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LESSON 66 The ark and the dove
第六十六課 方舟與鴿子
"Tell me a story, please," my little girl lisped from her cradle.
“請給我講個故事吧。”我的小女兒從搖籃里哼出聲。
So I bent me down, and told her how it rained, and rained, and rained,
于是我彎下腰，給她講雨是如何不停地下，
till all the flowers were covered, and the trees hid their tall heads,
直到花兒被淹沒了，樹的最頂端也被遮蔽了，
and where the houses stood, and people dwelt, a fearful deluge rolled.
可怕的洪水滾到了人們居住、房屋聳立的地方。
Because the world was wicked, and refused to heed the words of God.
因為這個世界是邪惡的，拒絕聽從上帝的話。
But one good man, who long had warned the wicked to repent, obey, and live, taught by the voice of Heaven.
但有一個受上天教導的好人，早就警告過邪惡的人要悔改、服從、活下去。
Had built an ark; and thither, with his wife and children, turned for safety.
他建造了一艘方舟；在那里，他帶著他的妻子與孩子，尋求安全。
Two and two, of beasts and birds and creeping things, he took, with food for all.
他帶上了走獸，飛鳥，爬蟲，以及所有的食物。
And, when the tempest roared and the great fountains of the sky poured out a ceaseless flood, till all beside were drowned.
當暴風雨咆哮著降臨，天空的噴泉傾瀉而下奔騰不息時，其他所有的一切都被淹沒了。
They in their quiet vessel dwelt secure.
他們則在安靜的方舟里安然居住。
And so the mighty waters bore them up, and o'er the bosom of the deep they sailed for many days.
大水將他們沖了起來，高度遠遠超過了他們航行多日的海洋。
But then a gentle dove scaped from the casement of the ark, and spread her lovely pinion o'er that boundless wave.
但之后，一只溫和的鴿子從方舟的窗戶飛了出去，在無邊無際的波浪上伸展著她可愛的翅膀。
All was desolation. Chirping nest, nor face of man, nor living thing she saw.
一切都很荒涼。不論是啁啾的巢，人臉，還是她看見的活物。
For all the people of the earth were drowned, because of disobedience.
因為地球上的所有人都由于違抗而被淹死了。
Naught she spied, save wide, dark waters, and a frowning sky, nor found her weary foot a place of rest.
除了寬闊、黑暗的水域和陰沉的天空，她什么也沒有看見，也沒有找到任何可以讓疲憊的腳休息的地方。
So, with a leaf of olive in her mouth, sole fruit of her drear voyage, which perchance upon some wrecking billow floated by,
就這樣，她嘴里叼著一片橄欖枝，這是她此次陰郁航行中的唯一收獲，可能是在被巨浪打翻的遇難船上找到的，
with drooping wing the peaceful ark she sought.
下垂著翅膀，回到了安然無事的方舟。
The righteous man that wandering dove received,
那個正直的人將這只飛來飛去的鴿子迎了回來，
and to her mate restored, who, with sad moans, had wondered at her absence.
而她的同伴們則還在為她的不見發(fā)出悲傷的呻吟。
Then I looked upon the child, to see if her young thoughts wearied with following mine.
這時我看了看孩子，看她幼小的思維是否厭倦了跟隨我的講述。
But her blue eye was a glad listener, and the eager breath of pleased attention curled her parted lip.
但她的藍眼睛透露出她是個高興的傾聽者，開心的關注帶來的渴望的氣息，使她分開的嘴唇翹了起來。
And so I told her how the waters dried, and the green branches waved, and the sweet buds came up in loveliness,
于是我給她講了之后大水是如何變干涸的，綠色的樹枝是如何搖曳的，甜美的花蕾是如何美麗地長出來的，
and that meek dove went forth to build her nest.
還有那只溫順的鴿子是如何飛出去筑巢的。
While thousand birds awoke their songs of praise, and the tired ark upon the breezy breast of Ararat reposed.
同時，無數的鳥兒高聲唱著贊歌，疲憊的方舟靠在阿勒山上休息。
And Noah with glad spirit reared an altar to his God.
諾亞則高興地為他的上帝建造了一座圣壇。
Since, many a time, when to her rest, ere evening's earliest star,
從那以后，很多次，在她要休息的時候，在夜晚最早的一顆星星出來之前，
that little one is laid, with earnest tone, and pure cheek pressed to mine, she fondly says, "Tell me the story of the Dove."
這個小家伙躺著，將純凈的臉頰貼向我，用認真的語氣天真地說，“給我講鴿子的故事。”
