保罗·劳伦斯·邓巴的诗

俞伟远

保罗·劳伦斯·邓巴的诗
Paul Laurence Dunbar
苏醒

我不知生活竟可如此甜蜜，
我不晓时光竟能如此飞速，
直到我认识你，生活重返甜蜜。
日子因了有爱无疼而变得短促——
短短几天前我还是一个奴隶，
如今明了国王与王子的力量；
我再也不受束缚，如此
我拥有渴求的，你的微笑、自由。

THE AWAKENING
I did not know that life could be so sweet,
I did not know the hours could speed so fleet,
Till I knew you, and life was sweet again.
The days grew brief with love and lack of pain—
I was a slave a few short days ago,
The powers of Kings and Princes now I know;
I would not be again in bondage, save
I had your smile, the liberty I crave.
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Awakening_(Dunbar)

save 在此应该是老式介词用法：除了。但由于汉语行文需要，改动一下，自我感觉没事。主要是还没其它解决办法。我就用“如此”强调。
2017年5月9日星期二译


寂静

坐在这海边多好
就这洒满了吻的海滩
寂静里，像我们一样的这些朋友中间
洋溢最深情的话语

SILENCE

'T is better to sit here beside the sea,
Here on the spray-kissed beach,
In silence, that between such friends as we
Is full of deepest speech.
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Silence_(Dunbar)

黎明

一位天使，身着无暇白衣
弯下腰身并亲吻安睡中的夜
夜醒来一脸潮红；精灵远行
人们看到那红就唤它黎明

译这首时，努力句尾押韵，但只在三、四行成功；同时关注诗句内在的节奏和韵味。

DAWN
An angel, robed in spotless white,
Bent down and kissed the sleeping Night.
Night woke to blush; the sprite was gone.
Men saw the blush and called it Dawn.
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dawn_(Dunbar)

如果

如果活着只是个梦，我的爱人，
那么死亡就是梦醒时分；
如果白昼没有一靥笑容，我的爱人，
那么黑夜失去了它的韵，——
这个世界只是空茫，一片空茫之地
储存不了一丝一缕的光明；
我定欲用一个亲吻乞求你
把我从睡梦中唤醒。

如果说做梦只是白昼的累积，
那么爱就是毒药；
如果为了桂冠的花环而战斗
能够抚慰一颗伤痛的心，——
我会蔑视武力带来的奖赏，
除却以上所有的目标
我会选择人类更高贵的权利，
去受难去爱！

IF
If life were but a dream, my Love,
   And death the waking time;
If day had not a beam, my Love,
   And night had not a rhyme,—
    A barren, barren world were this
     Without one saving gleam;
     I 'd only ask that with a kiss
     You 'd wake me from the dream.

If dreaming were the sum of days,
   And loving were the bane;
If battling for a wreath of bays
   Could soothe a heart in pain,—
    I 'd scorn the meed of battle's might,
     All other aims above
     I 'd choose the human's higher right,
     To suffer and to love!
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/If_(Dunbar)


灵感

在歌声的金色门口
站着，我整日把门叩，
但那天使，平静又冷漠
依然拒绝并嘱咐我，“忍住。”

忽然吸得一阵柔软的芬芳，
继而在幽暗中闪烁一道光；
你，我的爱，来到我身边，
所有的门豁然洞开。

久居在这个王国，
我不识悲愤、忧伤和痛苦；
既然你让我前行又无拘无束，
是否替我把这些门关上？

INSPIRATION

At the golden gate of song
Stood I, knocking all day long,
But the Angel, calm and cold,
Still refused and bade me, "Hold."

Then a breath of soft perfume,
Then a light within the gloom;
Thou, Love, camest to my side,
And the gates flew open wide.

Long I dwelt in this domain,
Knew no sorrow, grief, or pain;
Now you bid me forth and free,
Will you shut these gates on me?
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Inspiration_(Dunbar)

叶如钢

一组精彩翻译。 点赞。

俞伟远

谢谢鼓励！！问候老师！