观刈麦
白居易
田家少闲月，五月人倍忙。
夜来南风起，小麦覆陇黄。
妇姑荷箪食，童稚携壶浆。
相随饷田去，丁壮在南冈。
足蒸暑土气，背灼炎天光。
力尽不知热，但惜夏日长。
复有贫妇人，抱子在其旁。
右手秉遗穗，左臂悬敝筐。
听其相顾言，闻者为悲伤。
田家输税尽，拾此充饥肠。
今我何功德，曾不事农桑。
吏禄三百石，岁晏有余粮。
念此私自愧，尽日不能忘。
Watching the Reapers
Bai Juyi
Farmers have but little leisure,
but the fifth month is the busiest;
last night there came a strong
south wind and the wheat
turned to gold in the fields;
came wives and daughters
with carrying-poles, children
with water pots, streaming
out to the fields to serve
the strong lads harvesting;
heat from the earth burned
the reapers feet; the sun played
on their backs like fire,
yet all were so busy they did
not care; they only feared that
the sun would soon set.
And then I saw coming
a poor woman carrying her child on her back,
in her right hand some ears
she had gleaned, in her left
a broken basket; and I listened
to her as she spoke:
“The crop in my home all
goes for taxes; only if I glean
can I get enough to fill
my stomach!”
I look at myself wondering
what right have I, what special
virtue, to be given three hundred
piculs of rice each year, enough
to eat with plenty to spare;
I listen and feel shame; this
I cannot forget.
（Rewi Alley 译）
