不敢——不是不想，而是不敢忘记忧国，那「未敢忘」写尽忧国的自觉），那「位卑未敢忘忧国」写尽位卑不敢忘国的深情——地位虽卑下，忧国之心不敢忘；「事定犹须待阖棺」写盖棺定论——一生功过，盖棺才能定论，「事定」写事情定论（那功过是非），「犹须待阖棺」写犹须等待盖上棺材（那「阖棺」写盖上棺材，「待阖棺」写盖棺定论），那「事定犹须待阖棺」写尽至死方休的执着——那忧国的功过，盖棺才能定论，故至死不懈。这两句的深意在于：它以「位卑未敢忘忧国」写出了位卑不敢忘国的深情——那「位卑」与「忧国」的对照（地位卑下与忧国之心），写尽中国士人「位卑未敢忘忧国」的典范——不是身居高位才忧国，而是位卑亦不敢忘国，那「未敢忘」写尽忧国的自觉与深情；而「事定犹须待阖棺」更写尽至死方休的执着——那忧国之事，盖棺才能定论，故至死不懈，那「待阖棺」写尽一生的执着——即使病中、即使位卑，亦不敢忘忧国，亦坚持至死；而这两句正是全诗的「诗眼」——那「位卑未敢忘忧国」写忧国的深情，「事定犹须待阖棺」写至死的执着，正是陆游爱国精神的核心。以「位卑」对「事定」写工对、以「未敢忘忧国」写深情、以「待阖棺」写执着，正是陆游「以病写忧」的本领，也让这两句成为千古名句。
The two lines are the famous lines of the poem and of the ages, writing through lowly as my station is, I dare not forget my care for the country the deep feeling of the lowly who dare not forget, and through the final judgment must wait for the closed coffin the resolve to the end, somber and firm. Lowly as my station is writes the care of the lowly — the station low (Lu You, dismissed and lodging in Chengdu), I dare not forget the care; the word dare not writes not that I do not wish, but that I dare not forget the country, the word dare-not writing the consciousness of the care; the second line writes the closed-coffin verdict — the whole life's merit, judged only at the coffin's closing. The deep meaning: the contrast of the low station and the care writes the model of the Chinese scholar's lowly yet daring not to forget — not only the high-placed who care for the country, but the lowly who dare not forget; and the closed-coffin resolve, the care judged only at death, hence untiring to the end. The two lines are the poem's eye, and the core of Lu You's patriotic spirit. Were it said plainly though lowly I care for the country, judged only at death, the craft would be softened; the lines stand as the immortal lines of Lu You's writing grief through illness.
出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看。
These two lines close the poem with famous lines, writing the 'Memorial's' loyalty and self-encouragement through Zhuge Liang, deep and firm. 'The Memorial spans all ages' writes the Memorial through ages—Zhuge Liang's 'Memorial on Dispatching the Army' speaks through all time; 'spans all ages' the loyalty passing through ages, from Zhuge to Lu You. 'At midnight I trim the lamp to read' writes devoted midnight reading—trimming the lamp, reading the Memorial closely; 'trim the lamp' the brave mood of 'trimming the lamp to view the sword' (Xin Qiji), 'read closely' the careful reading, exhausting self-encouragement through Zhuge's loyalty. The deep meaning: 'the Memorial spans all ages' writes admiration for the Memorial—Zhuge's loyalty passing through ages; 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read' writes devotion to self-encouragement—the sick lone minister, midnight, reading the Memorial closely, is the deepening of 'low yet dare not forget.' Writing loyalty through the Memorial, devotion through 'trim the lamp to read,' is Lu You's craft of 'writing patriotism through loyalty,' making the couplet eternal.
诸葛亮的《出师表》通贯古今，夜半挑灯，更仔细地看。
That Memorial on dispatching the army runs through all ages; at midnight I trim the lamp and read it again, closely.
这两句是全诗收束的名句，也是千古名句，以「出师一表通今古」写《出师表》的忠义，以「夜半挑灯更细看」写以诸葛亮自励的执着，深沉而坚定。「出师一表通今古」写《出师表》通今古——诸葛亮的《出师表》通贯古今，「出师一表」写诸葛亮的《出师表》（那《出师表》的「出师未捷身先死，长使英雄泪满襟」），「通今古」写通贯古今（那《出师表》的忠义，通贯古今），那「出师一表通今古」写尽《出师表》的忠义——那诸葛亮的忠君爱国，通贯古今；「夜半挑灯更细看」写夜半挑灯细看——那夜半挑灯，更仔细地看那《出师表》，「夜半挑灯」写夜半挑灯（那夜半挑亮灯芯，正是「挑灯看剑」式的壮怀），「更细看」写更仔细地看（那「更细看」写看得更仔细——不是粗看，而是细看），那「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽以诸葛亮自励的执着——那夜半挑灯，细看《出师表》，正是以诸葛亮的忠义自励。这两句的深意在于：它以「出师一表通今古」写出了对《出师表》的仰慕——那《出师表》的忠义，通贯古今（从诸葛亮到陆游），那「通今古」写尽忠义的传承——诸葛亮出师北伐、忠君爱国，正是陆游力主抗金、收复中原的仰慕所寄；而「夜半挑灯更细看」更写尽以诸葛亮自励的执着——那夜半挑灯、细看《出师表》，正是以诸葛亮的忠义自励——诸葛亮「鞠躬尽瘁，死而后已」，正是陆游「事定犹须待阖棺」的榜样，那「夜半挑灯更细看」写尽陆游至死不渝的爱国之情——病中的孤臣，夜半挑灯，细看《出师表》，正是「位卑未敢忘忧国」的深化。以「出师一表」写忠义、以「夜半挑灯更细看」写执着，正是陆游「以忠义写爱国」的本领，也让这两句成为千古名句。
The two lines are the famous closing lines of the poem and of the ages, writing through that Memorial on dispatching the army runs through all ages the loyalty of the Memorial, and through at midnight I trim the lamp and read it again, closely the resolve of taking Zhuge Liang for his model, somber and firm. That Memorial on dispatching the army writes Zhuge Liang's Memorial, running through all ages; at midnight I trim the lamp and read it again, closely writes the midnight lamp trimmed and the closer reading. The deep meaning: the admiration for the Memorial — its loyalty running through the ages, from Zhuge Liang to Lu You; the midnight lamp and the close reading, precisely the self-encouragement of Zhuge's loyalty — Zhuge's bending to the task until death is the model for Lu You's the final judgment must wait for the closed coffin. The sickbed lone minister, the midnight lamp, the close reading of the Memorial, precisely the deepening of lowly as my station is, I dare not forget. Were it said plainly I admire the Memorial and read it by midnight lamp, the craft would be softened; the lines stand as the immortal lines of Lu You's writing patriotism through loyalty.
Study
Word focus
Related Reading
'Book of Regret'—'in youth how could I know the world's hardship, gazing north at the Central Plain, my spirit like a mountain'… 'the Memorial is truly famed through the ages, through a thousand years who can match him'—writes youthful ambition and late-life sigh, a famous patriotic poem of Lu You. This 'Written on Recovery from Illness'—'low in rank, yet I dare not forget' and 'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read'—writes grief for the state in illness. Both write grief and regret: one 'in youth how could I know the world's hardship' (Book of Regret), one 'sick bones frail, gauze cap loose' (this poem); one 'through a thousand years who can match him' for sigh, one 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read' for devotion. Read together, they show Lu You's patriotism in two moods—youthful indignation and sickbed devotion.
《书愤》「早岁那知世事艰，中原北望气如山」「出师一表真名世，千载谁堪伯仲间」写早岁的壮志与晚年的感慨，是陆游忧国诗的名篇。此诗《病起书怀》则「位卑未敢忘忧国，事定犹须待阖棺」「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」，写病中的忧国，是陆游忧国诗的名篇。同为写忧国书愤，一写「早岁那知世事艰」的早岁壮志（书愤），一写「病骨支离纱帽宽」的病中忧国（病起书怀）；一以「千载谁堪伯仲间」写感慨，一以「夜半挑灯更细看」写执着。两诗对读，可见陆游忧国的两种心境——早岁的愤慨与病中的执着。
秋夜将晓出篱门迎凉有感 Feeling on a Autumn Dawn (Out the Brushwood Gate) 陆游 · 同写中原父老，一写遗民一写父老 Both write the Central Plain's elders—one the displaced, one the capital's fathers.'Feeling on a Autumn Dawn'—'the displaced elders' tears spent in Hu dust, southward they watch the royal army another year'—writes the displaced elders' hope, a famous Lu You poem of the Central Plain's fathers. This poem—'the elders of the capital gaze for the carriage'—writes the capital's elders gazing for the imperial carriage, also a famous Lu You poem of the Central Plain's fathers. Both write the Central Plain's elders: one 'displaced elders' tears spent in Hu dust' (Autumn Dawn), one 'elders of the capital gaze for the carriage' (this poem); one 'southward watch the royal army another year' for hope, one 'gaze for the carriage' for expectation. Read together, they show Lu You's care for the Central Plain's elders—displaced tears and fathers' gaze, both unchanging patriotism.
《秋夜将晓出篱门迎凉有感》「遗民泪尽胡尘里，南望王师又一年」写沦陷区遗民的期盼，是陆游写中原父老的名篇。此诗《病起书怀》则「京华父老望和銮」，写京华父老盼望皇帝车驾，是陆游写中原父老的名篇。同为写中原父老，一写「遗民泪尽胡尘里」的遗民（秋夜将晓），一写「京华父老望和銮」的父老（病起书怀）；一写「南望王师又一年」的期盼，一写「望和銮」的盼望。两诗对读，可见陆游对中原父老的挂念——遗民泪尽、父老望銮，都是至死不渝的爱国。
蜀相 The Temple of the Martial Marquis (Shu Xiang) 杜甫 · 同写诸葛亮与出师表，一写祠堂一写夜读 Both write Zhuge Liang and the Memorial—one the temple, one midnight reading.Du Fu's 'The Temple of the Martial Marquis'—'thrice summoned, his plans for the world; two reigns, the old minister's heart'… 'ahead he went no able man, after none to match'—writes Zhuge Liang's temple and deeds, a famous Tang poem of Zhuge. Lu You's 'Written on Recovery from Illness'—'the Memorial spans all ages, at midnight I trim the lamp to read'—writes the Memorial and midnight reading, a famous Song poem of Zhuge (self-encouragement). Both write Zhuge and the Memorial: Du writes 'ahead no able man, after none to match' for sigh (Temple), Lu writes 'at midnight I trim the lamp to read' for devotion (this poem); one Zhuge's tragedy, one his loyalty as self-encouragement. Read together, they show two brushes on the Zhuge image—Du Fu's sigh and Lu You's self-encouragement.
杜甫《蜀相》「三顾频烦天下计，两朝开济老臣心」「出师未捷身先死，长使英雄泪满襟」写诸葛亮的祠堂与功业，是唐人写诸葛亮的名篇。陆游《病起书怀》则「出师一表通今古，夜半挑灯更细看」，写出师表与夜读，是宋人写诸葛亮（自励）的名篇。同为写诸葛亮与《出师表》，杜甫写「出师未捷身先死」的感慨（蜀相），陆游写「夜半挑灯更细看」的执着（病起书怀）；一写诸葛亮的悲剧，一写诸葛亮的忠义自励。两诗对读，可见诸葛亮意象的两种笔法——杜甫的感慨与陆游的自励。