寫在鄉村教堂墓畔的挽歌 試譯

Elegy written in a Country Churchyard

寫在鄉村教堂墓畔的挽歌

文/ Thomas Gray (格雷)

譯/ Yimusanfendi

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
宵禁為將逝去的白晝敲響喪鍾
   The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea
    草原上的牧群慢慢地蜿蜒下行
The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,
在他回家路上耕夫的腳步沉重，
   And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
   將世界留給我，留給黑暗幽深。
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
         5

現在眼前微茫的景色漸漸消退， 
  And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
   且所有的空氣一片肅穆的靜謐， 
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
隻有那甲蟲嘶嘶作響打轉繞飛
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
   昏睡的鈴聲使遠處的欄圈麻痹。 

Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r
隻從遙遠的常春藤覆蓋的塔樓
  The moping owl does to the moon complain
  10
  一隻煩悶的貓頭鷹向月亮抱怨， 
Of such as, wand'ring near her secret bow'r,
譬如，在她私密的家附近閑遊
Molest her ancient solitary reign.
  騷擾她統治下古老的孤獨家園。

Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,
斑駁的榆樹底下，那紫杉樹蔭， 
Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap,
   那兒草皮鼓出來許多土包環堆，
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid,
  15
每人在他狹窄的穴中永遠躺平，

The rude Forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
   村裏那些粗魯的先父在此安睡。 
 
The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,
微風呼叫呼吸芬芳香氣的早晨。
The swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed,
   燕子自稻草建的棚裏喳喳嘰嘰，
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
那公雞的尖鳴，或嗽叭的回聲
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.                     20
   不再將他們從他們低床上喚起

For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
對他們再不會有火爐燃燒光芒耀閃， 
Or busy housewife ply her evening care:
    也無忙碌的主婦在夜間勞作中穿行；

No children run to lisp their sire's return,
沒有孩子跑來咬舌他們父親的回返
  Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
  或爬上他的雙膝分享讓人嫉妒之吻。 
Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
  25
在他們的鐮刀之下曾常常滿了收獲，

Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke:
  板結的泥地常被開墾出他們的溝壟；

How jocund did they drive their team afield!
驅趕他們的牲畜下地他們多麽歡樂！

How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
  林木如何在他們猛烈的撞擊下鞠躬！ 

 Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
別讓雄心嘲諷他們有用的勞作忙碌， 
  Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
  30
  他們家庭中的歡樂，和朦朧的運氣； 

Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
也不讓豪華帶著蔑視的笑來聽取
  The short and simple annals of the poor.
  那些窮人的又短又簡單的生平故事。
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r,
家族勳章的吹噓，權勢的炫耀誇口，
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
  財富曾帶給的一切美，那一切美物，
Awaits alike th' inevitable hour:
  35
都等待著那相似的無法避免的時候： 
  The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
  眾多光榮的路徑都隻是通向那墳墓。
Nor you, ye Proud, impute to These the fault,
你，驕傲的人，也莫譴責這些罪人，
If Memory o'er their Tomb no Trophies raise,
   若他們墳上的記憶沒有聳立的碑石，
Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault
在那裏通過長長的過道和雕花拱頂
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.
  40   洪亮的歌聲充溢著稱頌讚美的標誌。

Can storied urn or animated bust
多層的墳塔或生動的半身塑像能否
  Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
    回到它豪華的住宅召喚短暫的吸呼？
Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust,
榮耀的聲音能否將靜默的塵灰挑逗，
   Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of death?
   奉承話能否將死亡呆冷的耳朵安撫？

Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
  45
也許在這個被人忽略的荒蕪的地方
  Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
   安躺著某顆心它曾孕育天堂的火焰
 Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway'd,
一雙手，或許已經揮動帝國的權杖
  Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.
   或曾清醒癡迷彈撥生動的裏拉琴弦。

But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page
但知識飽受時間溺愛，其浩大書頁
  Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll;
  50
  從未在他們的眼前打開讓他們細瞅
Chill Penury repress'd their noble rage,
寒冷的極貧壓製住他們高貴的憤怒， 
  And froze the genial current of the soul.
  並且也曾經凍結那靈魂的溫暖水流。 

Full many a gem of purest ray serene
那麽多寶石安靜地發出最純的光線
  The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
    在海底那些黑暗的深不可測的洞穴
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
  55
那麽多花朵生而紅豔卻不為人所見
  And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
  並在那荒漠的空中將它的芳甜浪費。 

Some village Hampden that with dauntless breast
某個鄉村的漢普敦有著無畏的胸膛
  The little tyrant of his fields withstood,
  曾抵擋他田間的那個小暴君的洗劫
Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest,
某個緘口無名的密爾頓或在此歇躺，
  Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood.
  60
   某位克倫威爾無愧他的國家的鮮血。

Th' applause of list'ning senates to command,
讓聽講的參議員們用掌聲熱烈鼓舞
  The threats of pain and ruin to despise,
    對那痛苦和毀滅的威脅，全都鄙視
To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land,
將富庶和豐富灑遍一個微笑的國土
  And read their history in a nation's eyes,
   並通過國家的眼睛閱讀他們的曆史，
Their lot forbade: nor circumscribed alone
  65
但他們的命運禁止：不僅禁止那些
  Their glowing virtues, but their crimes confined;
    他們閃光的美德，也禁他們的罪行
Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne,
禁止通過屠殺而跋涉險水登上王位，
  And shut the gates of mercy on mankind,
  從而對人類關閉上憐憫仁慈的眾門，
The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide,
禁止隱藏認識到真理後掙紮的痛苦，
  To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,
  70
  熄滅無辜的羞恥帶來的羞紅的臉龐，
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride
或者堆積起奢華和驕傲的神聖殿宇
  With incense kindled at the Muse's flame.
   在那裏用那詩神的火焰點燃了馨香。
 
Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,
遠離了這瘋狂的人群中卑下的衝突， 
  Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
    他們清醒的願望從未試著學習走迷;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life
  75
沿著生活中那清涼的、僻靜的山穀，
  They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.
  他們持守他們的正途一路無聲無息。
Yet ev'n these bones from insult to protect
然而甚至這些屍骨被保護免受汙辱， 
  Some frail memorial still erected nigh,
    一些脆弱的墓碑仍然在那近旁樹立， 
With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck'd,
用些粗俗的韻語和淩亂無章的雕刻， 
  Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.
  80
    懇求過往行人貢獻一聲哀婉的歎息。 

Their name, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd muse,
文盲詩神拚寫出他們的姓名和年歲
  The place of fame and elegy supply:
    刻在那本該由聲名和挽歌所在之地
And many a holy text around she strews,
她並零散灑了許多聖經經文在周圍，
  That teach the rustic moralist to die.
  用來教訓那鄉村道德家死亡的真意。 
 
For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,
  85
因為誰給沉默啞口的遺忘提供獵物，
  This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,
    這個歡樂又憂心的生命曾無奈承受，
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
離開這歡樂的日子這些溫暖的區域，
  Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind?
   而不將渴望的纏綿的一瞥留在身後？
On some fond breast the parting soul relies,
那離別的靈魂靠在某個鍾情的乳房， 
  Some pious drops the closing eye requires;
  90
   那漸閉的眼睛需要一些虔誠的淚滴，
Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
即便從墳墓裏大自然的聲音在哭嚷
  Ev'n in our Ashes live their wonted Fires.
   即便在我們灰中他們的舊火仍燃起。 

For thee, who, mindful of th' unhonour'd dead,
對你，這人，掛念這些無名的死人，
  Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;
   用這些詩句將他們樸實的故事講述， 
If chance, by lonely contemplation led,
  95
假如機緣，被孤獨的沉思帶領指引， 
  Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate,
   某位類似的靈魂將詢問你命運結局，

Haply some hoary-headed Swain may say,
或許某個白發蒼蒼的農夫如此說訴，
  'Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn
   “我們常常已經看見他，當黎明初現， 
Brushing with hasty steps the dews away
用匆促的腳步刷去那些早晨的露珠
  To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.
 100   去到那高處的青草地上與太陽會麵。
'There at the foot of yonder nodding beech
 “在遠處那棵搖曳的山毛櫸樹的腳下， 
   That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high,
    它古老的樹根盤繞得如此高如此妙奇，
His listless length at noontide would he stretch,
中午時在那裏他懶散地將腰身伸拉， 
  And pore upon the brook that babbles by.
    認真觀看身旁那條潺潺流過的小溪。 
 
'Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn,
 105
今微笑若嘲弄，依傍在遠處的樹林，
  Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he would rove,
    他將漫步，喃喃低語他夢中的幻境，
 Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,
今垂著頭，悲傷孱弱，像無望的人，
  Or crazed with care, or cross'd in hopeless love.
   或因關心而瘋，或在無望的愛中穿行。

'One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill,
一天早上我沒遇見他在慣常的小山， 
  Along the heath and near his fav'rite tree;
   沿著灌木叢並靠近他最愛的那棵樹，
Another came; nor yet beside the rill,
另外一次來；不見他在那條小溪邊， 
 110
  Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;
   他不在高草地上，也不在樹林深處。
 
'The next with dirges due in sad array
下一次見到的是唱挽歌的送葬隊伍， 
  Slow through the church-way path we saw him borne.
    我們見他慢慢被抬過教堂路的方向
Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay
 115
上前來並且讀這篇挽歌（因為你會讀）
  Graved on the stone beneath yon aged thorn:'
   刻在那邊老荊棘叢下的那塊碑石上：”
 
THE EPITAPH.
墓誌銘

Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
在這裏他的頭在大地的懷抱中安歇
  A Youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.
    一位青年，對富貴對名聲不為所知；

Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,
公正的科學未對他卑微的出生皺眉
  And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.
 120
    且憂鬱她據他為己有給他貼上標誌
Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
他慷慨大方好施舍，且他的靈真誠：
  Heav'n did a recompense as largely send:
    天堂大大地送來賞賜作為對他的報酬：

He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,
他把他的一切給了苦痛，一滴淚痕，
  He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.
    從天堂他得一友（那是他全部的企求）
 
No farther seek his merits to disclose,
 125
不用更多地找尋他的美德使之彰顯， 
  Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
    或找出他的軟弱從他們可怕的住宅
(There they alike in trembling hope repose,)
（它們都類似，在顫抖的希望中安眠）， 
  The bosom of his Father and his God.
   那裏是他的天父和他的上帝的胸懷