呦呦山中鹿，倉卒出深藪。
車徒歘以至，驚顧卻衝走。
荷篋適當之，觝觸難措手。
一夫不能勝，掎角賴前後。
我馬止其所，險隘不敢驟。
思欲縱之去，騰突懼反受。
𨃪𨈌縶四足，憤氣徒陰吼。
更番耦八肩，雙隻度九堠。
順風率汗背，暮達行館右。
解徽置中庭，微息已絕脰。
事殊注虞旗，難以公私剖。
臠割遇善屠，騞砉聲隨肘。
均霑及兵隸，不使或薄厚。
投醪古所重，況此徧群口。
聞音不食肉，茲義予獨守。
猗嗟鹿之微，共命殆非偶。
不由馳獵窘，不以罟擭誘。
逡巡赴死地，有若杵投臼。
無乃失所向，猖狂自貽咎。
彼類榛莽間，知而能警否。
山中的鹿發出呦呦鳴叫，
倉促地從幽深的草澤中奔逃而出。
車馬與隨從忽然間來到，
它驚慌地回顧，隨即掉頭衝撞奔走。
一個挑著竹箱的人正好擋在它的路上，
鹿與他猛然牴觸，令人難以插手應對。
一個人無法制服這頭鹿，
依靠前後夾擊，才形成掎角之勢將其困住。
我的馬停在原地，
因爲道路險峻狹窄而不敢疾馳。
心裡想著要放它離去，
又怕它突然騰躍衝撞，反而使我們受害。
最終捆縛住它的四足，
它只能憤怒地在暗中低吼。
人們輪番用八副肩膀擡著它，
成雙成對地經過了九座驛堠。
順著風向，大家都汗溼了後背，
傍晚時分抵達了行館的右側。
解開繩索，將它放在庭院中央，
它氣息微弱，脖頸已然斷絕。
此事不同於狩獵時豎立虞旗的儀式，
難以簡單地用公私之由加以剖析。
遇到了擅長屠宰的屠夫，
隨著他的手肘動作，傳來騞砉的切割聲響。
鹿肉均分給了士兵和僕役，
不使任何人分得偏多或偏少。
投醪與士卒共飲是古來所重視的傳統，
何況這次是讓衆人都能分到肉食。
聽到鹿鳴之聲後便不忍食其肉，
這個道義唯獨我一人堅守。
唉，這鹿如此微小，
與我們共赴命運，恐怕並非偶然。
它並非因爲被迫獵而窘迫，
也並非被羅網或誘餌所引誘。
它遲疑徘徊，卻最終走向死地，
就好像杵被投入臼中一樣。
莫非是它迷失了方向，
因自己的猖狂行爲而招致災禍？
那些在榛莽叢生的野地里的同類，
知曉此事後，能否因此而警醒呢？
The deer in the mountains, calling out so clear,
Startled from the deep thicket, rushing in fear.
Suddenly, chariots and men appear,
It looks back in panic, then flees far and near.
A porter with his load stands right in its way,
The clash is so sudden, no hand can hold sway.
A single man cannot the strong beast subdue,
But with help from both sides, they manage to pursue.
My horse halts where it stands, the path narrow and steep,
Not daring to gallop, a cautious watch to keep.
I think to let it go, set the creature free,
Yet fear its sudden charge might turn and injure me.
Its four legs are then bound, it struggles with great might,
In silent rage it fumes, deprived of all its flight.
By turns, on shoulders eight, the burden they convey,
Across nine post-stages, they carry it away.
With the wind at their backs, sweat soaks through every shirt,
By dusk they reach the lodge, exhausted from the hurt.
They loosen the ropes and lay it in the courtyard's space,
Its faint breath has now ceased, life gone without a trace.
This differs from the hunt, where flags the game pursue,
Hard to judge as public duty or private issue.
Meeting a skillful butcher, the blade falls with a sound,
Swift and sharp, the cuts follow where his arm is found.
The meat is shared among the soldiers, every one,
Ensuring none receives a portion more or none.
To share wine with the troops has long been held as right,
How much more when this feast reaches every mouth in sight.
Hearing its cry, I cannot bear to eat the meat,
This principle I alone resolve to keep complete.
Alas, for this slight deer, so humble and so small,
To share its fate with us seems not chance after all.
Not driven by the chase, nor trapped by cunning snare,
Nor lured by bait or guile into this fatal lair.
It hesitated, yet went to the place of death,
Like a pestle thrown down, meeting the mortar's breath.
Was it perhaps it lost its way, its sense of direction,
And brought this doom upon itself by blind misdirection?
Those others in the wild, amidst the brambles deep,
If they but knew this tale, would they a warning keep?
描繪生命在自然周期中的脆弱與易逝。
描繪山中野鹿倉皇奔逃的場景，暗喻世事無常與生命易受驚擾。
本詩為五言古詩，押平聲韻。
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