A Visit from St. Nicholas 圣尼古拉來訪

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

在圣誕節前夜，
整間屋里沒有一人在吵，
就連老鼠也不鬧；
長襪已被小心地掛到煙囪上，
我希望圣尼古拉很快就來到；

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

我希望圣尼古拉很快就來到；
孩子們都被舒適地安頓到他們的床上，
雖然他們腦子里還跳動著小糖球的幻影；
媽媽裹起頭巾，我戴上帽，
我們剛定下神來要睡個冬天的長覺，

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

這時外面的草地上有了得得的聲響，
我從床上跳起來去看個究竟，
像一道閃光，我撲向窗戶，快得像一道閃光
扯開百頁窗拉起窗框。

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

只見月光灑在新雪的胸膛上，
給月下的萬物披上晌午的光芒；
這時竟出現了使我目瞪口呆的景象，
那是一輛小雪橇和八只小小的馴鹿，

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

上面坐著一個小小的老車夫，
他是這樣生氣勃勃，動作敏捷，
我馬上知道這一定是圣尼古拉。
他的駿鹿跑得比鷹還快，
他吹哨，吆喝，還能叫它們的名字：

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

“嘿，達舍！嘿，丹瑟！
嘿，普蘭舍和維克星！
前進，科米特!前進，朱庇特！
前進，唐德和布利琛！
嘿，沖呀，沖呀，一起給我沖，
沖到門廊頂，沖向圍墻的頂！”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.

它們決得就像枯葉隨著瘋狂的颶風，
遇到障礙就升向天空，
拉著裝滿玩具的雪橇，還有圣尼古拉，
馴鹿飛到了屋頂，

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

轉眼之間我就聽到屋頂
有小蹄子騰躍踢踏的響聲，
當我縮進頭來轉過身，
就看見圣尼古拉從煙囪上一跳而下，

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

他全身上下都穿皮裘，
他的衣服因蓋滿煙灰而失去光華，
他背上背著一包玩具，
他看起來就像是小販正在開包，

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

他的眼睛閃閃發光！他的酒渦充滿歡樂！
他的兩頰紅得像玫瑰，他的鼻子像是櫻桃；
他那滑稽的小嘴就像畫的一把弓，
他下頜的胡子像雪一樣白，

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.

他的牙齒緊咬著一個煙斗。
白煙就像花圈繞著他的頭，
他有一副寬寬的臉和小小的圓肚，
當他笑的時候，

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

那小肚震得就像一個碗裝滿果凍。
他的個子圓圓胖胖，
真假是一個快活的老頑童；
我看到他時情不自禁地笑了，
他轉過頭向我眨了眨眼睛，
讓我知道什么也不用怕，

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

他一句話沒說就去干活，
他把每一只長襪都裝滿后就急忙轉身，
他把手指放在鼻子邊上，
點點頭又跳上煙囪，

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

他躍上雪橇，向他的鹿隊吹聲哨，
他們就像薊花的冠毛一樣又飛走
在他駛開之前，我聽到他大喊，
“大家圣誕快樂，諸位晚安！”