寫在教堂墓地的挽歌
Thomas Gray
托馬斯 格雷
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
黃昏時分敲響了晚鐘,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea.
牛羊在草地上鳴叫歸籠。
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
農夫疲憊地走在回家的路上,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
把整個世界留給了黃昏與我。
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
大地微光正慢慢消盡,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
四周肅穆寧靜。
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
只有甲殼蟲在空中飛舞,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
昏沉的鈴聲催眠著遠處的羊欄。
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower
還有那長滿青藤的塔樓上,
The moping owl does to the moon complain
一只憂郁的貓頭鷹對月亮發(fā)著怨氣。
Of such,as wandering near her secret bower,
說有人走近了她秘密的閨房,
Molest her ancient solitary reign.
擾亂了她那悠久而幽靜的領地。
Beneath those rugged elms,that yew tree's shade,
崢嶸的榆樹底下,紫杉的綠蔭里,
Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,
累累荒冢在綠草中隆起。
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
個個都長眠在小小的幽室中,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
小村里粗鄙的父老在那里安睡。
The breezy call of incense-breathing morn,
芬芳的晨風在輕喚,
The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed,
茅屋的燕語在呢喃。
The cock,s shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
號角回蕩,雄雞高啼,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed
再也不能把他們喚出九泉。
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
熊熊的灶火不再為他們而燃燒,
Or busy housewife ply her evening care;
主婦也不再為他們做晚飯。
No children run to lisp their sire’s return,
孩子們也不再迎接父親的到來,
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
也不會再趴到父親的膝上索吻撒嬌。
Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
過去他們常拿鐮刀去收割莊稼,
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
頑梗的泥板讓他們犁出了壟溝;
How jocund did they drive their team afield!
一棵棵樹木在他們刀下放倒,
How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
趕著牲口下地,他們是何等的欣喜!
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
有抱負的人別嘲笑他們的辛苦,
Their homely joys,and destiny obscure ;
他們的歡樂太家常,他們的命運太尋常。
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile,
高貴的人也勿對他們冷笑,
The short and simple annals of the poor.
來聽聽窮人們簡約的"家國興亡”。
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
無論什么炫耀的功勛與權勢,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
無論美丑,無論貧富,
Awaits alike the inevitable hour.
大限之時準不一樣。
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
極度榮光也是通往墳墓。