評(píng)論
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And so it came to pass
時(shí)光如梭
that Hafid waited in his lonely palace for he
海菲孤獨(dú)地等待著
who was to receive the scrolls.
接受羊皮卷的人。
The old man, with only his trusted bookkeeper for a companion,
陪伴他的只有老總管伊拉瑪。
watched the seasons come and go,
眼看著春去秋來，一年一年地過去，
and the infirmities of old age soon prevented him from doing little except sit quietly
年邁的他什么事都做不了了，每天只是靜靜地
in his covered garden.
坐在花園里。
He waited.
他等待著。
He waited nearly three full years after the disposal of his worldly wealth and the disbanding of his trade empire.
自從處理完那世界上最大的財(cái)富，解散了浩大的商業(yè)王國(guó)。他已經(jīng)等了整整三年了。
And then from out of the desert to the East
一天，從沙漠以外的東方
there appeared a slight, limping figure of a stranger who entered Damascus
來了一個(gè)身材修長(zhǎng)、跛著腳的陌生人。那人走進(jìn)大馬士革城，
and made straightway through the streets until he stood before die palace of Hafid.
穿過幾條街道，一直來到海菲的大廈前面。
Erasmus, usually a model of courtesy and propriety,
要是在以往，伊拉瑪準(zhǔn)會(huì)彬彬有禮地把門打開，
remained resolutely in the doorway as the caller repeated his request,
可是這回他卻站著不動(dòng)。陌生人只得重復(fù)道：
"I would speak with thy master.''
“我想拜見您家主人。”
The stranger's appearance was not one to inspire confidence.
這位陌生人容易讓人起疑心。
His sandals were ripped and mended with rope,
他的草鞋破破爛爛，用繩子綁著。
his brown legs were cut and scratched
他那褐色的腿，傷痕累累，
and had sores in many places,
殘留著刀疤和抓破的痕跡。
and above them hung a loose and tattered camel's hair loincloth.
腰上束了條駱駝毛纏腰帶，破爛不堪。
The man's hair was snarled and long and his eyes, red from the sun,
頭發(fā)又長(zhǎng)又亂。眼睛布滿血絲，像是被太陽曬紅的，
seemed to burn from within.
又像是里面在燃燒。
Erasmus held tightly to the door handle.
伊拉瑪緊緊地握著門上的把手，
"What is it your seeking of my sire?"
“你找我們老爺有什么事？”
The stranger allowed his sack to fall from his shoulders
陌生人把肩上的袋子放在地上，
and clenched both hands in prayer toward Erasmus.
雙手合十地哀求道：
"Please, kind man, grant me an audience with thy master.
“好心人，求您讓我見見您家主人。
I mean him no harm nor seek I alms.
我沒有什么惡意，也不是來求他施舍。
Let him hear my words
我只有幾句話要說，
and then I will go in haste if I offend him."
如果我惹他生氣，我立刻就走。”
Erasmus, still unsure,
伊拉瑪仍然半信半疑，
slowly opened the door and nodded toward the interior.
慢慢地把門打開。他朝里面點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭，
Then he turned without looking back and walked swiftly toward the garden
轉(zhuǎn)身快步走向花園。
with his visitor limping behind.
來訪者一瘸一拐地跟在后面。
In the garden, Hafid dozed,
花園里，海菲正在打盹。
and Erasmus hesitated before his master.
伊拉瑪站在他面前猶豫了一會(huì)兒，
He coughed and Hafid stirred.
然后干咳了幾聲，海菲動(dòng)了一下。
He coughed again and the old man opened his eyes.
他又咳了一聲，老人睜開了眼睛。
"Forgive this disturbance, master, but there is a caller."
“對(duì)不起，老爺，有客人要見您。”
Hafid, now awake,
海菲現(xiàn)在醒過來了，
sat up and shifted his gaze to the stranger who bowed and spoke.
目光落在陌生人的身上。只見他深鞠一躬，說道：
"Art thou he who has been called the greatest salesman in the world?"
“您就是大家說的最偉大的推銷員？”
Hafid frowned but nodded,
海菲皺了皺眉，然后點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭，
"I have been called that in years now gone.
“那是以前的說法了。
No longer is that crown on my old head.
現(xiàn)在我老了，配不上這項(xiàng)王冠了。
What seeketh thee of me?"
你來這里有什么事嗎？”
The small visitor stood self-consciously before Hafid
來人個(gè)子不高，在海菲面前略顯不安，
and rubbed his hands over his matted chest.
雙手撫在胸前。
He blinked his eyes in the soft light and replied,
他眨了眨眼睛，目光柔和。只聽他回答道：
"I am called Saul and I return now, from Jerusalem,
“我叫掃羅，從耶路撤冷來，
to my birthplace in Tarsus.
打算回老家塔瑟斯。
However, I beg you, let not my appearance deceive you.
請(qǐng)您不要因?yàn)槲胰菝部稍骶桶盐耶?dāng)成壞人。
I am not a bandit from the wilderness
我不是蠻荒之地的強(qiáng)盜，
nor am I a beggar of the streets.
也不是流落街頭的乞弓。
