谈天说地 ✐2004-11-01

清教徒移民登陆
Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers

史述

苍涼多石的海岸上，
激溅着飞扬的碎浪，
阴沉风暴的天空下，
树木巨大的枝柯在搖荡；

黑沉沉的夜暗低悬，
覆盖着山头和水边，
负载着流浪者的小船，
碇泊在新英格兰荒涼的海岸。

不是要作征服者，
他们带着真诚的心；
不曾打着激扬的战鼓，
也沒有号角吹起声威远闻；

他们不是逃亡飘泊，
心怀者惧怕畏怯靜默—
他们用欢乐昂扬的诗歌
震撼着沉郁的荒漠。

在风浪中他们歌唱，
超越了海涛达到了群星；
幽暗的林径也发出回响
应和着自由的歌声。

雄鹰离巢凌空直上
海洋绽开白色的浪花；
树林搖舞松风呼啸—
是在欢迎他们到家。

在那群移民者当中
有些人已经是须发斑白；
是什么使他们离开童年的故土，
到这遙远的異乡来？

那里一位妇女无畏的眼睛，
闪耀着对真理的深爱；
那里有男子高贵的眉宇间，
显示青年燃烧的壮怀。

他们何所寻求来自远方？
是为闪耀珍宝的矿藏？
是海上的丰富或战爭的掠物报赏？
他们是寻求纯洁信仰的殿堂。

是的，他们的腳刚一上陆，
就称这里为圣地；
他们不愿被沾染，而现在
寻得了敬拜上主的自由。

Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers

Felicia Dorothea Hemans

The breaking waves dashed high
On a stern and rock-bound coast,
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed;

And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er,
When a band of exiles moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.

Not as the conqueror comes,
They, the true-hearted came;
Nor with the roll of the stirring drums,
And the trumpet that sings of fame;

Not as the flying come,
In silence and in fear —
They shook the depths of the desert gloom
With their hymns of loft cheer.

Amidst the storm they sang,
And the stars heard, and the sea;
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang
To the anthem of the free.

The ocean eagle soared
From his nest by the white wave's foam;
And the rocking pines of the forest roared—
This was their welcome home.

There were men with hoary hair
Amidst that pilgrim band:
Why had they come to wither there,
Away from their childhood's land.

There was a woman's fearless eye,
Lit by her deep love's truth;
There was manhood's brow serenely high,
And the fiery heart of youth.

What sought they thus afar?
Bright jewels of the mine?
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?
They sought a faith's pure shrine!

Aye, call it holy ground,
The soil where they first trod;
They have left unstained what there they found —
Freedom to worship God.