颂诗译选

黑人的倾诉

凌风 译

我为我的人民倾诉，
一个可怜被蹂躏的种族，
在号称自由的地土，
卻沒有自己的住处。

我为我的人民倾诉，
要还给他们应得的权利；
因为他们长久劳苦，
卻沒有收取到利益。

他们被迫耕作庄稼，
卻不能夠得田里的收成，
虽然从早工作到晚，
在土地上劳苦不停。

我的身上经常带着
许多次受过鞭打的伤痕，
我为我的人民倾诉
他们仍在鞭下呻吟。

A Negro's Plea

Sojourner Truth

I am pleading for my people,
A poor downtrodden race,
Who dwell in freedom's boasted land,
With no abiding place.

I am plead that my people
May have their rights restored;
For they have long been toiling,
And yet have no reward.

They are forced the crops to culture,
But not for them they yield,
Although both late and early
They labor in the field.

Whilst I bear upon my body
The scars of many a gash,
I am pleading for my people
Who groan beneath the lash.

真理寄居者（Sojourner Truth, 1797?-1883）是一名不识字的黑人女讲演家，生而为奴，被卖了五次，后得到自由。她凭记忆学习圣经，致力提倡废除奴役，並爭取妇女权利。这是她自编自唱的诗歌，经他人代为录写。