颂诗译选

老之将至

凌风 译

六年又已过去，前面已过四十年纪，
时间开始玩它弄人的老把戏：
曾经在童女眼中俊美的鬓发，
从全褐的双鬓，出现入侵的银丝；
一度激情的热血，现在开始冷了，
时间強大的压力把人压低。
我像往常一样骑马或步行，
但现在不再有跃动的心灵；
现在中庸的速度就使我身体发暖，
中庸的距离就感觉双腳疲软。
我指给外地的客人壮丽的群山，
卻说：“不必去攀登，景色平凡。”
在朋友的大廈我开始畏怯
那冷然有序的客厅和床华丽的陈设。
在家感觉比较安定的境況，
所有的东西要照我的规矩存放。
我停止去打猎；对我的马不再满意，—
我更多爱筵席；我学习着棋。
我带着狗和枪出去，卻不免叫狗失望，
因为我始终未发一枪。
我早晨的散步现在有时可缺，
称颂那恩雨叫我不必抉择。
实际上，我感觉懒散沉闷暗暗袭来，
善动的膀臂和矫捷的腳一去不再；
每天的琐细活动变成习惯，
新有的厌恶形式和时髦新鲜。
我爱的树木只是为了丟掉；
我数算着桃子，眼看收藏如何增高；
常说着同有故事，—简单说，成为老套。

　　　克莱比，英国诗人。

The Approach of Age

　　From Tales of the Hall

Six years had passed, and forty ere the six,
When Time began to play his usual tricks:
The locks once comely in a virgin's sight,
Locks of pure brown, displayed the encroaching white;
The blood, once fervid, now to cool began,
And Time's strong pressure to subdue the man.
I rode or walked as I was wont before,
But now the bounding spirit was no more;
A moderate pace would now my body heat,
A walk of moderate length distress my feet.
I showed my stranger guest those hills sublime,
But said, "The view is poor, we need not climb."
At a friend's mansion I began to dread
The cold neat parlor and the gay glazed bed;
At home I felt a more decided taste,
And must have all things in my order placed.
I ceased to hunt; my horses pleased me less,—
My dinner more; I learned to play at chess.
I took my dog and gun, but saw the brute
Was disappointed that I did not shoot.
My morning walks I now could bear to lose,
And blessed the shower that gave me not to choose.
In fact, I felt a languor stealing on;
The active arm, the agile hand, were gone;
Small daily actions into habits grew,
And new dislike to forms and fashions new.
I loved my trees in order to dispose;
I numbered peaches, looked how stocks arose;
Told the same story oft,—in short, began to prose.

George Crabbe, 1754-1832
English poet