这首 短歌行　的主题非常明确，就是作者希望有大量人才来为自己所用。

曹操在其政治活动中，为了扩大他在庶族地主中的统治基础，打击反动的世袭豪强势力，曾大力强调“唯才是举”，为此而先后发布了“求贤令”、“举士令”、“求逸才令”等；而 短歌行　实际上就是一曲“求贤歌”、又正因为运用了诗歌的形式，含有丰富的抒情成分，所以就能起到独特的感染作用，有力地宣传了他所坚持的主张，配合了他所颁发的政令。

曹操 短歌行　对酒当歌，人生几何？

譬如朝露，去日苦多。

慨当以慷，忧思难忘。

何以解忧，唯有杜康。

青青子衿，悠悠我心。

但为君故，沉吟至今。

呦呦鹿鸣，食野之苹。

我有嘉宾，鼓瑟吹笙。

明明如月，何时可掇。

忧从中来，不可断绝。

越陌度阡，枉用相存。

契阔谈宴，心念旧恩。

月明星稀，乌鹊南飞。

绕树三匝，何枝可依？

山不厌高，海不厌深。

周公吐哺，天下归心。

A Short-Song BalladCao CaoThe wine, the song, life goes on —But for how long?

It evaporates, to our dismay,Like the morning dew, day after day.

Ambition and aspiration sustain me,But a secret thread of grief worries me.

How can I brush it asideBut by drowning it in wine?

Scholars, scholars, where are you?

Years I have chanted the song of yearning —But would you ever come over to me?

Deer are calling from the field, grazingOn the tender marsilea.

Let my house be graced with a learned visitor,I will have music played in his honour.

But he is as bright as the moon,And how could I make a moon stay?

Here my sorrows surface and swell,And refuse to go away.

Talented friends, whom I love, I treasure,For a rendezvous no journey is too long!

Would you mind coming, to our meeting,To our feast, back to old-days' feeling?

The stars so dim, the moon so bright,Southbound birds are flying, circlingRound and round over the tree —On which bough are you alight?

The water can never be too deep,And the mountain too high.

When an open-minded king calls for talent,It is him the would must stand by.

【双语诗歌翻译|曹操-短歌行　查看网站：[db:时间]】