这首诗写山东南阳湖附近的渔民的艰苦生活。古代诗词中写渔民生活，大多把渔夫写成隐逸者，作为诗人理想的化身。那种以渔樵为生，不涉宦场，远离是非的生活，为封建士大夫所向往。但也有一些描写渔民现实生活的作品，反映了他们的苦难和不幸。这类作品具有高度的现实主义精神和人民性。宋琬的这首《渔家词》就属这类中的突出篇章。
This poem depicts the arduous life of fishermen near Nanyang Lake in Shandong Province. In ancient poetry, the life of fishermen is often depicted as reclusive individuals, embodying the poet’s ideals. The kind of life that makes a living by fishing and woodcutting, does not involve the officialdom, and is far from right and wrong, is longed for by feudal literati. But there are also some works that depict the real life of fishermen, reflecting their hardships and misfortunes. This type of work has a high degree of realism and populism. Song Wan’s “Fisherman’s Poem” belongs to a prominent chapter in this category.
宋琬·《渔家词》
南阳之南峄山北，男子不耕女不织。
伐芦作屋沮洳间，天遣鱼虾为稼穑。
少妇能操舴艨舟，生儿酷似鸬鹚黑。
今秋无雨湖水涸，大鱼干死鲦鳅弱。
估客不来贱若泥，租吏到门势欲缚。
烹鱼酌酒幸无怒，泣向前村卖网罟。
A Song of a Fisherman
Sung Wan
South of Nan-yang, north of Yi Mountain,
The man doesn’t till, the woman doesn’t weave.
They cut rushes, built a hut in marsh lands;
Heaven provided fish and shrimp for them to sow and reap.
The young wife can steer the small skiff;
Black as a cormorant is their small son.
No rain this autumn, and the lake is drying up;
Large fish strand and die, loach and dace grow weak.
Buyers for the market stay away, fish are cheap as mud;
But the tax collector comers with a power that binds.
They boil him fish, serve him wine, pray he won’t be angry,
And crying, to the village they go to sell their woven nets.
（William Schultz 译）
