旱曦赫空岁不熟,炊甑飞尘煮薄粥。
翁媪饥雷常转腹,大儿嗷嗷小儿哭。
愁死未死此何时,县道赋不遗毫厘。
科胥督欠烈星火,诟言我已遭榜笞。
壮丁偷身出走避,病妇抱子诉下泪。
掉头不恤尔有无,多寡但照帖中字。
盘鸡岂能供大嚼,杯酒安足直一醉。
沥血祈哀容贷纳,拍案邀需仍痛詈。
百请幸听去须臾,冲夜捶门谁叫呼。
后胥复持朱书急急符,预借明年一年租。
旱曦赫空岁不熟,炊甑飞尘煮薄粥。
翁媪饥雷常转腹,大儿嗷嗷小儿哭。
愁死未死此何时,县道赋不遗毫厘。
科胥督欠烈星火,诟言我已遭榜笞。
壮丁偷身出走避,病妇抱子诉下泪。
掉头不恤尔有无,多寡但照帖中字。
盘鸡岂能供大嚼,杯酒安足直一醉。
沥血祈哀容贷纳,拍案邀需仍痛詈。
百请幸听去须臾,冲夜捶门谁叫呼。
后胥复持朱书急急符,预借明年一年租。
旱日如火,炙烤天空,年成歉收。
炊具蒙尘,煮着稀薄的粥。
老翁老妇腹中常如饥雷滚动。
大儿子嗷嗷待哺,小儿子啼哭不止。
愁苦欲死却还未死,这究竟是什么世道?
县里的赋税征收,分毫不差。
催税的小吏追讨欠款,急如星火。
恶言恶语地说我已经遭到鞭打。
壮年男子偷偷逃走躲避。
生病的妇人抱着孩子哭诉,泪流满面。
胥吏转过头,毫不体恤你家有没有。
只管按照税帖上的数字,多寡照收。
一盘鸡肉哪够大吃一顿?
一杯酒哪值得一醉?
沥血哀求,希望能宽容借贷或缓缴。
胥吏拍着桌子强索,仍然痛骂不休。
百般恳求,侥幸被听进去,得以离开片刻。
深夜却有人捶门,是谁在叫喊?
后面的胥吏又拿着朱笔写的紧急公文,
要预借明年一整年的租税。
The scorching sun blazes in the sky, the year's harvest fails.
The cooking steamer gathers dust, we boil a pot of thin gruel.
The old man and wife, hunger's thunder often turns in their bellies.
The eldest wails aloud, the youngest child cries.
Worried to death, yet not dead—what kind of time is this?
The county's taxes and levies leave not a hair's breadth spared.
The tax clerk presses for arrears, fierce as shooting stars and fire.
With curses, he says I've already been flogged and caned.
Able-bodied men steal away, fleeing to avoid conscription.
A sick woman hugs her child, pleading with tears streaming down.
Turning his head, he shows no care for what you have or lack.
Much or little, he only checks the figures on his writ.
A plate of chicken—how could it suffice for a hearty feast?
A cup of wine—how could it be worth a single drunk?
Bleeding heart, begging for mercy, hoping for a loan or delay.
He slaps the table, demands payment, and still hurls bitter abuse.
A hundred pleas, luckily heard, grant a brief moment's reprieve.
Then rushing at night, pounding on the door—who is it calling out?
The clerk returns, holding a red-lettered, urgent, urgent order:
Demanding in advance next year's entire year of rent.
天灾是对社会治理韧性的极端考验,关乎底层认同。
描绘旱灾严酷、民生艰难,老翁老妪面对薄粥哀叹的场景。
本诗为杂言古诗,押平声韵。
东山书院编辑整理