詩祭千秋
交喙鳥的傳奇
交喙鳥(Loxia Curvirostra, Crossbill)以嘴尖交叉而得名,屬鳴禽類的雀類小鳥,雄鳥體紅色。(譯者注)
在十字架上救主臨近死亡
平靜的向天舉起祂的眼睛,
在祂被釘流着血的手掌
感覺到,只輕微感覺,一些震動。
全世界都對祂忘記,
看祂如何的熱切着意
在那無情的鐵釘那裏
一隻小鳥在掙扎努力。
身上染了血但從不停息,
用它的嘴在連啄不止,
它要使救主從十架脫離,
它創造者的兒子得以開釋。
救主用溫和的聲音如此說道:
“你全然良善是有福的!
從此時起你身上帶着這標號,
是寶血和十字架的印記!”
交喙鳥 Crossbill
那鳥的名字是交喙鳥;
那麼清楚的被血遮蓋,
它常在松林中間鳴叫
唱歌,像傳奇一般聽來美妙。
The Legend of the Crossbill
On the cross the dying Saviour
Heavenward lifts His eyelids calm,
Feels, bur scarcely feels, a trembling
In His pierced and bleeding palm.
And by all the world forsaken,
Sees He how with zealous care
At the ruthless nail of iron
A little bird is striving there.
Stained with blood and never tiring,
With his beak it does not cease,
From the cross ’t would free the Saviour,
Its Creator’s Son release.
And the Savior speaks in mildness:
“Blest be thou of all the good!
Bear, as token of this moment,
Marks of blood and holy rood!”
And that bird is called the crossbill;
Covered all with blood so clear,
In the groves of pine it singeth
Songs, like legends, strange to hear.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1807-1882)