在古代文学中,《祭妹文》是清代文学家袁枚所作的一篇感人至深的文章。这篇文章以真挚的情感和细腻的笔触,表达了对已故妹妹的深切怀念。以下为原文及其对照翻译:
原文:
乾隆丁亥冬,葬三妹素文于上元之羊山,而奠以文曰:
呜呼!汝生于浙,而葬于斯;离吾乡,远吾亲,不得与汝相养以生,相守以死。一在天之涯,一在地之角,生而影不与吾形相依,死而魂不与吾梦相接。吾实为之,其又何尤!
对照翻译:
In the winter of the year Dinghai in the Qianlong era, I buried my third sister, Suwen, at Yangshan in Shangyuan. And now I offer this memorial to her:
Ah! You were born in Zhejiang but buried here; separated from our hometown and distant from our family, we could not support each other while alive or stay together even in death. One of us is at the farthest end of the sky, the other at the edge of the earth. While alive, your shadow did not accompany me; after death, your spirit does not visit my dreams. I am truly responsible for this, so why should I complain!
通过这篇祭文,袁枚不仅表达了对亡妹深深的哀思,也体现了他对人生无常的深刻感慨。文章语言朴实却情感充沛,是中国古典文学中的佳作之一。