四个四重奏:第18期 东科克(10)
So here I am, in the middle way, having had twenty years –
我就在这里，在旅程的中途，已经有二十年——
Twenty years largely wasted, the years of l’entre deux guerres –
二十个大半虚度的年月，介于两次大战的年月——
Trying to learn to use words, and every attempt
试着学会使用语言，而每一次尝试
Is a wholly new start, and a different kind of failure
都是一次完全新的开始，也是一次性质不同的失败，
Because one has only learnt to get the better of words
因为你不过是为了叙述那已经不必再叙述
For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which
或者你已经不想再那样叙述的事情
One is no longer disposed to say it. And so each venture
而学习怎样驾御语言的。所以每次冒险从事
Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate
都是一次新的开始，一次用破敝的装备
With shabby equipment always deteriorating
向无法言述的事物发动的袭击，最后总是溃不成军
In the general mess of imprecision of feeling,
只留下不准确的感觉乱作一团，
Undisciplined squads of emotion. And what there is to conquer
一群没有纪律的激情的乌合之众。
By strength and submission, has already been discovered
而那需要你用气力和谦逊去征服的一切，
Once or twice, or several times, by men whom one cannot hope
早已被那些你无法企及的人们
To emulate – but there is no competition –
一次或两次，或好多次所发现——但是没有竞争——
There is only the fight to recover what has been lost
只有去找回那已经失去的东西，
And found and lost again and again: and now, under conditions
但一旦找到又重新失去，又去寻找，
That seem unpropitious. But perhaps neither gain nor loss.
这样循环反复的斗争。而现在似乎处于不利的条件之下。但也许既无所得也无所失。
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.
对于我们，唯有尝试自己，此外则非我们所能为力。