——哦,请停步或轻轻走向他方! 一个人割下谷禾又捆扎成垛, 唱着的歌儿充满郁伤; 啊,你听,这凄美的歌声 在深山幽谷里萦回溢荡! 阿拉伯沙漠里的某些林荫处, 是疲惫的旅行者们憩息的地方; 那对他们可谓悦耳的夜莺鸣啭, 又怎及这姑娘的歌声婉丽清畅。 即令那三春杜鹃的啼声, 也哪有这般令人魂消魄荡—— 飘往遥远的赫布里底群岛, 将海面的沉寂一扫而光。 难道无人能告诉我她唱的是什么? 或许这萦绕回旋的宫商 是唱着古老而又飘渺的忧郁事儿, 是唱着远古时代惨烈的阵仗! 或许它只是下里巴人的叙事歌儿, 而这些事儿今天已为人们所熟知? 或许它所唱的是伦理之常的悲伤苦痛, 而这些事情已经、也许将再至? 无论这少女唱的是什么主题, 她的歌声似乎永无止息。 只见她一边刈禾一边歌唱, 身躯俯伏在弯弯的镰刀之上。 我静静地听着,辍步一旁, 随后又登上了山岗; 虽然歌声已渐渐远去, 却在我心头久久余韵绕梁... 【作者简介】华兹华斯(William
Wordsworth,1770-1850年),英国浪漫主义诗人,其诗歌理论动摇了英国古典主义诗学的统治,有力地推动了英国诗歌的革新和浪漫主义运动的发展。他是文艺复兴运动以来最重要的英国诗人之一,其诗句“朴素生活,高尚思考”(plain
living and high thinking)被作为牛津大学基布尔学院的格言。 2017.7.23补注:此诗译于1968.7.1
,译自许国璋《英语》第三册。当时学习英语时日尚短,作为习译,错误之处不少。近日重检旧作,作了许多修改,仍不尽如意,待就教于方家。 附:英文原文 The Solitary
Reaper ——Wordsworth BEHOLD her,
single in the field, Yon
solitary Highland Lass! Reaping and singing by
herself; Stop
here, or gently pass! Alone she cuts and binds the
grain And sings a melancholy
strain; O listen! for the Vale
profound Is overflowing with the
sound. No Nightingale did ever
chaunt More welcome notes to
weary bands Of travellers in some
shady haunt, Among Arabian
sands: A voice so thrilling
ne'er was heard In spring-time from the
Cuckoo-bird, Breaking the silence of the
seas Among the farthest
Hebrides. Will no one tell me what she
sings? – Perhaps the plaintive numbers
flow For old, unhappy,
far-off things, And battles long
ago: Or is it some more humble
lay, Familiar matter of
to-day? Some natural sorrow, loss, or
pain, That has been, and may be
again? Whate'er the theme, the Maiden
sang As if her song could have no
ending; I saw her singing at
her work, And o'er the sickle
bending;―― I listened, motionless and
still; And, as I mounted up
the hill, The music in my heart I
bore, Long after it was heard no
more. 英国诗人华兹华斯 (以上图片均来自网络,鸣谢原作者)