評論
打印
To communicate with Mars, converse with spirits,
跟火星通話，與神靈交談，
To report the behaviour of the sea monster,
報告海妖的行為，
Describe the horoscope, haruspicate or scry,
觀測天象預卜未來，查看祭牲的內臟以釋神諭，
Observe disease in signatures, evoke
或從水晶球中觀察幻象，
Biography from the wrinkles of the palm
從簽名的筆跡看出病癥，從手掌的紋路
And tragedy from fingers; release omens
追溯身世經歷和從手指想起悲慘不幸；
By sortilege, or tea leaves, riddle the inevitable
用簽卜或茶葉祛除兇兆，用紙牌解釋
With playing cards, fiddle with pentagrams
不可避免的事故，揣摩五角星形的圖象
Or barbituric acids, or dissect
或靠服巴比妥酸打發日子，或把反復出現的想象
The recurrent image into pre-conscious terrors -
解析為前意識的各種恐懼——
To explore the womb, or tomb, or dreams; all these are usual
由此探索出生、死亡或夢境；所有這些
Pastimes and drugs, and features of the press:
都是平素的消遣和藥物、報刊的特寫報道，
And always will be, some of them especially
而且也將永遠如此，其中有些尤其如此，
When there is distress of nations and perplexity
當國家陷入危難和困惑不決的時候，
Whether on the shores of Asia, or in the Edgware Road.
不論是在亞洲的海岸還是在艾琪韋爾大街。
Men's curiosity searches past and future
人們的好奇心總愛探究過去和未來，
And clings to that dimension. But to apprehend
而且在這方面鍥而不舍。但是領悟
The point of intersection of the timeless
那無始無終與時間的交叉點，
With time, is and occupation for the saint -
卻是圣者的職業——
No occupation either, but something given
也不是職業，
And taken, in a lifetime's death in love,
而是他們為了愛、熱忱、無私和自我屈從
Ardour and selflessness and self-surrender.
而殉道的一生中的一種給予和取受。
