颂诗译选
孩童时间
在黑暗将接续白天,
当夜开始降下,
一天事工完毕的休閒,
那叫作孩童时间。
我听到上面的房中,
有轻促的小腳步声,
有开房门的声响,
语音甜而柔轻。
从我书房的灯光可以看见
宽阔的楼梯上降下,
庄重的爱莉,嘻笑雅丽歌拉,
还有伊涤慈金黃的头发。
先是耳语,接着是安靜:
但我知道从顽皮的眼睛
他们在商议一同定计
为要使我意外惊奇。
忽然间奔跑经过走道,
忽然间突击冲过厅堂!
这三道门都未曾设防,
他们冲进我堡垒的牆!
他们爬上了我的角楼
上了旁手和我的椅脊;
他们包围我无处可逃避,
好像他们遍处都是。
他们的亲吻几乎把我吞掉,
他们拥抱我交互缠绕,
叫我想起那滨镇的主教,
在莱茵鼠楼被群鼠所咬。
噢,蓝眼睛的強盜们,岂不想,
因为你们爬越了牆,
一个老胡子像我这样
那能夠同你们较量!
我紧困你们在我的城堡里,
绝不让你们逃奔,
要把你们放在牢狱中囚禁
在那圆楼里—我的心。
我要永远把你们放在那里,
是的,永远到一天,
到那牆壁变成颓垣,
与尘土一同归於衰残!
The Children's Hour
Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day's occupations,
That is known as the Children's Hour.
I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
Tho sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.
From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.
A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.
A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!
They climb up into my turret
O'er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.
They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!
Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all!
I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.
And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)