頌詩譯選
貧民臨終
輕步緩行,—低下頭,—
恭敬肅靜把頭低下,—
沒有敲響喪鐘,
但一個不朽的靈魂,
現在臨終。
陌生人!不問你如何偉大,
謙卑恭敬把頭低下;
有一位在那殘破的棚—
在那簡陋的床上—
比你更大。
在乞丐的屋頂下,
看哪!死亡的儀式在進行。
進來,沒有群眾參加;
進來,沒有侍衛護駕
這個 王宮的大門。
地下陰冷潮濕,
沒有微笑宮廷人士的足跡;
一個靜默的女人站立,
枯瘦的雙手舉起
首領已經瀕死。
沒有混雜的聲音,—
獨有一個嬰孩在哭喊;
低掩的飲泣哽咽,—重現
深而短促的喘,最後—
臨去的呻吟。
啊,改變!啊,奇異的改變!
衝破監獄的柵欄,—
此時在那裏 那麼低賤,
那麼悲慘,忽然—
超越星辰之間。
啊,改變!偉大的改變!
那裏躺臥着失去靈魂的軀殼;
太陽永遠照耀,
新的不朽醒覺,—
醒起與他的神同在。
The Pauper's Death-Bed
Tread softly,— bow the head,—
In reverent silence bow,—
No passing bell doth toll,
Yet an immortal soul
Is passing now.
Stranger! however great,
With lowly reverence bow;
There's one in that poor shed —
One by that paltry bed —
Greater than thou.
Beneath that beggar's roof,
Lo! Death doth keep his state.
Enter, no crowds attend;
Enter, no guards defend
This palace gate.
That pavement, damp and cold,
No smiling courtiers tread;
One silent woman stands,
Lifting with meagre hands
A dying head.
No mingling voices sound,—
An infant wail alone;
A sob suppressed,— again
That short deep gasp, and then —
The parting groan.
O change! O wondrous change!
Burst are the prison bars,—
This moment there so low,
So agonized, and now
Beyond the stars.
O change! stupendous change!
There lies the soulless clod;
The sun eternal breaks,
The new immortal wakes,—
Wakes with his God.
Caroline Bowles, 1786-1854
English Poet