A Farmer’s Lament - Lu You
/农家叹 - 陆游/
Reflecting on Rural Hardships
锄头犹在手中寒，
The hoe grows cold in these weary hands,
半生耕作祸与难。
Half a life of tilling meets both misfortune and strife.
薄田连岁无丰稔，
For years, these meager fields have failed to yield abundance,
瘦牛犹负夕阳残。
Even the gaunt ox toils beneath the waning sunset.
老母寒灯常伴泪，
An old mother’s lamp flickers with her tears through cold nights,
稚儿饥面未曾安。
While a hungry child’s face finds no relief.
深夜空听风雨骤，
Late at night, I can only hear the sudden wind and rain,
明朝又是起锄还。
Tomorrow, once more, I rise to wield the hoe again.
In “A Farmer’s Lament,” poet Lu You provides a poignant vignette of agrarian hardships in ancient China. Through spare yet evocative language, he summons images of an unceasing struggle: meager fields that fail to produce an adequate harvest year after year and an aging ox straining under its load until the last rays of daylight. Meanwhile, the farmer’s elderly mother and hungry child epitomize the familial burdens and emotional toll of a life tied to uncertain land.
The poem underscores not only the physical toil but also the deep-seated anxiety that pervades rural existence. Each line contrasts fleeting hope against relentless hardship, reflecting how the rhythms of nature—wind, rain, and the setting sun—are both allies and adversaries to those who rely on the soil. Despite the gloom, there is a subdued resilience: no matter how dreary the night, the farmer rises again with hoe in hand, an emblem of perseverance in the face of ongoing adversity.
Although set in a historical context, the themes of labor, family responsibility, and survival mirror universal rural struggles. The poem invites readers to empathize with those who, despite sparse means, push forward day by day, sustained by duty and the simple will to endure. It serves as both a record of the times and a timeless reminder of the dignity found in honest work.
Key points
• Rural life often involves a delicate balance between nature’s generosity and harshness.
• Family well-being heavily depends on unpredictable harvests.
• Resilience in the face of hardship emerges as a quiet form of heroism.
• Lu You’s portrayal unites personal struggle with a broader social reality.
