滿城挑濠五更起,城頭直挑到城尾。
一彎一轉春蛇長,圍人方圓三十里。
去年十月霜淒淒,挑濠人立霜中嗁。
今年一春春雨多,泥滑將奈挑濠何。
只今清明霜不若,皇天何時收雨腳。
幾人帶雨濠上啼,半溼半饑春病瘧。
雨之久,可以晴。
濠之長,可以城。
只愁挑得濠始竟,公家又有守濠令。
滿城挑濠五更起,城頭直挑到城尾。
一彎一轉春蛇長,圍人方圓三十里。
去年十月霜淒淒,挑濠人立霜中嗁。
今年一春春雨多,泥滑將奈挑濠何。
只今清明霜不若,皇天何時收雨腳。
幾人帶雨濠上啼,半溼半饑春病瘧。
雨之久,可以晴。
濠之長,可以城。
只愁挑得濠始竟,公家又有守濠令。
全城百姓五更天就起來挑挖壕溝,
從城牆的這頭一直挖到城牆的那頭。
壕溝彎彎曲曲像春天的長蛇一樣延伸,
圍住城池方圓達三十里之廣。
去年十月寒霜淒冷,
挑挖壕溝的人站在霜中悲啼。
今年整個春天雨水繁多,
泥濘溼滑,讓挑挖壕溝的人如何是好?
如今到了清明時節,霜凍已不似從前凜冽,
蒼天何時才能收起這連綿的雨腳?
幾個人在雨中對著壕溝哭泣,
半身溼透,半腹飢餓,染上了春天的瘧疾。
雨下得再久,也終有放晴之時。
壕溝挖得再長,也終能築起城牆。
只愁這壕溝剛剛挖完,
官府又會下達看守壕溝的新命令。
The whole city digs the moat at the fifth watch's call,
From the city wall's head, they dig straight to its tail.
Like a spring snake, it winds with each curve and sprawl,
Encircling the town for thirty miles without fail.
Last year in October, frost lay bleak and drear,
The diggers stood in frost, their cries filled the air.
This spring, the rains have poured down, month after month here,
The mud is slick—what can the moat-diggers bear?
Now at Qingming, the frost is not as severe,
When will Heaven cease the rain's relentless tread?
Some by the moat weep in the rain, filled with fear,
Half-drenched, half-starved, spring sickness strikes them like dread.
Long though the rain falls, clear skies will come in time.
Long though the moat stretches, walls will rise sublime.
I only fear when the moat-digging is done,
The state will issue a new command to guard it, just begun.
重複性勞動呈現古代城市治理的基礎周期
實錄百姓深夜挑濠勞作的艱辛場景
本詩為七言古詩,押平聲韻。
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