赠卖松者
一束苍苍色,
知从涧底来。
斫掘[1]经几日,
枝叶满尘埃。
不买非他意,
城中无地栽。
公元808年,有人抨击时政,触犯了宰相,不但贬官,而且牵连多人。白居易当时任左拾遗,提出谏议,未被采纳,就写了这首诗。“苍苍色”指被贬官的人,“涧底”就是山沟,比喻出身寒微。挖掘松树不易,暗示发现人才困难;松树挖掘出来之后,枝叶上满是尘埃,象征人才被埋没;松树没有人买,表示人才不受重用。“城中”隐射朝廷,朝政黑暗,人才也就无用武之地了。
注释:
[1]斫(zhuó)掘:挖掘。
For the Seller of Dwarf Pines
A bundle of dwarf pines look pale;
They come from the depth of the vale.
Dug up for only a few days,
Their twigs are dusted as in haze.
I will not buy them in the town.
Where can I plant them up or down?