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孟城坳[1]
新家[2]孟城口，
古木余衰柳。
来者[3]复为谁？
空悲昔人有。
此诗是《辋川集》里的第一首。诗人新近搬到孟城口，孟城口本是初唐诗人宋之问的别墅，而如今可叹的是那里只有疏落的古木和枯萎的柳树，呈现出一片衰败凋零的景象。此时，正值李林甫擅权，张九龄罢相，王维隐退辋川。当他看到这一衰败景象时，无法抑制忧闷的心情：如今我为“昔人”而悲，以后的“来者”是否又会为我而悲呢？
注释：
[1]坳（ào）：有低洼的地方。
[2]家：住到。
[3]来者：以后来的人。
The City Gate
I’ve moved in near the city gate
Where withered willow trees are left.
Should another move here too late,
Alas!Of trees he’d be bereft.
《孟城坳》是唐代诗人王维创作的一首五言绝句。此诗前两句交代了诗人自己新近搬到了孟城口居住之事，以及那里的衰败景象；后两句表达了诗人的无限感慨，使人由现在之衰景联想到昔日古树参天、杨柳依依掩映着精雅山间别墅的盛景。全诗精练含蓄、耐人寻味，构思深邃，笔墨精简曲折。
“The City Gate” is a five-line poem written by Wang Wei, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. The first two lines of the poem give an account of the poet’s recent move to Mengchengkou and the decaying scene there; the second two lines express the poet’s infinite emotion, reminding people of the old days when the ancient trees and willows covered the elegant mountain villas. The poem is concise, subtle and intriguing, with a profound idea and a concise and twisted writing.
