頌詩譯選
聖誕鐘聲
在聖誕節我聽到了鐘聲,
奏出古老熟習的歌頌,
甜美而且激越
在反覆的述說
地上有平安,善意歸人群!
想到這日子又再來臨,
普世歡騰協和同慶,
鐘樓傳出鐘聲
歌唱持續不停
地上有平安,善意歸人群!
一路來鳴鐘,歌唱不斷,
大地轉動從黑夜到白天,
歌聲樂音連連
旋律宏亮莊嚴
地上有平安,善意歸人群!
然後,從每個大砲黑色的口腔,
可咒詛的雷聲起自南方,
所發出的聲響
淹沒聖誕歌唱
地上有平安,善意歸人群!
好像是強烈的地震發生,
撕裂了這大陸上許多家庭,
造成喪亡不幸
家門自相分爭
地上有平安,善意歸人群!
在失望中我低頭黯然,
說道:“在這地上全無平安,
因為恨意深濃
在譏諷着歌頌
地上有平安,善意歸人群!”
把鐘聲敲響更宏亮更深妙:
“上帝沒有死,祂也不睡覺!
邪惡終必敗亡
正義得勝昌旺
地上有平安,善意歸人群!”
Christmas Bells
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The wrong shall fail,
The right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"
*此詩作於美國南北戰爭期間
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow(1807-1882)
American poet and educator