퇴계는 평생 많은 시문을 남겼는데 그 가운데 매화를 주제로 한 시문 62제 91수를 가려 뽑아 자필로 시첩을 펴냈으며 그 목판 시집 『매화시첩』이 현존하고 있다.

이 시첩은 퇴계가 42세였던 1542년부터 서거한 해인 1570년까지 매화를 주제로 쓴 시를 선별해 묶은 것이다. 이는 퇴계가 출사하여 얼마 되지 않은 초임 관직 시기부터 서거 직전까지 생애에 고루 걸쳐 쓴 시문들이다. 특히 많지 않은 퇴계의 영물시(詠物詩) 중에서도 평소 그가 사랑하던 매화를 주제로 모았다는 점에서 퇴계의 의식 세계를 가늠할 수 있고, 그의 삶과 지향을 파악할 수 있는 중요한 자료다. 이 역?주 본은 퇴계 선생께서 펴낸 원본을 저본으로 중견 시인이자 한문학자인 김운기가 현대 시어로 아름답게 번역하였을 뿐만아니라, 실록과 퇴계 선생의 연표, 서찰 등 각종 자료를 근거하여 시를 지은 날짜와 장소, 연유 등을 밝혔다.

일반 독자들을 대상으로 하는 번역시집이면서 연구자에게도 참고될 자료들을 제공하고자 하였으며 책 뒤에 원본을 영인하여 별첨함으로써 매화시첩의 진면(眞面)도 감상하도록 배려하였다.
정성들여 제책한 미본으로 매화시첩의 아름다움을 외장(外裝)에서 빠뜨리지 않았다.

[해제]················································································6
옥당에서 고향의 매화를 생각하며········································· 24
삼월에야 핀 동호 독서당 매화·············································· 26
또··················································································· 29
망호당의 매화를 감상하며··················································· 34
앞의 운을 다시 빌려 민경열에게 화답하다······························· 36
퇴계 초당으로 황중거가 찾아온 것을 기뻐하며························ 38
임자년 정월 초이튿날에······················································· 40
외진 곳에 살며··································································· 42
채거경의 매화 그림에 부쳐··················································· 44
‘추회’ 열한 수 중의 하나······················································ 46
고산의 매화를 읊다···························································· 48
매화················································································ 50
이른 봄날 임거에서····························································· 52
정우사·············································································· 54
느낀 바가 있어서 짓다························································· 56
매화 핀 화단의 맑은 향기···················································· 58
벗에게 답하다··································································· 60
매화 그림에 부쳐······························································· 62
절우사 매화가 봄 늦게서야 피기 시작했다.······························ 64
매화나무 가지 끝에 걸린 달················································· 68
고산 매화원에 숨은 은자····················································· 70
이강이 찾아와 달빛 아래서 매화를 읊다································· 72
서호에서 학을 벗하고·························································· 74
도산에 매화 보러 갔더니····················································· 76
김이정군이 도산에 가서······················································· 78
삼월 십삼일 도산에 도착해보니············································ 80
감회에 붙이다··································································· 82
쌍청당에서 조송강의 시를 차운하다······································ 86
매화꽃 꺾어다 책상 위에 꽂아두다········································ 88
2월 21일, 우연히 짓다.························································ 90
정자중의 편지를 받고·························································· 92
매화가 답했다··································································· 94
소명에 사직하고 도산으로 돌아온 늦봄에······························· 96
매화가 답했다··································································· 98
정묘년 답청일에 병석에서 일어나·········································100
다시 찾은 도산에서 매화를 읊은 시······································103
이른 봄에 핀 매화를 노래한 대성의 시를 차운하다··················110
김돈서가 지은 매화시에서 차운함·········································119
기사년 정월에 계당에 핀 소매 소식을 듣고 느낌을 씀··············122
그리운 도산의 매화···························································124
머무는 서울집에서, 매화에게 건넨 말····································126
매화가 답하다··································································128
늦봄 도산에 와서 산매와 대화하다·······································130
주인이 답하다···································································132
도산에 돌아와 머물며 짓다·················································134
내 매화 시에 화답해 보내온 기대승 시를 차운하다.·················136
도산 달밤에 매화를 노래하고··············································138
매화나무 곁에서·······························································142
김언우와 신중의 매화 시에 차운하다····································144
매화를 노래하다·······························································148
김신중이 지은 「불급상매」에 차운하다 ·································150
읍청정 주인 김신중이 화분에 매화를 길렀는데························152
언우와 돈서가 함께 찾아와·················································156
언우가 지은 시, 「설중매를 감상하고·····································158
김신중이 언우와 돈서에게 준 시를 차운하다···························160
또 설원의 달빛 아래 매화를 감상하며···································162
경오년 한식날, 안동에 있는 선영에 참배하러··························164
후조당 매화가 답하다························································167
내가 언우에게 보낸 시에서··················································170
도산 매화가 겨울 추위에 상해를 입어···································173
밤중에 일어나 계재에서 달을 보며 매화를 읊다······················178
김언우가 보내온 시를 차운하다···········································180
서울에 두고 온 분매를·······················································182