you are right on wrecked ship, but you could see that

 I intentionally tried to rhyme, so here is the improved version:

 

Thousands of sailboats have passed by the wrecked ship

and just like before a dying tree , tens of thousands other are flourish       到底要直译还是要意译？

 

Althought 病树前头万木春---病树--枯萎的树木。 诗人

感叹自己屡遭贬谪、老病侵袭，以致无所作为    

Dying also means withering:

My Tomato Plants Are Withering & the Lower Leaves Are Dying. If the lower leaves on your tomato plants are dying, it's likely that your plant is suffering from wilt...