颂诗译选

母亲的圣经

凌风 译

现在，这书是唯一留下给我的，—
　　眼淚不禁开始倾流，—
用抖颤的嘴脣和震动的眉梢
　　我把它紧压在我的心头。
这里是我们家谱系的树
　　许多代都已度过；
我母亲的手握过的圣经，
　　她，临终把它给我。

啊！我清楚的记得
　　这些人的名字写在上面；
在晚上的祷告过后，
　　全家时常一同围在炉边，
谈论着那书叶所说的
　　那语声使我的心激动！
现在他们都已靜默死亡，
　　卻仍然活在我这心中！

我父亲诵读这本圣书
　　给亲爱的众姊妹和弟兄，
可怜的母亲看来那么宁靜，
　　神的话她最爱听！
她天使般的面容—我依然看见！
　　聚来的记忆何等生动！
在家的厅堂里面，
　　那个小组再次相逢！

你是最可靠相知的朋友，
　　我体验过你不变的坚贞；
是我的顾问和向导，
　　所有的人虛假，惟你真诚。
任用地上所有的矿藏财宝来买
　　都不能同这书卷相比；
它教导我生活的道路，
　　先教导我如何死！

My Mother's Bible

This book is all that's left me now,—
　　Tears will unbidden start,—
With faltering lip and throbbing brow
　　I press it to my heart.
For many generations past
　　Here is our family tree;
My mother's hands this Bible clasped,
　　She, dying, gave it me.

Ah! well do I remember those
　　Whose names these records bear;
Who round the hearthstone used to close,
　　After the evening prayer,
And speak of what these pages said
　　In tones my heart would thrill!
Though they are with the silent dead,
　　Here are they living still!

My father read this holy book
　　To brothers, sisters, dear;
How calm was my poor mother's look,
　　Who loved God's word to hear!
Her angel face,—I see it yet!
　　What thronging memories come!
Again that little group is met
　　Within the halls of home!

Thou truest friend man ever knew,
　　Thy constancy I've tried;
When all were false, I found thee true,
　　My counsellor and guide.
The mines of earth no treasures give
　　That could this volume buy;
In teaching me the way to live,
　　It taught me how to die!

　　
George Pope Morris （1802-1864）
American journalist & poet