五言詩譯朗費羅

The Arrow and the Song ------------------箭與歌

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow --------------H.W.朗費羅

 

I shot an arrow into theair, （9） ------------我箭破長空，

It fell to earth, I knew not where; （8）------落地渺無蹤。

For so swiftly it flew, the sight （8） -------飛馳青天外，

Could not follow it in its flight. （8）-------明眸難追從。

 

I breathed a song into the air, （8） ---------我歌遏行雲，

It fell to earth, I knew not where; （8） -----落地無處尋。

For who has sight so keen and strong, （8） ---何人具銳眼，

That it can follow the sight of song? （9） ---隨歌天地行？

 

Long, long afterwards, in an oak, （8） -------經年見橡樹，

I found the arrow, still unbroken; （9） ------嵌箭完如故。

And the song, from beginning to end, （9） ----我歌終複始，

I found it in the heart of a friend. （9） ----友人心深處。

原詩接近於不完全四步抑揚格，最初想用白話來譯，可是每一句都挺長，顯得挺羅索。後來刪來減去，變成每句五個字，但願能把基本意思表達出來。