頌詩譯選

孩童時間

凌風 譯

 

在黑暗將接續白天，
　　當夜開始降下，
一天事工完畢的休閒，
　　那叫作孩童時間。

我聽到上面的房中，
　　有輕促的小腳步聲，
有開房門的聲響，
　　語音甜而柔輕。

從我書房的燈光可以看見
　　寬闊的樓梯上降下，
莊重的愛莉，嘻笑雅麗歌拉，
　　還有伊滌慈金黃的頭髮。

先是耳語，接着是安靜：
　　但我知道從頑皮的眼睛
他們在商議一同定計
　　為要使我意外驚奇。

忽然間奔跑經過走道，
　　忽然間突擊衝過廳堂！
這三道門都未曾設防，
　　他們衝進我堡壘的牆！

他們爬上了我的角樓
　　上了旁手和我的椅脊；
他們包圍我無處可逃避，
　　好像他們遍處都是。

他們的親吻幾乎把我吞掉，
　　他們擁抱我交互纏繞，
叫我想起那濱鎮的主教，
　　在萊茵鼠樓被群鼠所咬。

噢，藍眼睛的強盜們，豈不想，
　　因為你們爬越了牆，
一個老鬍子像我這樣
　　那能夠同你們較量！

我緊困你們在我的城堡裏，
　　絕不讓你們逃奔，
要把你們放在牢獄中囚禁
　　在那圓樓裏—我的心。

我要永遠把你們放在那裏，
　　是的，永遠到一天，
到那牆壁變成頹垣，
　　與塵土一同歸於衰殘！

 

The Children's Hour

Between the dark and the daylight,
　　When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
　　That is known as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me
　　The patter of little feet,
Tho sound of a door that is opened,
　　And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,
　　Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
　　And Edith with golden hair.

A whisper, and then a silence:
　　Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
　　To take me by surprise.

A sudden rush from the stairway,
　　A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
　　They enter my castle wall!

They climb up into my turret
　　O'er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
　　They seem to be everywhere.

They almost devour me with kisses,
　　Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
　　In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!

Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
　　Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
　　Is not a match for you all!

I have you fast in my fortress,
　　And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
　　In the round-tower of my heart.

And there will I keep you forever,
　　Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
　　And moulder in dust away!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)