頌詩譯選

何如今夜是世界盡頭

凌風 譯

何如今夜是世界盡頭？
噢，靈魂，記得我心你的住處，
基督釘十字架的畫像，告訴我
你的面是否變色驚懼。
祂眼中的淚息滅了那奇異的光，
受傷的頭流血滿了祂緊蹙的眉宇。
那舌頭曾為恨祂的仇敵求饒恕
怎能夠判定你墜入地獄？
不，不；像我在崇拜的時刻
對我所有庸俗的情婦說過：
“憐惜看為美麗，憎嫌醜惡
只表明是嚴酷”，因此我向你說：
對邪惡的靈被棄絕不蒙眷顧，
美好的形象肯定是由於你恩憐。

　　但恩（John Donne, 1572-1631）英國詩人，作家。曾任國會議員，後經雅各一世（King James I）屬意，任聖公會聖保羅座堂首牧，常在雅各一世及查理一世（Charles I）前講道。

What if this present were the world's Last Night?

What if this present were the world's last night?
Mark in my heart, O Soul, where thou dost dwell,
The picture of Christ crucified, and tell
Whether that countenance can thee affright.
Tears in his eyes quench the amazing light,
Blood fills his frowns, which from His pierc'd head fell.
And can that tongue adjudge thee unto hell
Which pray'd forgiveness for His foes' fierce spite?
No, no; but as in my idolatry
I said to all my profane mistresses,
"Beauty, of pity, foulness only is
A sign of rigour", so I say to thee:
To wicked spirits are horrid shapes assign'd,
This beauteous form assures a piteous mind.

John Donne, 1572-1631
English poet