Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
by Thomas Gray
請跟英語兔我一起讀:
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,
農夫疲憊地蹣跚在回家途中,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
把整個世界留給我與黑暗.
Now fades the glimm'ring 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,
Save where the bee wheels his droning flight,
只聽見甲殼蟲在空中嗡嗡亂飛,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
沉沉鈴聲為遠處的羊圈催眠.
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r,
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月抱怨,
Of such, as wand'ring near her secret bow'r,
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 mould'ring heap,
許多荒冢在爛草堆中隆起,
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
一個個在小窖里永遠躺下軀體,
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,
芬芳四溢的晨風輕輕的呼喚,
The swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed,
茅草棚上燕子的細語呢喃,
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
回蕩的號角, 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,
熊熊爐火再也不會為他們燃燒,
Or busy housewife ply her evening care;
主婦夜里也不會再為他們操勞,
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 bow'd 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;
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 pow'r,
炫耀的門第, 顯赫的權勢,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
美和財富賦予的一切事物,
Awaits alike th' inevitable hour.
都同樣等待著不可避免之時:
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
光輝的道路終將導致墳墓.
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