琵琶行(并序) - 白居易
江州深夜琵琶声里的别绪与愁怀
元和十年，余左迁九江郡司马。明年秋，送客湓浦口，闻舟中夜弹琵琶者。
In the tenth year of Yuanhe (815 CE), I was demoted to the position of Assistant Magistrate of Jiujiang Prefecture. The following autumn, I went to see a friend off at Penpu Port when I heard someone playing the pipa late at night from a nearby boat.
泊船瓜洲，夜闻琵琶声，幽咽凄清。问其人，本长安倡女，尝学琵琶于穆、曹二善才。
My boat was moored at Gua Prefecture’s shore; in the night, I heard the pipa’s sad and plaintive tune. I asked about the musician and learned she was once a courtesan from Chang’an, who had studied pipa under the famous musicians Mu and Cao.
今漂沦江湖，逢余亦客也。感斯人言，是夕始赴浔阳郡，因出此诗。
She had become a wanderer on the rivers and lakes, much like I was now an exile. Moved by her words and circumstances, on that same night, as I made my way to Xunyang, I composed this poem.
浔阳江头夜送客
By the river at Xunyang, I bade a friend farewell in the night
枫叶荻花秋瑟瑟
Maple leaves and reeds rustled mournfully in autumn’s chill
主人下马客在船
I, your host, dismounted while you waited aboard the boat
举酒欲饮无管弦
Raising our wine to drink, we had no music to accompany us
醉不成欢惨将别
Drunkenness brought no joy, only the sorrow of parting
别时茫茫江浸月
At that moment of farewell, the moon sank into the vast river
忽闻水上琵琶声
Suddenly, from over the water came the sound of a pipa
主人忘归客不发
Host and guest alike forgot about leaving, transfixed by its tune
寻声暗问弹者谁
Softly, I inquired who the musician might be
琵琶声停欲语迟
She paused in her playing, hesitant to speak
移船相近邀相见
I moved my boat closer and invited her to come into view
添酒回灯重开宴
More wine was brought, the lamp was lit again, and the feast renewed
千呼万唤始出来
After countless entreaties, at last she appeared
犹抱琵琶半遮面
Still cradling her pipa, half hiding her face
转轴拨弦三两声
She tuned the pegs, plucked a few tentative notes
未成曲调先有情
Before a proper melody emerged, emotion filled the air
弦弦掩抑声声思
Each string, muted and subdued, evoked deep longing
似诉平生不得志
As though she told of her life’s disillusionments
低眉信手续续弹
With downcast eyes she continued, weaving note after note
说尽心中无限事
Revealing countless unspoken stories in her music
轻拢慢捻抹复挑
She gently strummed, slowly picked, brushed, then plucked again
初为《霓裳》后《六幺》
First playing “Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Dress,” then “Six Yao”
大弦嘈嘈如急雨
The bass strings roared like sudden rain
小弦切切如私语
The treble strings whispered like secret confidences
嘈嘈切切错杂弹
Roaring and whispering, they intermingled in complex patterns
大珠小珠落玉盘
Like pearls—large and small—tumbling onto a jade plate
间关莺语花底滑
At times like orioles warbling smoothly beneath blossoms
幽咽泉流冰下难
At others like a hidden spring struggling under ice
水泉冷涩弦凝绝
When the source froze, the strings seized into a chilling silence
凝绝不通声暂歇
The sudden hush was so complete no note could pass
别有幽愁暗恨生
Then from that hush a deeper sorrow seemed to rise
此时无声胜有声
In that moment, silence spoke louder than any sound
银瓶乍破水浆迸
Like a silver vase suddenly shattered, spraying water in all directions
铁骑突出刀枪鸣
Or an iron cavalry charging forth, swords and lances ringing
曲终收拨当心画
As the piece ended, she gently lifted her pick, painting a final note in the heart
四弦一声如裂帛
A single stroke on the four strings, tearing the silence like a ripped silk veil
东船西舫悄无言
Boats to the east and west fell into awed silence
唯见江心秋月白
Only the autumn moon remained, shining white upon the river’s heart
沉吟放拨插弦中
She paused in deep reflection, set her pick back between the strings
整顿衣裳起敛容
She straightened her attire and composed herself
自言本是京城女
She said she was once a woman of the capital
家在虾蟆陵下住
Living near Xiamaling Hill
十三学得琵琶成
At thirteen she mastered the pipa
名属教坊第一部
Her name recorded in the first rank of the official music bureau
曲罢曾教善才服
When her performance ended, even skilled musicians bowed in admiration
妆成每被秋娘妒
Dressed in her finery, she provoked envy from other beauties
五陵年少争缠头
Gallants of the Five Mausoleums vied to present her with lavish gifts
一曲红绡不知数
She would earn countless bolts of red silk for each song
钿头银篦击节碎
The jeweled hairpins and silver hair-combs tapped the beat until they splintered
血色罗裙翻酒污
Her crimson silk skirt would sometimes be stained with spilled wine
今年欢笑复明年
One year of revelry followed another
秋月春风等闲度
Autumn moons and spring breezes drifted by unheeded
弟走从军阿姨死
But then her brother left to join the army, and her aunt passed away
暮去朝来颜色故
Day after day, she saw her once youthful face grow old
门前冷落鞍马稀
Her door fell silent; fewer riders came to call
老大嫁作商人妇
At last, she married a merchant in her older age
商人重利轻别离
Merchants value profit and take farewells lightly
前月浮梁买茶去
Last month, he left for Fuliang to buy tea
去来江口守空船
She lingered at the river's mouth, alone on an empty boat
绕船月明江水寒
Moonlight circled the boat, the water felt chilly in the night
夜深忽梦少年事
Late at night, dreams of her youth returned
梦啼妆泪红阑干
She woke in tears, her makeup streaked like red brocade torn apart
我闻琵琶已叹息
Hearing her pipa tale, I heaved a long sigh
又闻此语重唧唧
Then her words only deepened my lament
同是天涯沦落人
We are both drifting exiles in the far corners of the earth
相逢何必曾相识
Why must we have known each other before to feel this sympathy?
我从去年辞帝京
I left the Imperial Capital last year
谪居卧病浔阳城
Banished and ill, residing now in Xunyang City
浔阳地僻无音乐
This remote place of Xunyang knows no music
终岁不闻丝竹声
All year I've heard no strings or flutes
住近湓江地低湿
Living near the Peng River, dampness clings to the low land
黄芦苦竹绕宅生
Yellow reeds and bitter bamboo surround my dwelling
其间旦暮闻何物
What do I hear morning and night?
杜鹃啼血猿哀鸣
The cuckoo crying blood, the ape wailing forlorn
春江花朝秋月夜
In spring, the river bright with blossoms; in autumn, moonlit nights
往往取酒还独倾
Time and again, I take wine alone to drown my sorrows
岂无山歌与村笛
There are peasant songs and rustic flutes
呕哑嘲哳难为听
But they croak and squeak, unfit to ease my ears
今夜闻君琵琶语
Tonight, your pipa spoke to me
如听仙乐耳暂明
Like celestial music, it brightened my senses
莫辞更坐弹一曲
Pray do not refuse—sit awhile and play another tune
为君翻作《琵琶行》
For you, I will write this “Pipa Song”
感我此言良久立
Moved by my words, she stood silently for a long time
却坐促弦弦转急
Then she sat again and tightened the strings to quicken their pace
凄凄不似向前声
The music turned mournful, unlike before
满座重闻皆掩泣
All those present heard it again and were moved to tears
座中泣下谁最多
Among those seated, whose tears fell most freely?
江州司马青衫湿
It was I, the Sima of Jiangzhou, my blue robe soaked with grief
《琵琶行(并序)》是白居易在元和十年因政治因素被贬至江州（今九江）后所作。诗前“并序”讲述了创作背景：作者送客时，江中忽闻琵琶幽响，探得弹者竟是同样沦落的前朝歌女，由此引发两人“同是天涯沦落人”的感慨。
全诗结构层次清晰：先写夜送客的寂寥与琵琶声起，继而描绘琵琶女的出场与高超技艺，又转向她的自述身世，从盛极一时的名伎到流落江湖、嫁作商人妇的悲苦经历，都通过琵琶的音色与她的讲述展现得淋漓尽致。白居易以详尽的场景、精妙的比喻（如“大珠小珠落玉盘”等），刻画了琵琶演奏的层次与情感起伏；听者不但惊叹其技艺，更为琴者身世唏嘘。作者自身的被贬境遇与琵琶女的落魄身世构成巨大的共鸣，在最后一句“江州司马青衫湿”达到情感高潮，令读者感同身受。
形式上，此作以七言长篇叙事诗结合抒情，语言通俗易懂却极富韵律，与中唐以来的古乐府传统一脉相承，却在叙事与抒情间取得完美平衡，影响后世深远。它不仅是一曲凄婉动人的音乐画卷，也承载了白居易讽喻现实、悲悯社会的创作主旨。通过写“琵琶声”与“人生境遇”的契合，诗人揭示出世态炎凉、仕途无常，以及底层艺人的坎坷与孤苦，形成了极具感染力的人间悲喜交响。
要点
1. 诗前“并序”交代创作缘由与写作情境，为全诗的共鸣情怀埋下伏笔。
2. 琵琶声的描写既写演奏技巧，更写心中幽怨，借音写情，层次丰富。
3. 诗中“同是天涯沦落人”贯穿始终，展现了作者与琵琶女彼此遭际与情感的相互映射。
4. 结句“江州司马青衫湿”以不加修饰的笔调揭示诗人内心悲伤至极，也成为千古传诵的感人收束。