評論
打印
The Song of the River
河之歌
You hear it all along the river.
沿河上下都可以聽見那歌聲。
You hear it, loud and strong, from the rowers as they urge the junk with its high stern, the mast lashed alongside, down the swift running stream.
它響亮而有力，那是船夫，他們劃著木船順流向下，船尾翹得很高，桅桿系在船邊。
You hear it from the trackers, a more breathless chant, as they pull desperately against the current,
它也可能是比較急促的號子，那是纖夫，他們拉纖逆流而上。
half a dozen of them perhaps if they are taking up wupan, a couple of hundred if they are hauling a splendid junk, its square sail set, over a rapid.
如果拉的是小木船，也許就只五六個人；如果拉的是揚著橫帆的大船過急灘，那就要200來人。
On the junk, a man stands amidships beating a drum incessantly to guide their efforts,
船中央站著一個漢子不停地擊鼓助威，引導他們加勁。
and they pull with all their strength, like men possessed, bent double;
于是他們使出全部力量，像著了魔似的，腰彎成兩折，
and sometimes in the extremity of their travail they craw on the ground, on all fours, like the beasts of the field.
有時力量用到極限就全身趴在地上匍匐前進，像田里的牲口。
They strain, strain fiercely, against the pitiless might of the stream.
他們使勁，拼命使勁，對抗著水流無情的威力。
The leader goes up and down the line and when he sees one who is not putting all his will into the task he brings down his split bamboo on the naked back.
領頭的在纖繩前后跑來跑去，見到有人沒有全力以赴，竹板就打在他光著的背上。
Each one must do his utmost or the labour of all is vain.
每個人都必須竭盡全力，否則就要前功盡棄。
And still they sing a vehement, eager chant, the chant of the turbulent waters.
就這樣他們還是唱著激昂而熱切的號子，那洶涌澎湃的河水號子。
I do not know how words can describe what there is in it of effort.
我不知道詞語怎樣能描寫出其中所包括的拼搏，
It serves to express the straining heart, the breaking muscles, and at the same time the indomitable spirit of man which overcomes the pitiless force of nature.
它表現的是繃緊的心弦，幾乎要斷裂的筋肉，同時也表現了人類克服無情的自然力的頑強精神。
Though the rope may part and the great junk swing back, in the end the rapid will be passed;
雖然繩子可能扯斷，大船可能倒退，但最終險灘必將通過，
and at the close of the weary day there is the hearty meal...
在筋疲力盡的一天結束時可以痛快地吃上一頓飽飯…
But the most agonizing song is the song of the coolies who bring the great bales from the junk up the steep steps to the town wall.
然而最令人難受的卻是苦力的歌，他們背負著船上卸下的大包，沿著陡坡爬上城墻。
Up and down they go, endlessly, and endless as their toil rises their rhythmic cry.
他們不停地上上下下，隨著無盡的勞動響起有節奏的喊聲：
He, aw --ah, oh. They are barefoot and naked to the waist.
嗨，呦——嗬，嗨。他們赤著腳，光著背，汗水不斷地從臉上流下。
The sweat pours down their faces and their song is a groan of pain. It is a sigh of despair.
他們的歌是痛苦的呻吟，失望的嘆息，
It is heart-rending.
聽來令人心碎，
It is hardly human.
簡直不像是人的聲音。
It is the cry of souls in infinite distress, only just musical, and that last note is the ultimate sob of humanity.
它是靈魂在無盡悲戚中的呼喊，只不過有著音樂的節奏而已。那終了的一聲簡直就是人性泯滅的低泣。
Life is too hard, too cruel, and this is the final despairing protest.
生活太過于艱難、太殘酷，這喊聲正是最后絕望的抗議。
That is the song of the river.
這就是河之歌。
