英語聽書《白鯨記》 第244期

Terrors upon terrors run shouting through his soul.In all his cringing attitudes, the God-fugitive is nowtoo plainly known. The sailors mark him; more andmore certain grow their suspicions of him, and atlast, fully to test the truth, by referring the wholematter to high Heaven, they all-outward to castinglots, to see for whose cause this great tempest wasupon them. The lot is Jonah's; that discovered, thenhow furiously they mob him with their questions.'What is thine occupation? Whence comest thou?Thy country? What people? But mark now, myshipmates, the behavior of poor Jonah. The eager mariners but ask him who he is, and wherefrom; whereas, they not only receive an answer to those questions, but likewise another answerto a question not put by them, but the unsolicited answer is forced from Jonah by the hardhand of God that is upon him.

他整個心靈真是嚇上加嚇鬧個不停。從他那畏畏縮縮的態(tài)度上,這個上帝的逃亡者現(xiàn)在是教人一看就看出來了。水手們都注意著他,對他的懷疑越來越肯定,最后,為了徹底弄清這個真相,他們就把這整個事情都交給上天去解決了,他們擲著簽,看看這場降臨在他們身上的災(zāi)禍是誰惹出來的。結(jié)果竟擲中了約拿;這樣一來,真相大白,他們可多么氣憤呀,大家都用一連串的問題來圍攻他,你以何事為業(yè),你從哪里來,你是哪國人,屬于哪一族?不過,我的船友呀,現(xiàn)在請你們注意可憐的約拿的行為。那些熱切的水手不過是問他是什么人,從哪里來的;可他們不但得到了這些問題的回答,還得到了他們根本沒有問他的問題的回答,不過,這些不打自招的回答卻是上帝對約拿采取嚴厲手段迫出來的。

I am a Hebrew,he cries-and then-I fear the Lord the God of Heaven who hath made the sea andthe dry land!Fear him, O Jonah? Aye, well mightest thou fear the Lord God then! Straightway,he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and moreappalled, but still are pitiful. For when Jonah, not yet supplicating God for mercy, since he buttoo well knew the darkness of his deserts,when wretched Jonah cries out to them to take himand cast him forth into the sea, for he knew that for his sake this great tempest was uponthem; they mercifully turn from him, and seek by other means to save the ship. But all in vain;the indignant gale howls louder; then, with one hand raised invokingly to God, with the otherthey not unreluctantly lay hold of Jonah.

我是希伯來人,他哭了,接著又說我敬畏耶和華那創(chuàng)造滄海旱地之天上的上帝!約拿呵,你敬畏他嗎?哼,這么說來,你倒是很敬畏耶和華的了!于是,他直截了當?shù)卣f下去,和盤托出了;這時水手們雖然越來越驚嚇,卻還是可憐他。因為當時約拿雖然已經(jīng)自知他那逃亡的罪惡,卻還沒有祈求上帝寬恕之意。等到可憐的約拿知道這場大風是因他而起,他對他們哭哭啼啼,要他們把他拋到海里去的時候,他們這才對他動了惻隱之心,想用別的辦法來挽救這只船。但是,一切都是徒勞的;憤怒的大風號嘯得更厲害了;于是,他們一方面仰天祈求上帝,一方面不無勉強地抓住約拿。