译文农家很少有空闲的月份，五月到来人们更加繁忙。夜里刮起了南风，覆盖田垄的小麦已成熟发黄。妇女担着用竹篮盛的饭，小孩子提着用壶装的饮料，相互跟随给在田里劳动的人送去饭食，收割小麦的男子都在南冈。双脚受地面的热气熏蒸，脊梁受炎热的阳光烘烤。精疲力竭仿佛不知道天气炎热，只是希望夏日天再长一些。又见一位贫苦妇女，抱着孩儿站在割麦者身旁，右手拿着从田里拾取的麦穗，左臂上悬挂着一个破筐。听她望着别人说话，听到的人都为她感到悲伤。因为缴租纳税卖尽家田，只好拾些麦穗填饱饥肠。现在我有什么功劳德行，一直不从事农业生产。一年领取薪俸三百石米，到了年底还有余粮。想到这些内心感到非常惭愧，整日也不能忘却。

英译Farmers are seldom free during the whole year, and especially busy in May.When night came south winds blow, covering the fields were wheat that is yellow and rippened.Women carried baskets full of food, and children carried pots of soup and water.Following eachother they set out after men who worked in the fields and delievers the food, men who reaped wheats in Nangang.Their feet steamed of the heat from the ground, their backs baked under the hot sunlight.Their toil and tiredness ignored them from the heat, but what they cherished was the limited days of summer.Then a poor women, who held a child and stood by one side.Her right hand was picking up left-over wheat spikes, while a broken basket hang onto her left shoulder.Hearing what she told, makes * sad.They seld all their houses and fields to fulfill the taxes, and now their hunger can only be fulfilled upon these pieces of grains of wheat.Yet what have I gave to God that got me out of these agricultural life.300 denier of salaries per year, with rice and food that cannot be finished over the year.Thinking of this made my heart thump with shame, a shame that clings on until every end of the day.

注释（1）刈（yì）：割。(本诗为古体诗)（2）陇 ：同“垄”，田埂，这里泛指麦地！（3）覆陇黄：小麦黄熟时遮盖住了田埂。覆：盖。（4）妇姑：媳妇和婆婆，这里泛指妇女。（5）荷（hè）箪（dān）食（sì）：用竹篮盛的饭。荷：背负,肩担。箪食：装在竹篮里的饭食。(箪食固定读dān sì[如箪食壶浆,箪食瓢饮],指装在竹篮里的饭食,食不单独作名词讲)（6）童稚携壶浆：小孩子提着用壶装的汤与水。浆：古代一种略带酸味的饮品，有时也可以指米酒或汤。（7）饷（xiǎng）田：给在田里劳动的人送饭。（8）丁壮：青壮年男子。（9）南冈：地名。（10）足蒸暑土气，背灼炎天光：双脚受地面热气熏蒸，脊背受炎热的阳光烘烤。（11）但：只。（12）惜：盼望。（13）其：指代正在劳动的农民。（14）秉（bǐng）遗穗：拿着从田里拾取的麦穗。秉，拿着。遗，遗失（15）悬：挎着。（16）敝（bì)筐：破篮子。（17）相顾言：互相诉说。顾：视，看。（18）输税(shuì)：缴纳租税。（19）曾（zēng)不事农桑：一直不从事农业生产。曾：竟然。事：从事。农桑：农耕和蚕桑。（20）吏(lì)禄(lù)三百石（dàn）：当时白居易任周至县尉，一年的薪俸大约是三百石米。石：古代容量单位，十斗为一石。（古时候念dàn，现在念shí）（21）岁晏（yàn）：年底。晏，晚。（22）念此：想到这些。（23）尽日：整天、终天。

　　《观刈麦》是白居易任陕西盩厔（今陕西省西安市周至县）县尉时有感于当地人民劳动艰苦、生活贫困所写的一首诗，作品对造成人民贫困之源的繁重租税提出指责。对于诗人自己无功无德又不劳动却能丰衣足食而深感愧疚，表现了一个有良心的封建官吏的人道主义精神。县尉在县里主管缉捕盗贼、征收捐税等事。正因为白居易主管此事，所以他对劳动人民在这方面所受的灾难也知道得最清楚。

玉林和忠和醒悟了，一打便是祸事，若是李三顺身上有了伤，便～，“官司”非输不可。（高阳《清宫外史》上册）