The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, 暮锺声声,宣告白昼向晚,
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, 牛群哞哞,在草地上蜿蜒,
The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, 耕者归家,步履疲惫蹒跚,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me. 把世界留给了我与黑暗。
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, 眼前的景象渐幽隐黯淡,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds, 肃穆的寂静在空中弥漫,
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight, 唯有只甲壳虫嗡嗡飞旋,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds; 颈铃声催眠远处的羊栏;
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower, 那边常春藤覆盖的塔巅,
The moping owl does to the moon complain 忧郁的猫头鹰对月抱怨-
Of such as, wandering near her secret bower, 私密的闺房外有人盘桓,
Molest her ancient solitary reign. 骚扰她独居的古老地盘。
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade, 皴皱的榆树,紫杉的荫翳,
Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap, 龟裂的草皮一丘丘隆起,
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid, 淳朴的祖先一个个安息,
The rude Forefathers of the hamlet sleep. 长眠于乡间狭仄的坟地。
The breezy call of incense-breathing morn, 清新的早晨微拂的轻风,
The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed, 草窝里燕子的呢喃声声,
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn, 号角的回荡,雄鸡的啼鸣,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed. 无法将他们从墓床唤醒。
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn, 再不用为他们烧旺火炉,
Or busy housewife ply her evening care: 煮妇也不必于夜晚忙碌;
No children run to lisp their sire's return, 再不闻儿腔将阿爸迎呼,
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share, 或攀上膝头去亲吻争妒。
Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield, 曾经常用镰刀刈割收获,
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke; 犁头将坚实的土地耕破;
How jocund did they drive their team afield! 驾着耕畜下地,何等快活!
How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke! 有力的斫击将林木伐落!
Let not ambition mock their useful toil, 家常的乐趣,实用的操劳,
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure; 卑微的运道,-“雄心”莫讥嘲;
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile 穷人们简朴的暮暮朝朝-
The short and simple annals of the poor. 让“崇高”听了,莫轻蔑讪笑。
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, 浮华的权势,显赫的门户,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, 一切的美妙,所有的财富,
Awaits alike th' inevitable hour:- 荣耀全一样,归必由之路-
The paths of glory lead but to the grave. 待时辰一到,皆通往坟墓。
Nor you, ye Proud, impute to these the fault 假如其陵前未竖起碑铭,
If Memory o'er their tomb no trophies raise, 假如长廊上回纹的拱顶-
Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault 未响彻赞美诗弦歌阵阵,
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise. -高傲的诸君,莫归咎苍生!
Can storied urn or animated bust 栩栩的胸像,雕畫的骨甏,
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? 逝者的气息怎唤回宅门?
Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust, 颂德声怎激活寂寂幽魂?
Or Flattery soothe the dull cold ear of Death? 死神岂听得进阿谀奉承?
Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid 这不起眼之地或许埋没-
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; 某一颗心灵,曾蕴育圣火;
Hands that the rod of empire might have sway'd, 双手将帝国的权柄捭阖,
Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre: 或彻夜狂欢,将古琴弹拨。
But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page, 学识的浩卷在他们看来-
Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'er unroll; 剥夺了光阴,从不曾打开;
Chill Penury repress'd their noble rage, 贫寒压抑其高尚的情怀,
And froze the genial current of the soul. 冻结了灵性湧流的天才。
Full many a gem of purest ray serene 有多少颗宝石至纯至朗,
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: 在黑暗无底的海沟卧躺;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, 有多少株红花无人顾赏,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air. 在荒漠旷野中徒糜芬芳。
Some village Hampden, that, with dauntless breast 村民某,汉普顿,无畏胸襟-
The little tyrant of his fields withstood, 曾反抗当地的小霸劣绅;
Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, 弥尔敦或寝此,阒然无闻;
Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country's blood. 克伦威尔无愧他的乡民。
Th' applause of list'ning senates to command, 议会的听政-以掌声控制,
The threats of pain and ruin to despise, 痛苦与毁灭-对威胁藐视,
To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land, 向芸芸众生-以巧笑布施,
And read their history in a nation's eyes, 用民族的目光-解读历史。
Their lot forbad: nor circumscribed alone 他们的命运:既限制积德,
Their growing virtues, but their crimes confined; 也不准他们去作奸犯科;
Forbad to wade through slaughter to a throne, 不许以残杀将王位篡得,
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind, 仁慈之门不向人类闭合。
The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide, 挣扎的苦痛,良知的隐藏,
To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame, 纯真的红晕已消褪脸庞,
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride 奢侈与骄矜供奉在祠堂-
With incense kindled at the Muse's flame. 以缪斯的火焰燃点熏香。
Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, 远离群氓间不义的冲突,
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray; 其愿望实在,从不会迷途;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life 沿着那幽远的人生之谷-
They kept the noiseless tenour of their way. 悄然迈进着自身的脚步。
Yet e'en these bones from insult to protect 为保护众尸骨免遭亵渎,
Some frail memorial still erected nigh, 单薄的墓碑在陵边立竖,
With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck'd, 蹩脚的韵赋,雕饰的粗疏,
Implores the passing tribute of a sigh. 祈求着路人将赞语一吐。
Their name, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd Muse,无学诗人录下生卒、姓名,
The place of fame and elegy supply: 权充作亡魂的挽歌、生平;
And many a holy text around she strews, 许多还引自传播的圣经,
That teach the rustic moralist to die. 为乡间卫道士点拨死生。
For who, to dumb forgetfulness a prey, 谁愿弃忧喜交集之生命,
This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd, 无言地充当遗忘的牺牲?
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day, 而欢畅岁月的温慰佳境,
Nor cast one longing lingering look behind? 谁不依依难舍,忍顾频频?
On some fond breast the parting soul relies, 魂欲出窍,倚在亲人胸前,
Some pious drops the closing eye requires; 目犹未阖,但期孝泪泫然;
E'en from the tomb the voice of Nature cries, 坟茔中响起造化的呼喊,
E'en in our ashes live their wonted fires. 世世代代,我们薪尽火传。
For thee, who, mindful of th' unhonour'd dead, 对草民逝者,你因而关注,
Dost in these lines their artless tale relate; 以诗行传述他们的质朴;
If chance, by lonely contemplation led, 或是被引入冥思之孤独,
Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate, 某宗亲将询尓生辰年谱。
Haply some hoary-headed swain may say, 或许有位乡亲,灰白头发,
Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn 会说:“每当天亮,常见到他-
Brushing with hasty steps the dews away, 拂踩着露珠,匆匆的步伐,
To meet the sun upon the upland lawn; 登上那草岡,将旭日迎迓;
'There at the foot of yonder nodding beech “山毛榉树脚下,枝条垂悬,
That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high, 苍虬的老树根盘叠高缠;
His listless length at noontide would he stretch, 午间,他倦怠的肢体舒展,
And pore upon the brook that babbles by. 瞩视着身旁的溪水潺湲。
'Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn, “似讥嘲含笑,去远处林旁,
Muttering his wayward fancies, he would rove; 他彷徨,喃喃着胡思乱想;
Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn, 忽而悲惆满面,垂头绝望,
Or crazed with care, or cross'd in hopeless love. 或忧忧欲狂,或失恋怅惘?
'One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill, “沿着石楠,他最爱的树畔,
Along the heath, and near his favourite tree; 常去的山上,一早,未照面;
Another came; nor yet beside the rill, 翌晨,也没看见他在溪边,
Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he; 既不在草坪,也不在林间。
'The next with dirges due in sad array “下一日,见他被舁往教堂-
Slow through the church-way path we saw him borne,- 哀歌声缓缓,一行人服丧,
Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay (识字的先生)请过来读赏-
Graved on the stone beneath yon aged thorn.' 经年的荆条下,石镌诗行。”-
The Epitaph 輓诗
Here rests his head upon the lap of earth 一青年头枕大地的腿膝 ,
A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown. 他默默无闻,命运也不济。
Fair Science frowned not on his humble birth, 智慧神未因其寒微嫌鄙,
And Melacholy marked him for her own. 忧郁神作标记引为知己。
Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere, 他灵魂真诚,慷慨而大方,
Heaven did a recompense as largely send: 上苍施予他丰厚的报偿:
He gave to misery all he had, a tear, 他全给了苦难,-泪水汪汪,
He gained from Heaven ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.天赐其知己,(正如其所望)。
No farther seek his merits to disclose, 不必再寻觅,揭示其功绩,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode 或揪其短处,由敬畏之地-
(There they alike in trembling hope repose), (功与过同怀着祈望颤栗),
The bosom of his Father and his God. 在天父和上帝的怀中安息. 作者: ououmama 时间: 2012-3-8 23:57 标题: 卞之琳的译文