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托馬斯·格雷(1716-1771)，英國18世紀(jì)重要詩人。他出生在倫敦的一個(gè)經(jīng)紀(jì)人家庭，一生的大部分時(shí)間在劍橋大學(xué)從事教學(xué)與研究工作。他的生活可謂中規(guī)中矩，捷足而又穩(wěn)健。《鄉(xiāng)村墓園挽歌》《Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard》是其代表作，把傷感文學(xué)推向了頂峰。這首詩在文學(xué)史上具有劃時(shí)代的意義。詩人在表達(dá)傷感內(nèi)容的同時(shí),在形式上又結(jié)合了古典主義的創(chuàng)作要求。《鄉(xiāng)村墓園挽歌》不僅成為那個(gè)時(shí)代,而且是今天最完美的詩篇。
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
鄉(xiāng)村墓園挽歌
Thomas Gray
托馬斯·格雷
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
晚鐘為告別的白晝敲起了喪鐘，
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
咩咩羊群在草地上慢慢盤桓,
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
農(nóng)夫疲憊地蹣跚在回家途中，
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
把整個(gè)世界留給我與黑暗。
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,
此刻的大地閃著微光慢慢消退，
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
四周彌漫著一片寂靜和莊嚴(yán)，
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
只聽見甲殼蟲在空中嗡嗡亂飛，
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
沉沉鈴聲為遠(yuǎn)處的羊圈催眠。
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower,
只聽見那邊披著常春藤的塔樓上,
The moping owl does to the moon complain,
有只憂郁的貓頭鷹對(duì)月抱怨，
Of such, as wandering near her secret bower,
怨有人在她秘密的深閨附近游逛，
Molest her ancient solitary reign.
打擾了她古老而幽靜的庭院。
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,
老蒼的榆樹下，紫杉的蔭影里，
Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,
許多荒冢在爛草堆中隆起，
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
一個(gè)個(gè)在小窖里永遠(yuǎn)躺下軀體，
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
村里的粗鄙先輩在此安息。
The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,
芬芳四溢的晨風(fēng)輕輕的呼喚，
The swallow twittering from the straw-built shed,
茅草棚上燕子的細(xì)語呢喃，
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
回蕩的號(hào)角，或公雞的高聲鳴啼
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.
再也不能把他們從床上喚起。
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
熊熊爐火再也不會(huì)為他們?nèi)紵?/div>
Or busy housewife ply her evening care;
主婦夜里也不會(huì)再為他們操勞，
No children run to lisp their sire's return,
孩子不再喊著跑去迎接爸爸回家，
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
不再趴到膝上去搶著親吻撒嬌。
Often did the harvest to their sickle yield,
昔日，他們用鐮刀去奪取豐收，
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
板結(jié)的土塊被犁成一條條壟溝；
How jocund did they drive their team afield!
趕著牲口下地，他們何等歡欣！
How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
有力的砍伐使一根根樹木低頭！
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
別讓“雄心”嘲笑他們有用的辛勞，
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
家常的歡樂和默默無聞的命運(yùn);
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile,
也別讓“華貴”帶著蔑視的冷笑
The short and simple annals of the poor.
來傾聽窮人簡樸短暫的生平。
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
炫耀的門第，顯赫的權(quán)勢，
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
美和財(cái)富賦予的一切事物,
Awaits alike the inevitable hour.
都同樣等待著不可避免之時(shí):
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
光輝的道路終將導(dǎo)致墳?zāi)埂?/p>
