入睡美文(34)醒来 九位缪斯
Awake ye muses nine…
醒来,九位缪斯…
狄金森
Awake ye muses nine, sing me a strain divine,
醒来,九位缪斯,请为我唱神圣的一曲,
Unwind the solemn twine, and tie my Valentine!
请用庄严的藤蔓缠束我这瓦伦丁节情书!
Oh the Earth was made for lovers, for damsel, and hopeless swain,
创造世界是为了恋人,姑娘和痴心的情郎,
For sighing, and gentle whispering, and unity made of twain.
为了相思,温柔的耳语,合为一体的一双。
All things do go a courting, in earth, or sea, or air,
在陆地,在海洋,在空中,万物都在求爱,
God hath made nothing single but thee in His world so fair!
上帝从不制造孤单,你却独活在他的世界!
The bride, and then the bridegroom, the two, and then the one,
一个新娘,一个新郎,两个,成为一对,
Adam, and Eve, his consort, the moon, and then the sun;
亚当,和夏娃结偶,月亮,和太阳匹配。
The life doth prove the precept, who obey shall happy be,
生活已证明这条箴言,谁听从谁有幸福,
Who will not serve the sovereign, be hanged on fatal tree.
谁不向这君王臣服,将吊死在命运之树。
The high do seek the lowly, the great do seek the small,
高的,寻找矮的,伟大的,寻找渺小,
None cannot find who seeketh, on this terrestrial ball;
在这美妙的地球,谁寻找,谁能找到。
The bee doth court the flower, the flower his suit receives,
蜜蜂向花求爱,鲜花接受了他的求婚,
And they make merry wedding, whose guests are hundred leaves;
他们举行喜庆仪式,绿叶是祝贺的宾朋。
The wind doth woo the branches, the branches they are won,
清风和树枝调情,赢得了树枝的欢心,
And the father fond demandeth the maiden for his son.
舐犊情深的父亲,为儿子向姑娘求亲。
The storm doth walk the seashore humming a mournful tune,
狂风暴雨驰驱于海滨,把哀歌悲声吟唱,
The wave with eye so pensive, looketh to see the moon,
大海波涛,睁大忧郁的眼睛,遥望月亮,
Their spirits meet together, they make them solemn vows,
他们的精神与精神相遇,他们庄严盟誓,
No more he singeth mournful, her sadness she doth lose.
他,不再哀声叹息,她,悲伤也告消失。
The worm doth woo the mortal, death claims a living bride,
蛆虫向凡人求婚,死亡要娶活的新娘,
Night unto day is married, morn unto eventide,
黑夜,嫁给白昼,黎明,和黄昏成双;
Earth is a merry damsel, and heaven a knight so true,
大地是个风流小妞,苍天是忠贞的骑士,
And Earth is quite coquettish, and beseemeth in vain to sue.
大地颇爱卖弄风情,向她求婚未必合适。
Now to the application, to the reading of the roll,
箴言,对你也适用,现在就点你的大名,
To bringing thee to justice, and marshalling thy soul:
要对你作一番权衡,同时指引你的灵魂:
Thou art a human solo, a being cold, and lone,
你是人间的独奏演员,冷漠而且寂寞,
Wilt have no kind companion, thou reap’st what thou hast sown.
不会有亲密的伴侣,你这是自食其果。
Hast never silent hours, and minutes all too long,
难道不觉得,寂静的时刻,过分漫长,
And a deal of sad reflection, and wailing instead of song?
哀思的打击沉重,为何哭泣而不歌唱?
There’s Sarah, and Eliza, and Emeline so fair,
这里,莎拉、艾丽莎和艾默琳多么美啊,
And Harriet, and Susan, and she with curling hair!
还有,哈莉特、苏珊,还有卷头发的她!
Thine eyes are sadly blinded, but yet thou mayest see
你的双眼瞎得可悲,却仍然可以看见
Six true, and comely maidens sitting upon the tree;
六位真纯、秀丽的姑娘,坐在树干上面;
Approach that tree with caution, then up it boldly climb,
小心,走到树下,再勇敢,往树上攀,
And seize the one thou lovest, nor care for space, or time!
捉住你心爱的一位,不必介意时间空间!
Then bear her to the greenwood, and build for her a bower,
然后带她到绿林深处,为她把新房建造,
And give her what she asketh, jewel, or bird, or flower-
送给她,她要的珠宝、鲜花,或小鸟 —
And bring the fife, and trumpet, and beat upon the drum-
带来横笛,敲响小鼓,吹奏起喇叭 —
And bid the world Goodmorrow, and go to glory home!
向世界问声好,走进那容光焕发的新家!