此詩描寫一位技藝高超的琴師彈琴的過程。詩人借此表現(xiàn)自己不與世俗社會(huì)同流合污的孤高性格。全詩分為三部分。前四句為第一段。寫彈琴的環(huán)境是流泉深邃的幽澗。琴無裝飾,放置白石,琴弦的調(diào)子調(diào)得很高。這一切都表現(xiàn)出與眾不同孤高。中八句用具體形象描寫彈出的曲調(diào)?!靶募艢v似千古”是琴師彈琴時(shí)的心緒,給琴音定下了主調(diào):情似太古,不同凡響。接著用四種具體事物表現(xiàn)琴音的孤高:像大片松林被風(fēng)吹拂,發(fā)出一片颼飗之聲;似孤單的哀猿處危巖高木而長(zhǎng)吟;像哀時(shí)失職的遷客淚流粘襟;像小溪流水叮咚成音。“緝商綴羽”是彈琴全過程的指法,與“心寂歷似千古”相呼應(yīng)。末四句是琴師對(duì)自己琴曲的主觀評(píng)價(jià):自己抒發(fā)的感情自有獨(dú)特妙趣,眾人頗難解其中從古到今的少有的情感。“幽澗泉,鳴深林”指出琴曲的主旋律。
李白·《幽澗泉》
拂彼白石,彈吾素琴。
幽澗愀兮流泉深,善手明徽高張清。
心寂歷似千古,松颼飗兮萬尋。
中見愁猿吊影而危處兮,呌秋木而長(zhǎng)吟。
客有哀時(shí)失職而聽者,淚淋浪以沾襟。
乃緝商綴羽,潺湲成音。
吾但寫聲發(fā)情于妙指,殊不知此曲之古今。
幽澗泉,鳴深林。
Secluded Gorge Spring
Li Bai
Let me wipe that slab of white stone
With the sleeve folds of my loose flowing gown;
I'm to pluck my heptachord plain
By the side of a fresh spring bubbling deep down
In this secluded gorge 'tween mountains twain.
Fair-toned plucking of fingers deft and apt,
Well directed by my lucid mind and vacant;
Solitary as if lasting a thousand years long,
Like the subdued roarings of a sea of pine foliage
Six score furlongs thick to form a dense throng,
Midst which to be seen the gibbons sadly shrieking
Self-pityingly, jumping about and clambering
Along precariously atop autumnal trees.
There is one forlorn of hope and bewailing
The times, hearing woe-begone cries such as these,
Who doth flush tears his lapels to drench through.
Thereupon I summon tuneful notes in a gentle flow,
Toning at my finger tips with feelings the melody,
Knowing not, albeit, the sonata thus performed by me
Be ancient or modern. Ah, Secluded Gorge Spring,