我墙东北隅,张王维老谷。
树先樗栎大,叶等桑柘沃。
流膏马乳涨,堕子杨梅熟。
胡为寻丈地,养此不材木。
蹶之得舆薪,规以种松菊。
静言求其用,略数得五六。
肤为蔡侯纸,子入桐君录。
黄缯练成素,黝面颒作玉。
灌洒蒸生菌,腐余光吐烛。
虽无傲霜节,幸免狂酲毒。
孤根信微陋,生理有倚伏。
投斧为赋诗,德怨聊相赎。
我墙东北隅,张王维老谷。
树先樗栎大,叶等桑柘沃。
流膏马乳涨,堕子杨梅熟。
胡为寻丈地,养此不材木。
蹶之得舆薪,规以种松菊。
静言求其用,略数得五六。
肤为蔡侯纸,子入桐君录。
黄缯练成素,黝面颒作玉。
灌洒蒸生菌,腐余光吐烛。
虽无傲霜节,幸免狂酲毒。
孤根信微陋,生理有倚伏。
投斧为赋诗,德怨聊相赎。
在我墙的东北角落,
生长着一株高大的老楮树。
树干比樗栎还要粗大,
叶子与桑柘一样丰沃。
树汁如马乳葡萄般涨满,
果实似杨梅熟透坠落。
为何在这寻丈之地,
养育着这不成材的树木?
砍倒它可获得车载的柴薪,
规划此地来种植松菊。
静心探求它的用处,
略数一下也有五六种。
树皮可制成蔡侯纸,
果实被录入桐君的药录。
黄缯经过练煮变成素帛,
黝黑的脸庞洗漱后如玉般光洁。
浇灌蒸煮能生出菌类,
腐烂的余材能发光如吐烛。
虽然没有傲霜的节操,
幸而免于狂醉的毒害。
孤立的根脉确实微陋,
但生命的规律包含倚伏。
放下斧头为此赋诗,
恩德与怨尤暂且相互抵赎。
In the northeast corner of my wall,
An old paper mulberry stands tall.
Its trunk outgrows the useless trees,
Its leaves rival the mulberries.
Sap swells like horse-teat grapes so round,
Fruits drop as red bayberries abound.
Why in this narrow patch of ground,
Is such a worthless tree still found?
Felled, it gives firewood by the load;
Planned, pines and chrysanthemums could be sowed.
Calmly pondering its use, I see
Five or six merits come to me.
Its bark makes paper, fine and white,
Its fruit in herbals shines with light.
Yellow silk through boiling turns to plain,
A dark face washed becomes jade's domain.
Watered, steamed, it sprouts fungi rare,
Rotted, it glows like candle's glare.
Though lacking pride against frost's might,
It escapes drunken madness' blight.
Its root seems humble, weak, and small,
Yet life's ups and downs encompass all.
I lay down axe and write this verse,
To redeem both virtue and curse.
老楮的生命周期隐喻着坚韧的生存博弈。
借老楮树寄寓对自然生命力的包容与欣赏。
本诗为五言古诗,押平声韵。
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