頌詩譯選

夏天的日暮

凌風 譯

多麼光明的太陽！多麼晴朗的一天！
太陽的旅程多麼可愛又歡然，
雖然在起步的時候有迷霧，
　　跟着還落了幾滴雨點！
現在那美好的旅行者到了西邊，
它的光線都是黃金，榮美最燦爛；
當沉下安息還把天空塗畫了快樂的容顏，
　　預告要重新光明的升現。

基督徒也正是這樣；當他開始路程，
正如太陽在霧中，他為自己的罪傷痛，
化為眼淚；然後現出照耀光明，
　　步向天堂的旅行。
但當他更接近行程的終點，
如同絢爛的夕陽，表現更豐滿的恩典，
有肯定的希望，在他的日子將完，
　　升起時會更光明美奐。

A Summer Evening

How fine has the day been! How bright was the sun!
How lovely and joyful the course that he run,
Though he rose in a mist when his race he begun,
　　And there followed some droppings of rain!
But now the fair traveller's come to the west,
His rays are all gold, and his beauties are best:
He paints the sky gay as he sinks to his rest,
　　And foretells a bright rising again.

Just such is the Christian; his course he begins,
Like the sun in a mist, when he mourns for his sins,
And melts into tears; then he breaks out and shines,
　　And travels his heavenly way:
But when he comes nearer to finish his race,
Like a fine setting sun, he looks richer in grace,
And gives a sure hope, at the end of his days,
　　Of rising in brighter array.

Isaac Watts（1674-1748）
English theologian & hymn writer