1835年,愛(ài)默生在美國(guó)馬薩諸塞州康科特買(mǎi)了一所屋子,很快就成為城中最重要的市民之一。他在那里亦娶了第二任妻子利迪亞·杰克遜。他稱(chēng)她為利迪亞人而她稱(chēng)他為愛(ài)默生先生,倆人生下的孩子是華都、艾倫、伊蒂絲和愛(ài)德華·愛(ài)默生。艾倫是以他前妻的名字命名,這是利迪亞的建議。
Song of Nature
自然之歌
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
拉爾夫·沃爾多·愛(ài)默生
What without him is summer's pomp,
沒(méi)有他,怎一番夏日的盛景,
Or winter's frozen shade?
怎一番冬日冰冷的暗影?
I travail in pain for him,
我為他陷入勞苦傷痛,
My creatures travail and wait;
我的創(chuàng)造物苦苦等待;
His couriers come by squadrons,
他的信使紛紛而來(lái),
He comes not to the gate.
他卻沒(méi)有來(lái)到門(mén)外。
Twice I have moulded an image,
我兩度造出一個(gè)形象,
And thrice outstretched my hand,
又三次把我的手展開(kāi),
Made one of day, and one of night,
造一個(gè)用白晝,另一個(gè)用夜晚,
And one of the salt sea-sand.
還有一個(gè)用那鹽漬的海灘。
One in a Judaean manger,
一個(gè)在猶大的馬槽,
And one by Avon stream,
還有一個(gè)在埃文河畔,
One over against the mouths of Nile,
一個(gè)對(duì)著尼羅河口,
And one in the Academe.
還有一個(gè)在“學(xué)苑”。
I moulded kings and saviours,
我造出國(guó)王與救世主,
And bards o'er kings to rule;——
還有王權(quán)莫及的游吟詩(shī)仙;——
But fell the starry influence short,
卻未能降下?tīng)N如群星的感化,
The cup was never full.
那杯子從未充滿(mǎn)。
Yet whirl the glowing wheels once more,
再次將那些光輝的輪子旋轉(zhuǎn),
And mix the bowl again;
再度混合起杯中諸物;
Seethe, fate! the ancient elements,
沸騰吧,命運(yùn)!遠(yuǎn)古的元素,
Heat, cold, wet, dry, and peace, and pain.
熱,冷,濕,干,還有和平,還有痛苦。
Let war and trade and creeds and song
讓?xiě)?zhàn)爭(zhēng)、貿(mào)易、教義、歌曲
Blend, ripen race on race,
結(jié)合,并日臻成熟,
The sunburnt world a man shall breed
人要撫育被太陽(yáng)炙灼的世界
Of all the zones, and countless days.
每一寸土地,和不可窮盡的年數(shù)。
No ray is dimmed, no atom worn,
光線不再黯淡,原子不再衰竭,
My oldest force is good as new,
我亙古的力量完好如新,
And the fresh rose on yonder thorn
鮮艷的玫瑰在遠(yuǎn)處的荊叢
Gives back the bending heavens in dew
用露珠透映彎曲的蒼穹。