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唐 Tang · 诗 Poem

又呈吴郎

The, Again, Presented, to, the, Gentleman, of, the, Wu

杜甫

Du Fu

民生People's life 仁爱love

堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人。
不为困穷宁有此?
只缘恐惧转须亲。
即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真。
已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾。

堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人。
不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲。
即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真。
已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾。
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Meaning

A poem of the woman and the compassion, written by Du Fu. Before the hall the beating the dates leaving the western neighbor, without the food without the child a woman alone — the woman of the opening. If not for the poverty and the distress how could this be, only because of the fear and the dread in turn must be kind — the compassion of the middle. Though guarding against the distant guest may be the much ado, then inserting the sparse hedge yet is the very real — the advice of the middle. And the close's she has already complained of the exactions pressing to the bone, just thinking of the war and the horse the tears filling the kerchief — the close's tears. The poem is the woman and the compassion: the poverty, the advice, and the close's tears.

堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人。不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲。即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真。已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾。

Appreciation

[Plain Paraphrase] Before, the, hall, the, beating, the, dates, leaving, the, western, neighbor, without, the, food, without, the, child, a, woman, alone. If, not, for, the, poverty, and, the, distress, how, could, this, be, only, because, of, the, fear, and, the, dread, in, turn, must, be, kind. Though, guarding, against, the, distant, guest, may, be, the, much, ado, then, inserting, the, sparse, hedge, yet, is, the, very, real. She, has, already, complained, of, the, exactions, pressing, to, the, bone, just, thinking, of, the, war, and, the, horse, the, tears, filling, the, kerchief. [Structure and Thought] The poem moves from the woman of the beating the dates with the poverty, through the compassion of the fear with the advice of the hedge, to the close's the tears of the war. [Key Technique] The poem's art is the close of the tears: she has already complained of the exactions pressing to the bone, and the close's just thinking of the war and the horse the tears filling the kerchief — the woman gathered in the compassion and the close's tears. [Emotional Tone] Compassionate, kind, and sorrowful: the poem is the poverty, the advice and the close's tears.

【白话串讲】 杜甫写《又呈吴郎》:“堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人”——“不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲”——他劝吴郎让邻居老妇打枣——“已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾”——他写乱世中的悲悯。 【意象与手法】 此诗劝吴郎善待打枣的西邻妇人,以仁爱写劝告,是杜甫的名篇。前四句写劝吴郎莫阻妇人打枣:「堂前扑枣任西邻」写堂前扑枣任西邻,「无食无儿一妇人」写无食无儿一妇人,「不为困穷宁有此」写不为困穷宁有此,「只缘恐惧转须亲」写只缘恐惧转须亲;后四句写劝吴郎体恤妇人的苦:「即防远客虽多事」写即防远客虽多事,「便插疏篱却甚真」写便插疏篱却甚真,「已诉征求贫到骨」写已诉征求贫到骨,「正思戎马泪盈巾」写正思戎马泪盈巾。全诗以仁爱写劝告,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,是杜甫的代表作。 【情感与主旨】 此诗劝吴郎善待打枣的西邻妇人,以仁爱写劝告,是杜甫的名篇。此诗作于大历二年(767)秋,杜甫在夔州(今重庆奉节)时。杜甫居夔州瀼西草堂时,有西邻老妇常来打枣,杜甫任其打枣;后草堂转给亲戚吴郎居住,吴郎在堂前插篱防枣,杜甫便写此诗劝告。此诗写劝告:堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人——写堂前打枣任凭西邻,因为她是个无食无儿的妇人;不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲——写不为困穷怎会如此?只缘她恐惧,反须亲善;即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真——写她防着远客虽是多事,而你插疏篱却更真切地拒人;已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾——写她已诉征求(赋税)贫到骨,正思戎马(战乱)泪盈衣巾。全诗以仁爱写劝告——那「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,「已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,是理解杜甫仁爱精神的重要篇章。 【名句点睛】 常考「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」写体恤穷人的仁爱;「已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」写对民间疾苦的悲悯;「即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真」写劝吴郎莫插篱防枣;以及全诗以仁爱写劝告、情真意切的手法。

Background

Du Fu (712-770), the great poet of the Tang, wrote this 'The, Again, Presented, to, the, Gentleman, of, the, Wu' of the woman and the compassion — the compassion of the poor neighbor in the Kuizhou. The woman of the beating the dates with the poverty, the advice of the hedge, and the close's the tears of the war — the poem gathers the compassion of the poet, the grief of the people. The poem is one of the famous works of the poet's poems of the compassion.

此诗劝吴郎善待打枣的西邻妇人,以仁爱写劝告,是杜甫的名篇。杜甫(712—770),字子美,巩县(今河南巩义)人,唐代伟大的现实主义诗人,人称「诗圣」,与李白并称「李杜」。此诗作于大历二年(767)秋,杜甫在夔州(今重庆奉节)时。杜甫居夔州瀼西草堂时,有西邻老妇常来打枣,杜甫任其打枣;后草堂转给亲戚吴郎居住,吴郎在堂前插篱防枣,杜甫便写此诗劝告。此诗写劝告:「堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人」写堂前打枣任凭西邻,因为她是个无食无儿的妇人——写任其打枣的仁心与妇人的孤苦;「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」写不为困穷怎会如此?只缘她恐惧,反须亲善——写体恤穷人的仁爱;「即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真」写她防着远客虽是多事,而你插疏篱却更真切地拒人——写劝吴郎莫插篱防枣;「已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」写她已诉征求(赋税)贫到骨,正思戎马(战乱)泪盈衣巾——写对民间疾苦的悲悯。全诗以仁爱写劝告——那「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,那「已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,是理解杜甫仁爱精神的重要篇章。

Art

The poem's art is the art of the tears. The woman opens: before, the, hall, the, beating, the, dates, leaving, the, western, neighbor — the western neighbor of the beating the dates; without, the, food, without, the, child, a, woman, alone — the woman of the alone. The compassion follows: if, not, for, the, poverty, and, the, distress, how, could, this, be — the poverty of the how could this be; only, because, of, the, fear, and, the, dread, in, turn, must, be, kind — the fear of the must be kind; though, guarding, against, the, distant, guest, may, be, the, much, ado — the distant guest of the much ado; then, inserting, the, sparse, hedge, yet, is, the, very, real — the sparse hedge of the very real. And the close gathers the tears: she, has, already, complained, of, the, exactions, pressing, to, the, bone — the exactions of the pressing to the bone; just, thinking, of, the, war, and, the, horse, the, tears, filling, the, kerchief — the tears of the filling the kerchief — the woman, the compassion and the close's tears, gathered in the poem.

此诗的艺术特色可从四个方面解析。其一,以直陈写仁心。起二句「堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人」以直陈写仁心——那「任西邻」写尽任其打枣的仁心,「无食无儿一妇人」写尽妇人的孤苦,以直陈写尽仁心与孤苦。其二,以反问写仁爱。「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」以反问写仁爱——那「不为困穷宁有此」以反问写尽妇人的迫不得已,「只缘恐惧转须亲」写尽因恐惧反须亲善,以反问写尽体恤穷人的仁爱。其三,以说理写劝告。「即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真」以说理写劝告——那「即防远客虽多事」写尽妇人防客的可怜,「便插疏篱却甚真」写尽插篱拒人的真切,以说理写尽劝吴郎莫插篱防枣。其四,以情语收束。「已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」以情语收束——那「已诉征求贫到骨」写尽征求的苛酷,「正思戎马泪盈巾」写尽思及战乱的泪,以情语收束,写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯。四重手法,使此诗以仁爱写劝告,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,是杜甫的代表作。

Allusions

'The western neighbor' (xi lin) is the western neighbor — the neighbor of the west, the woman of the opening; 'the distant guest' (yuan ke) is the distant guest — the guest of the far, the guarding of the middle; 'the war and the horse' (rong ma) are the war and the horse — the war of the horse, the tears of the close.

此诗的用语深植于仁爱与民间疾苦的传统。「堂前扑枣任西邻」令人想到「扑枣」写打枣的意象,也令人想到「任西邻」写任凭西邻的意象——任其打枣的仁心;「无食无儿一妇人」令人想到「无食」写无粮的意象,也令人想到「无儿」写无子的意象——无食无儿的孤苦妇人;「不为困穷宁有此」令人想到「困穷」写困顿贫穷的意象,也令人想到「宁有此」写岂有此事的意象——不为困穷怎会如此;「只缘恐惧转须亲」令人想到「恐惧」写惶恐的意象,也令人想到「转须亲」写反须亲善的意象——杜甫的名句;「即防远客虽多事」令人想到「防远客」写提防生人的意象,也令人想到「多事」写多余的意象;「便插疏篱却甚真」令人想到「疏篱」写稀疏篱笆的意象——「采菊东篱下」(陶渊明),也令人想到「甚真」写很真切的意象;「已诉征求贫到骨」令人想到「征求」写征收赋税的意象——「征求」写官府的搜刮,也令人想到「贫到骨」写穷到骨头的意象——「贫到骨」正是杜甫的名句;「正思戎马泪盈巾」令人想到「戎马」写战马的意象——「戎马关山北」,以戎马指代战乱,也令人想到「泪盈巾」写泪湿衣巾的意象——「衣裳已施行看尽,针线犹存未忍开」。全诗化用困穷、恐惧、疏篱、征求、戎马的传统意象,以仁爱写劝告,正是杜甫「沉郁顿挫」而善用家常语、承仁爱传统写悲悯的本领。

Commentary

This poem is one of the famous works of Du Fu's poems of the compassion, quoted for the tenderness of its opening and the grief of its close. The woman of the beating the dates, and the tears of the filling the kerchief, are among the admired passages of the poet's poems. Critics praise the poem's compassion: the poor gathered in the advice, to the close's tears.

此诗历来被推为杜甫仁爱诗的名篇,也是唐人写民间疾苦诗的代表。历代论者对此诗评价极高:清人评此诗「以仁爱写劝告,情真意切」;近人更指出「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」写体恤穷人的仁爱,是此诗的名句。在诗歌史上,此诗的特殊价值在于:它以八句的律诗写尽劝吴郎善待打枣妇人的仁爱——那任西邻扑枣的仁心,那无食无儿的孤苦妇人,那不为困穷宁有此的体谅,那只缘恐惧转须亲的仁爱,那防远客的多事,那插疏篱的真切,那征求贫到骨的苛酷,那思戎马泪盈巾的悲悯,都写尽了杜甫体恤穷人的仁爱;那「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」更写尽体恤穷人的仁爱。此诗与杜甫《茅屋为秋风所破歌》(「安得广厦千万间」)同为仁爱名篇,一写茅屋的仁爱,一写打枣的仁爱;又与杜甫「穷年忧黎元,叹息肠内热」的仁爱精神一脉相承,可见杜甫忧国忧民的传统。对于今日读者,此诗是理解杜甫仁爱精神的窗口,也是中国诗写民间疾苦的经典——那盈巾的泪,穿越千年,仍在诉说着体恤穷人的仁爱。

Prosody

Form A regulated poem of the compassion (qi yan lü shi)诗·七言律诗
Rhyme The poem rhymes on the level of the group — the cadence of the regulated poem that carries the compassionate grief.七言律诗,押「人」「亲」「真」「巾」韵(上平十一真),一韵到底,对仗工整
Tone pattern The cadence is that of the tears: the level opening with the woman, the turning with the advice, and the close's fall with the tears.此诗为七言律诗,八句,押平声韵,一韵到底,对仗工整,音节平实,正合劝告的平实。
Reading note The poem's sound matches its compassion: the cadences of the regulated poem, and the close — 'zheng si rong ma lei ying jin' — falls with the kerchief, the sound of the grief of the compassion poet.此诗为七言律诗,八句——「堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人。不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲。即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真。已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」,押「真」韵(人、亲、真、巾),一韵到底,对仗工整(扑枣对征客、西邻对远客等)。全诗以仁爱写劝告:前四句写劝吴郎莫阻妇人打枣(堂前扑枣任西邻,无食无儿一妇人;不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲),后四句写劝吴郎体恤妇人的苦(即防远客虽多事,便插疏篱却甚真;已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾)。诵读此诗,宜以平实的语调读「堂前扑枣任西邻」的仁心,以恳切的语调读「不为困穷宁有此」的体谅,结句「正思戎马泪盈巾」要读得悲悯而有余韵,方能传达出杜甫的仁爱。杜甫律诗以「沉郁顿挫」著称,此诗正是其仁爱劝告律诗的典范。

Line by line

不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲

If she were not desperate with want, would she do this? Just because she is fearful, we should treat her all the more kindly.

不为困穷怎会如此?只缘她恐惧,反须亲善。

Were she not reduced to poverty, would she act so? Precisely because she is frightened, she should be met with the more kindness.

此联是全诗写仁爱的核心,以反问写体谅,以恐惧写亲善,是千古名句。「不为困穷宁有此」写不为困穷怎会如此——那「不为困穷」写不是因困穷,「宁有此」以反问写怎会如此,写尽妇人打枣的迫不得已;「只缘恐惧转须亲」写只缘她恐惧反须亲善——那「只缘恐惧」写只因恐惧,「转须亲」写反须亲善,写尽因恐惧反须亲善的仁爱。这句的深意在于:它以「不为困穷宁有此」的反问与「只缘恐惧转须亲」的仁爱,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱——不为困穷怎会如此?那「不为困穷宁有此」以反问写尽妇人打枣的迫不得已——一个无食无儿的妇人,若非困穷到极点,怎会来打枣?那「宁有此」以反问写尽体谅;只缘她恐惧,反须亲善,那「只缘恐惧转须亲」写尽因恐惧反须亲善的仁爱——妇人因恐惧而自卑畏缩,正因如此,反须我们亲善以待,那「转须亲」写尽以亲善化解恐惧的仁爱;那「不为困穷宁有此」写尽体谅,那「只缘恐惧转须亲」写尽亲善,一写体谅,一写亲善,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱——这正是杜甫「穷年忧黎元」的仁爱精神,也是劝吴郎的核心;此联上承「堂前扑枣任西邻」的仁心,下启「即防远客虽多事」的劝告,是全诗写仁爱的枢纽。若换作直说「她穷,你要对她好」,则失其反问与转折;唯以「不为困穷宁有此」的反问写体谅、「只缘恐惧转须亲」写亲善,写尽体恤穷人的仁爱,也让此联成为全诗写仁爱的核心与千古名句。

This couplet is the benevolence heart of the poem, the rhetorical question on her want and the kindness due to her fear. 'If she were not desperate, would she do this' asks why the widow comes to knock the dates, and answers: only extreme hunger drives her. 'Just because she is fearful, treat her all the more kindly' turns her timidity into the reason for extra warmth—the more afraid she is, the more she deserves friendliness. The couplet is Du Fu's own teaching to his nephew Wu Lang on mercy to the poor. If stated as 'she is poor, be kind to her,' the questioning and the turn would vanish; only through 'would she do this' and 'just because fearful' does the benevolence become reasoned.

已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾

She has told how the taxes have stripped her to the bone; thinking now of the war, my tears wet the kerchief.

她已诉说征收赋税穷到骨,正思战乱泪盈衣巾。

She has spoken of the taxes that have left her poor to the bone; thinking of the strife, my tears brim the kerchief.

此联是全诗的收束,以征求写苛酷,以戎马写战乱,写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯,是千古名句。「已诉征求贫到骨」写她已诉说征收赋税穷到骨——那「已诉征求」写她已诉说征收的赋税,「贫到骨」写穷到骨头,写尽征求的苛酷与穷困的深重;「正思戎马泪盈巾」写正思战乱泪盈衣巾——那「正思戎马」写正思及战乱,「泪盈巾」写泪湿衣巾,写尽思及战乱的悲悯。这句的深意在于:它以「已诉征求贫到骨」的苛酷与「正思戎马泪盈巾」的悲悯,写尽对民间疾苦的深切悲悯——她已诉说征收赋税穷到骨,那「已诉征求贫到骨」写尽征求的苛酷——安史之乱后,官府的征求(赋税)苛酷,妇人已被征得贫到骨,那「贫到骨」写尽穷困的深重;正思战乱泪盈衣巾,那「正思戎马泪盈巾」写尽思及战乱的悲悯——戎马(战乱)未息,民不聊生,思及于此,泪盈衣巾,那「泪盈巾」写尽悲悯之深;那「贫到骨」写尽征求的苛酷,那「泪盈巾」写尽悲悯的深沉,一写苛酷,一写悲悯,写尽对民间疾苦的深切悲悯——这正是杜甫劝吴郎善待妇人的深层原因:她已贫到骨,思戎马而泪盈巾,我们岂忍再插篱防她打枣?此联以征求、戎马收束,写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯,也让此联成为全诗收束的千古名句。若换作直说「她很可怜」,则失其深广;唯以「已诉征求贫到骨」写苛酷、「正思戎马泪盈巾」写悲悯,写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯,也让此联成为全诗的收束。

This couplet closes the poem, taxes stripping to the bone and tears at the thought of war. 'She has told how the taxes have stripped her to the bone' writes the widow's account of exactions; 'thinking now of the war, tears wet the kerchief' turns the private grievance into the poet's public grief. The 'stripped to the bone' and the 'tears wet the kerchief' join the woman's ruin to the age's war—the deeper cause of all the misery. If stated as 'she is pitiful,' the breadth would vanish; only through the taxes to the bone and the tears at the thought of war does the mercy become national.

Study

Word focus

任 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「堂前扑枣任西邻」之「任」字是写仁心的关键字,一个「任」字写尽任凭打枣的仁心。任者,任凭、听任也。杜甫以「任西邻」写堂前扑枣,这个「任」字至少有双重意味:其一,写任其之宽——那「堂前扑枣任西邻」写堂前打枣任凭西邻,那「任」字写尽任凭西邻打枣的宽厚——不阻不拒,任其打枣;其二,写仁心之厚——那「任」字更是写仁心——任西邻打枣,正是体恤穷人的仁心,那「任」字写尽杜甫的仁爱。以「任」字写仁心,正是杜甫开篇的枢纽——若换作「许」「容」等字,则或失其任凭的宽厚,或失其与「无食无儿一妇人」的配合;唯「任」字,以一字写尽任凭西邻打枣的宽厚与体恤穷人的仁心,与「只缘恐惧转须亲」的仁爱相合,写尽杜甫的仁爱,也让「堂前扑枣任西邻」成为全诗写仁心的名句。
骨 A key expression in the poem. Read it as an image, mood, or grammar point in context. 「已诉征求贫到骨」之「骨」字是写穷困的关键字,一个「骨」字写尽穷困的深重。骨者,骨头、入骨也。杜甫以「贫到骨」写征求,这个「骨」字至少有双重意味:其一,写穷困之深——那「已诉征求贫到骨」写已诉说征收赋税穷到骨,那「骨」字写尽穷困的深重——贫到骨头,正是穷到极点;其二,写征求之苛——那「骨」字更是写苛酷——征求贫到骨,正见征收的苛酷,那「骨」字写尽征求的苛酷。以「骨」字写穷困,正是杜甫收束的枢纽——若换作「极」「尽」等字,则或失其写穷困入骨的强烈,或失其与「征求」的配合;唯「骨」字,以一字写尽贫到骨头的穷困深重与征求的苛酷,与「正思戎马泪盈巾」的悲悯相合,写尽对民间疾苦的悲悯,也让「已诉征求贫到骨」成为全诗写穷困的名句。

Related Reading

茅屋为秋风所破歌 Song of My Cottage Unroofed by Autumn Gales 杜甫 · 同杜甫仁爱,一茅屋一扑枣 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

杜甫《茅屋为秋风所破歌》「安得广厦千万间,大庇天下寒士俱欢颜」写推己及人的仁爱,是杜甫的名篇。此诗《又呈吴郎》则「不为困穷宁有此?只缘恐惧转须亲」写体恤打枣妇人的仁爱。同为杜甫仁爱诗,一写「安得广厦千万间」的大爱(茅屋),一写「堂前扑枣任西邻」的小事(又呈吴郎);一以「吾庐独破受冻死亦足」写牺牲,一以「已诉征求贫到骨」写悲悯。两诗对读,可见杜甫仁爱精神既宏大又细微。

石壕吏 The Officer at Stone Moat Village 杜甫 · 同杜甫写民间疾苦,一征兵一征求 Related reading

Compare this related work with the poem above through theme, imagery, tone, and emotional movement.

杜甫《石壕吏》「吏呼一何怒,妇啼一何苦」「急应河阳役,犹得备晨炊」写战乱中老妇被征的疾苦,是杜甫《三吏》的名篇。此诗《又呈吴郎》则「已诉征求贫到骨,正思戎马泪盈巾」写妇人的疾苦。同为杜甫写民间疾苦,一写「吏呼一何怒」的征兵(石壕吏),一写「已诉征求贫到骨」的征求(又呈吴郎);一以「老妪力虽衰」写应征,一以「只缘恐惧转须亲」写仁爱。两诗对读,可见杜甫对民间疾苦的深切关怀。