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藝文走廊.譯詩 ✐2010-08-01


頌詩譯選

失落的領袖

凌風 譯

 


William Wordsworth

I

只為了盈把的銀錢他離開了我們,
  只為了一條帶子綴在他的衣裳—
發現幸運的賜予一度使我們傷心,
  失去了對她別的恩惠的欽仰;
那些布施金子的更能夠收買他,
  使銀子在他眼中失去了光芒;
我們供獻的幾文銅錢他哪還會在意!
  高傲的心把紫衣當破布一樣!
我們這批愛過他,跟過他,尊崇過他的,
  曾生活煦育在他尊貴的,慈祥的眼光,
學習他偉大的語詞,模仿他特有的調腔,
  把他當我們的模式,不論生存或死亡!
莎士比亞是我們的,彌爾頓是我們的,
  本恩斯,雪萊同着我們—他們從墳墓張望!
只有他,離開了改革的先鋒隊和自由人
只有他下沉成為落伍者,同奴隸列行。

II

我們要前進興旺—不需要靠他在場;
  不用他的曲調—我們有詩歌激勵歌唱,
事功仍然要作成—當他在誇口他的冥想,
  我們偏依然靜臥,讓他去號令激揚;
勾銷他的名字,記錄下一個靈魂的失喪,
  又一項事工的隕失,又一條路徑荒涼,
又一次人的墮落,又一次對神的侮辱!
  又一次魔鬼的勝利天使的憂傷!
生命的暗夜開始了:請他不要再回到我們中間!
  那裏準會有疑惑,痛苦和彷徨,
借我們有名的頌讚—微光的昏黃,
  不再是歡樂自信的晨光!
我們來教導他好好打一仗—英勇的攻擊吧,
  在我們征服他之前威脅我們的心房;
然後讓他接受新知識且等我們,
  先到主寶座前,得赦免進入天堂。

 

The Lost Leader

by Robert Browning

I

Just for a handful of silver he left us,
  Just for a riband to stick in his coat—
Found the one gift of which fortune bereft us,
  Lost all the others she lets us devote;
They, with the gold to give, doled him out silver,
  So much was theirs who so little allowed:
How all our copper had gone for his service!
  Rags — were they purple, his heart had been proud!
We that had loved him so, followed him, honoured him,
  Lived in his mild and magnificent eye,
Learned his great language, caught his clear accents,
  Made him our pattern to live and to die!
Shakespeare was of us, Milton was for us,
  Burns, Shelley, were with us—they watch from their graves!
He alone breaks from the van and the freemen
— He alone sinks to the rear and the slaves!

II

We shall march prospering—not through his presence;
  Songs may inspirit us—not from his lyre;
Deeds will be done—While he boasts his quiescence,
  Still bidding crouch whom the rest bade aspire:
Blot out his name, then, record one lost soul more,
  One task more declined, one more footpath untrod,
One more devils'-triumph and sorrow for angels,
  One wrong more to man, one more insult to God!
Life's night begins: let him never come back to us!
  There would be doubt, hesitation and pain,
Forced praise on our part—the glimmer of twilight,
  Never glad confident morning again!
Best fight on well, for we taught him—strike gallantly,
  Menace our heart ere we master his own;
Then let him receive the new knowledge and wait us,
  Pardoned in heaven, the first by the throne!

                1843-1845



Robert Browning

  布朗寧(Robert Browning, 1812-1889)英國詩人,劇作家。
  華德務茨(William Wordsworth, 1770-1850)曾是英國思想界及文壇領袖,為當時的少年一代所崇敬。到了晚年接受政府“桂冠詩人”的榮銜,拿了當權者的錢,言詞就大不相同了。跟從他的年輕人都非常失望。
  本詩作者布朗寧,比他年輕四十二歲,為他哀傷,作了悼詩,題為“失落的領袖”(“The Lost Leader”)。為了名與利失去了理想,不僅是一個人的失敗。

https://ebaomonthly.com/ebao/readebao.php?a=20100806

 

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