古柏行
杜甫
孔明庙前有老柏，柯如青铜根如石。
霜皮溜雨四十围，黛色参天二千尺。
君臣已与时际会，树木犹为人爱惜。
云来气接巫峡长，月出寒通雪山白。
忆昨路绕锦亭东，先主武侯同宫。
崔嵬枝干郊原古，窈窕丹青户牖空。
落落盘踞虽得地，冥冥孤高多烈风。
扶持自是神明力，正直原因造化功。
大厦如倾要梁栋，万牛回首丘山重。
不露文章世已惊，未辞剪伐谁能送？
苦心岂免容蝼蚁，香叶终经宿鸾凤。
志士幽人莫怨嗟，古来材大难为用。
Ode to an Ancient Cypress
Du Fu
In front of Kongming Temple there’s an ancient cypress.
Its roots are like stones and like bronze are its branches.
Its smooth， hoary trunk is forty arm spans around.
Its dark green towers skyward two-thousand chi off ground.
Long ago met the Emperor and his Minister；
Today the tree here is still treasured as ever.
Through the coming clouds， to Wu Gorge its air extends；
By the rising moon， with Snow Mount its coldness blends.
I remember， round east of Jin Pavilion， I fared
To a shrine by the Emperor and his Minister shared.
Old are giant trees with huge branches on the outskirt plain；
Empty are the halls while pretty paintings remain.
Though this tall tree has its blessed place aloof to stand，
Lonely and high， it can hardly strong wind withstand；
But it gains support， thanks to the gods’ salvation，
Its uprightness is out of Nature’s creation.
A falling mansion needs ridgepoles and beams heavy
As hills， which thousands of cattle feel hard to carry.
Its undisclosed charm has won the world’s amazement.
If cut down as desired， by whom could it be sent？
Its bitter core doesn’t escape being bored by ants；
Its fragrant leaves have phoenixes as inhabitants.
The ambitious need not complain， nor the recluse；
From of old， few rare materials are in good use.