我生不辰八歲孤，伯父薨逝叔父無。
長才十五立志苦，不敢怠惰知讀書。
汝生父子不識面，母慈育字如捧珠。
那知汝更命苦極，八齡甫及母亦殂。
幸有阿叔相持扶，叔亦痛念同氣餘。
辛勤鞠養力盡瘁，五載為汝六請師。
固知門戶要人興，切切訓誨口欲枯。
有言弗聽日益懶，乖劣氣習移下愚。
朅來值我有行役，恐汝質變為小夫。
攜俱不憚數千里，跳走健勝猿與狙。
水行為汝愛江湖，出陸每愁山險紆。
川途憂愁念慮苦，摩拊豈啻親子如。
傍舟終日撈蝦魚，坐輿人夫肩□□。
□呶徒自費牙頰，事不獲己施鞭蒲。
潛窺諦視不少改，謔浪笑傲仍前初。
聖經有味懶不讀，對字粗曉平側呼。
吾家七世身業儒，忠孝學術誇鄉閭。
汝當更明所自出，挺挺當代文公朱。
不悛祇為先德羞，失教何異犬馬豬。
稍長面目益可憎，儕輩戲弄人見疎。
我今極口復汝說，速宜悔念毋忽諸。
嬉遊儻更不檢束，命也奈何吾已夫。
我生不逢時，八歲就成了孤兒，
伯父去世了，叔父也不在了。
剛剛十五歲，我就立志刻苦，
不敢懈怠懶惰，知道必須努力讀書。
你出生後從未見過父親的面，
母親慈愛地養育你，視你如掌上明珠。
誰知你的命運更加悽苦，
剛到八歲，母親也去世了。
幸好有叔叔扶持照顧你，
叔叔也痛心地顧念著同宗的情分。
他辛勤地撫養你，竭盡全力，
五年裡爲你請了六位老師。
他深知門戶需要有人振興，
懇切地教誨你，說得口乾舌燥。
你有話不聽，一天比一天懶散，
乖張惡劣的習氣，使你變得近乎愚鈍。
近來正逢我要遠行出差，
擔心你的本質會墮落成庸俗之人。
我不怕數千里路途遙遠帶你同行，
你蹦跳行走，比猿猴還敏捷。
走水路時，爲了你，我喜愛江湖景色，
走陸路時，卻常憂愁山路險峻曲折。
旅途的憂患和思慮很是辛苦，
我對你的撫愛關懷，豈止像對待親生兒子。
你整天靠在船邊撈蝦捕魚，
坐在轎子裡，轎夫的肩膀承受著重擔。
你喧譁吵鬧只是白費口舌，
事情不得已，我才動用鞭子責罰。
暗中觀察，你幾乎沒有改變，
戲謔放浪、傲慢嬉笑，仍和從前一樣。
聖賢經典意味深長，你卻懶於閱讀，
對著文字，只粗略知道平仄讀音。
我家七代人都以儒業立身，
忠孝和學問被鄉里誇讚。
你應當更明白自己的出身，
要像當代的文公朱熹那樣挺拔卓立。
若不悔改，只會使先人的德行蒙羞，
缺乏教養，與犬馬豬狗有何區別？
年紀稍長，你的面目越發可憎，
同輩人戲弄你，旁人也疏遠你。
我現在極力向你陳說，
你應趕快悔悟反思，不要忽視這些話。
如果嬉戲遊蕩仍然不加約束，
那就是命了，我能怎麼辦呢？我已無可奈何。
I was born in an ill-fated hour, orphaned at eight years old,
My elder uncle passed away, my younger uncle was no more.
At fifteen, barely grown, I set my will on bitter toil,
Dared not be idle or slack, knowing I must study hard.
You were born without ever seeing your father's face,
Your mother nurtured you with love, holding you like a pearl.
Who knew your fate would be even more bitterly harsh,
At just eight years of age, your mother too departed.
Fortunately, your uncle was there to support and hold you up,
He also grieved deeply, remembering our shared blood.
Toiling and raising you, he exhausted all his strength,
For five years, he sought six tutors just for your sake.
Knowing well the family's future needs someone to rise,
He earnestly instructed you until his mouth ran dry.
You heed no words, growing lazier by the day,
Your vile habits shift you toward the basest fool.
Now that I must travel far on duty,
I fear your nature will decay into a petty man.
I take you along, undaunted by thousands of miles,
You leap and run, more nimble than apes or macaques.
By water, for your sake, I cherish rivers and lakes,
On land, each time I worry over winding mountain perils.
The journey's cares and troubled thoughts are bitter indeed,
My caresses and concern surpass that for my own child.
All day by the boat you scoop for shrimp and fish,
In the sedan chair, the bearers' shoulders bear the weight.
Your clamor merely wastes your own lips and teeth,
With no other choice, I must apply the whip and rod.
Peeking and watching stealthily, you show little change,
Mocking and laughing recklessly, you remain as before.
The sacred classics hold deep flavor, yet you lazily refuse to read,
You barely recognize characters, roughly calling out their tones.
For seven generations, our family has lived as scholars,
Loyalty, filial piety, and learning are praised throughout the village.
You ought to better understand your own origins,
Stand tall like the esteemed Master Zhu of our age.
If unrepentant, you only shame our ancestors' virtue,
Lacking instruction, how are you different from dogs, horses, or swine?
As you grow older, your face becomes more detestable,
Playmates tease and mock you, people keep their distance.
Now I speak to you with utmost urgency,
Repent quickly, reflect, do not neglect these words.
If in play and wandering you still lack restraint,
Fate, what can be done? As for me, I am done.
家族成員的缺席，動搖了早期情感認同的基礎。
敘述幼年失怙、家族零落的孤苦身世與悲慨。
本詩為雜言古詩，押平聲韻。
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