《石壕吏》是唐代大诗人杜甫的诗作,为“三吏三别”之一。这首诗通过作者亲眼所见的石壕吏乘夜捉人的故事,揭露封建统治者的残暴,反映了唐代“安史之乱”引起的战争给广大人民带来的深重灾难,表达了诗人对劳动人民的深切同情。此诗在艺术上的一大特点是精炼,把抒情和议论寓于叙事之中,爱憎分明。场面和细节描写自然真实,善于裁剪,中心突出,风格明白晓畅又悲壮沉郁,是现实主义文学的典范之作。
石壕吏
暮投石壕村,
有吏[1]夜捉人。
老翁逾[2]墙走,
老妇出门看。
吏呼一何怒!
妇啼一何苦!
听妇前致词:
“三男邺城戍[3]。
一男附书至,
二男新战死。
存者且偷生,
死者长已矣!
室中更无人,
惟有乳下孙。
有孙母未去[4],
出入无完裙。
老妪力虽衰,
请从吏夜归。
急应河阳役,
犹得备晨炊。”
夜久语声绝,
如闻泣幽咽[5]。
天明登前途[6],
独与老翁别。
《石壕吏》是“三吏”中最著名的一篇,全篇重点在“有吏夜捉人”一句。《新安吏》中还是征兵,《石壕吏》中却是捉人,可见情况更加严重。诗中说道:三男戍,二男死,孙方幼,媳无裙,翁逾墙,妇夜往。抓壮丁抓不到,连老妇人都拉去当差,可见民不聊生。全诗非常简练,在“吏呼一何怒”之后,不再写吏,而只写妇致词,这用的是寓问于答的写法。古人评说:“其事何长!其言何简!”全篇句句叙事,没有抒情,没有议论,但是通过叙事,却流露出了诗人的爱憎之情、褒贬之意。梁启超在《情圣杜甫》中谈到“三吏”时说:“这些诗是要作者的精神和那所写之人的精神并合为一,才能作出。……作这首《石壕吏》时,他已经化身做那位儿女死绝衣食不给的老太婆,所以他说的话,完全和他们自己说一样。……这类诗的好处在真,事愈写得详,真情愈发得透,我们熟读他,可以理会得‘真即是美’的道理。”
注释:
[1]吏:指来抓壮丁的低级官吏。
[2]逾(yú):越过,翻过。
[3]戍(shù):驻守,指服役。
[4]去:离开,这里指改嫁。
[5]泣幽咽:低声细小断续的哭声。
[6]登前途:上路。
The Pressgang at Stone Moat Village
I seek for shelter at nightfall.
What is the pressgang coming for?
My old host climbs over the wall;
My old hostess answers the door.
How angry is the sergeant’s shout!
How bitter is the woman’s cry!
I hear what she tries to speak out.
“I’d three sons guarding the town high.
One wrote a letter telling me
That his brothers were killed in war.
He’ll keep alive if he can be;
The dead have passed and are no more.
In the house there is no man left,
Except my grandson in the breast
Of his mother, of all bereft;
She can’t come out, in tatters dressed.
Though I’m a woman weak and old,
I beg to go tonight with you,
That I may serve in the stronghold
And cook morning meals as my due.”
With night her voices fade away;
I seem to hear still sob and sigh.
At dawn again I go my way
And only bid my host goodbye.