勃朗宁夫人十四行诗
(1)我想起,当年希腊的诗人曾经歌咏:I thought once how Theocritus had sung
年复一年,那良辰在殷切的盼望中Of the sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,
翩然降临,各自带一份礼物Who each one in a gracious hand appears
分送给世人——年老或是年少。To bear a gift for mortals, old or young:
当我这么想,感叹着诗人的古调,And, as I mused it in his antique tongue,
穿过我泪眼所逐渐展开的幻觉,I saw, in gradual vision through my tears,
我看见,那欢乐的岁月、哀伤的岁月——The sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,
我自己的年华,把一片片黑影接连着Those of my own life, who by turns had flung
掠过我的身。紧接着,我就觉察A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware,
(我哭了)我背后正有个神秘的黑影So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move
在移动,而且一把揪住了我的发,Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair;
往后拉,还有一声吆喝(我只是在挣扎):And a voice said in mastery, while I strove, --
“这回是谁逮住了你?猜!”“死,”我答话。`Guess now who holds thee?' -- `Death.' I said. But, there
听哪,那银铃似的回音:“不是死,是爱!”(2)The silver answer rang, -- `Not Death, but love.'
可是在上帝的全宇宙里,总共才只But only three in all God's universe
三个人听见了你那句话:除了Have heard this word thou hast said, -- Himself, beside
讲话的你、听话的我,就是他——Thee speaking, and me listening! and replied
上帝自己!我们中间还有一个One of us ... _that_ was God, ... and laid the curse
出来答话;那昏黑的诅咒落上So darkly on my eyelids, as to amerce
我的眼皮,挡了你,不让我看见,My sight from seeing thee, -- that if I had died,
就算我瞑了目,放上沉沉的“压眼钱”,The death-weights, placed there, would have signified
也不至于那么彻底隔绝。唉,Less absolute exclusion. `Nay' is worse
比谁都厉害,上帝的那一声“不行!”From God than from all others, O my friend!
要不然,世俗的诽谤离间不了我们,Men could not part us with their worldly jars,
任风波飞扬,也不能动摇那坚贞;Nor the seas change us, nor the tempests bend;
我们的手要伸过山岭,互相接触;Our hands would touch for all the mountain-bars
有那么一天,天空滚到我俩中间,And, heaven being rolled between us at the end,
我俩向星辰起誓,还要更加握紧。We should but vow the faster for the stars.
(3)我们原不一样,尊贵的人儿呀,Unlike are we, unlike, O princely Heart!
原不一样是我们的职司和前程。Unlike our uses and our destinies.
你我头上的天使,迎面飞来,Our ministering two angels look surprise
翅膀碰上了翅膀,彼此瞪着On one another, as they s
trike athwart
惊愕的眼睛。你想,你是华宫里Their wings in passing. Thou, bethink thee, art
后妃的上宾,千百双殷勤的明眸A guest for queens to social pageantries,
(哪怕挂满了泪珠,也不能教我的眼With gages from a hundred brighter eyes有这份光彩)
请求你担任领唱。Than tears even can make mine, to play thy part
那你干什么从那灯光辉映的纱窗里Of chief musician. What hast _thou_ to do
望向我?——我,一个凄凉、流浪的With looking from the lattice-lights at me,
歌手,疲乏地*着柏树,吟叹在A poor, tired, wandering singer, ... singing through
茫茫的黑暗里。圣油搽在你头上——The dark, and leaning up a cypress tree?
可怜我,头上承受着凉透的夜露。The chrism is on thine head, -- on mine, the dew,
--只有死,才能把这样的一对扯个平。And Death must dig the level where these agree.
(4)Thou hast thy calling to some palace-floor, 你曾经受到邀请,进入了宫廷,
Most gracious singer of the high poems! where 温雅的歌手!你唱着崇高的诗篇;
The dancers will break footing, from the care 贵客们停下舞步,为了好瞻仰你,
Of watching up thy pregnant lips for more.期待那丰满的朱唇再吐出清音;
And dost thou lift this house's latch too poor而你却抽起我的门闩,你果真
For hand of thine? and canst thou think and bear 不嫌它亵渎了你的手?没谁看见,
To let thy music drop here unaware 你甘让你那音乐飘落在我门前,I
n folds of golden fulness at my door?叠作层层金声的富丽?你忍不忍?
Look up and see the casement broken in,你往上瞧,看这窗户都被闯破——
The bats and owlets builders in the roof! 是蝙蝠和夜莺的窠巢盘踞在顶梁,
My cricket chirps against thy mandolin.是啾啾的蟋蟀在跟你的琵琶应和!
Hush, call no echo up in further proof 住声,别再激起回声来加深荒凉!
Of desolation! there's a voice within那里边有一个哀音,它必须深躲,
That weeps ... as thou must sing ... alone, aloof. 在暗里哭泣——正象你应该当众歌唱。
(5)我肃穆地端起了我沉重的心,I lift my heavy heart up solemnly,
象当年希腊女儿捧着那坛尸灰;As once Electra her sepulchral urn,
眼望着你,我把灰撒在你脚下。And, looking in thine eyes, I overturn
请看呀,有多大一堆悲哀埋藏在The ashes at thy feet. Behold and see
我这心坎里;而在那灰暗的深处,What a great heap of grief lay hid [1] in me,
那惨红的灰烬又怎样在隐约燃烧。And how the red wild sparkles dimly burn
要是那点点火星给你鄙夷地Through the ashen greyness. If thy foot in scorn
一脚踏灭、还它们一片黑暗,Could tread them out to darkness utterly,
这样也好。可是,你偏不,It might be well perhaps. But if instead
你
要守在我身旁,等风来把尘土Thou wait beside me for the wind to blow
扬起,把死灰吹活;爱呀,那戴在The grey dust up, ... those laurels on thine head,
你头上的桂冠可不能给你做屏障,O my Beloved, will not shield thee so,
保护你不让这一片火焰烧坏了That none of all the fires shall scorch and shred
那底下的发丝。快站远些呀,快走!The hair beneath. Stand further off then! go. [1] hid = hidden
(6)Go from me. Yet I feel that I shall stand舍下我,走吧。可是我觉得,从此
Henceforward in thy shadow. Nevermore我就一直徘徊在你的身影里。
Alone upon the threshold of my door在那孤独的生命的边缘,从今再不能
Of individual life, I shall command掌握自己的心灵,或是坦然地
The uses of my soul, nor lift my hand把这手伸向日光,象从前那样,
Serenely in the sunshine as before,而能约束自己不感到你的指尖
Without the sense of that which I forbore --碰上我的掌心。劫运教天悬地殊
Thy touch upon the palm. The widest land隔离了我们,却留下了你那颗心,
Doom takes to part us, leaves thy heart in mine在我的心房里搏动着双重声响。
With pulses that beat double. What I do正象是酒,总尝得出原来的葡萄,
And what I dream include thee, as the wine我的起居和梦寐里,都有你的份。
Must taste of its own grapes. And when I sue当我向上帝祈祷,为着我自个儿
God for myself, He hears the name of thine,他却听到了一个名字、那是你的
;And sees within my eyes the tears of two. 又在我眼里,看见有两个人的眼泪。
(7)The face of all the world is changed, I think,全世界的面目,我想,忽然改变了,
Since first I heard of the footsteps of thy soul自从我第一次在心灵上听到你的步子
Move still, oh, still, beside me, as they stole轻轻、轻轻,来到我身旁——穿过我和
betwixt me and the dreadful outer brink死亡的边缘:那幽微的间隙。站在
Of obvious death, where I, who thought to sink,那里的我,只道这一回该倒下了,
Was caught up into love, and taught the whole却不料被爱救起,还教给一曲
Of life in a new rhythm. The cup of dole生命的新歌。上帝赐我洗礼的
God gave for baptism, I am fain to drink,那一杯苦酒,我甘愿饮下,赞美它
And praise its sweetness, Sweet, with thee anear. 甜蜜——甜蜜的,如果有你在我身旁。
The names of a country, heaven, are changed away天国和人间,将因为你的存在
For where thou art or shalt be, there or here;而更改模样;而这曲歌,这支笛,
And this ... this lute and song ... loved yesterday昨日里给爱着,还让人感到亲切,
( The singing angels know ) are only dear那歌唱的天使知道,就因为
Because thy name moves right in what they say. 一声声都有你的名
字在荡漾。
(8)你那样慷慨豪爽的施主呀,你把What can I give thee back, O liberal
你心坎里金碧辉煌的宝藏、And Princely giver, who hast brought the gold
原封地掏出来,只往我墙外推,And purple of thine heart, unstained, untold,
任凭象我这样的人去拣起,还是And laid them on the outside of the wall
把这罕见的舍施丢下;教我拿什么For such as I to take or leave withal,
[1]来作为你应得的报答?请不要In unexpected largesse? am I cold,
说我太冷漠、太寡恩,你那许多Ungrateful, that for these most manifold
重重叠叠的深情厚意,我却High gifts, I render nothing back at all?
没有一些儿回敬;不,并不是Not so; not cold, -- but very poor instead.
冷漠无情,实在我太寒伧。你问Ask God who knows. For frequent tears have run
上帝就明白。那连绵的泪雨冲尽了The colours from my life, and left so dead
我生命的光彩,只剩一片死沉沉的And pale a stuff, it were not fitly done
苍白,不配给你当偎依的枕头。To give the same as pillow to thy head.
走吧!尽把它踏在脚下,作垫石。Go further! let it serve to trample on. [1] withal, Original meaning is 'likewise', or'at the same time'. Here it means 'equally', 'with free choice'.
(9)我能不能有什么、就拿什么给你?Can it be right to give what I can give?
该不该让你紧挨著我,承受To let thee sit beneath the fall of tears
我簌簌的苦泪;听著那伤逝的青春,As salt as mine, and hear the sighing years
在我的唇边重复著叹息,偶而Re-sighing on my lips renunciative
浮起一丝微笑,哪怕你连劝带哄,Through those infrequent smiles which fail to live
也随即在叹息里寂灭?啊,我但怕For all thy adjurations? O my fears,
这并不应该!我俩是不相称的That this can scarce be right! We are not peers一对,
哪能匹配作情侣?我承认,So to be lovers; and I own, and grieve,
我也伤心,象我这样的施主That givers of such gifts as mine are, must
只算得鄙吝。唉,可是我怎能够让Be counted with the ungenerous. Out, alas!
我满身的尘土玷污了你的紫袍,I will not soil thy purple with my dust,
叫我的毒气喷向你那威尼斯晶杯!Nor breathe my poison on thy Venice-glass,
我什么爱也不给,因为什么都不该给。Nor give thee any love -- which were unjust.
爱呀,让我只爱著你,就算数了吧!Beloved, I only love thee! let it pass.
(10)不过只要是爱,是爱,可就是美,Yet, love, mere love, is beautiful indeed
就值得你接受。你知道,爱就是火,And worthy of acceptation. Fire is bright,
火总是光明的,不问着火的是庙堂Let temple burn, or flax. And equal light
或者柴堆——那栋梁还是荆榛在烧,Leaps in the flame from cedar-plank or weed.
火焰里总跳得出同
样的光辉。当我And love is fire. And when I say at need
不由得倾吐出:“我爱你!”在你的眼里,_I love thee...mark!..._I love thee_ -- in thy sight
那荣耀的瞬息,我忽然成了一尊金身,I stand transfigured, glorified aright,
感觉到有一道新吐的皓光从我天庭With conscience of the new rays that proceed
投向你脸上。是爱,就无所谓卑下,Out of my face toward thine. There's nothing low
即使是最微*的在爱:那微*的生命In love, when love the lowest: meanest creatures
献爱给上帝,宽宏的上帝受了它、Who love God, God accepts while loving so.
又回赐给它爱。我那迸发的热情And what I _feel_, across the inferior features
就象道光,通过我这陋质,昭示了Of what I _am_, doth flash itself, and show
爱的大手笔怎样给造物润色。How that great work of Love enhances Nature's.
(11)这么说,把爱情作为我的名份,And therefore if to love can be desert,
我还不是完全不配承受。虽然, I am not all unworthy. Cheeks as pale
你看,两颊那么苍白,那摇晃的As these you see, and trembling knees that fail
双膝仿佛负担不了沉重的心房;To bear the burden of a heavy heart. --
这疲乏的行吟生涯也曾想望过This weary minstrel-life that once was girt
把奥纳斯山峰攀登,却只落得一片 To climb Aornus, and can scare avail
辛酸的哀吟,怎好去跟谷莺竞奏?——to pipe now 'gainst the valley nightingale
干吗提这些来着?啊,亲爱的,A melancholy music, why advert
不用讲,我高攀不上,不配在你身边To these things? O belov\`ed, it is plain
占一个位置。可是,就因为我爱你,I am not of thy worth nor for thy place!
这片爱情提拔我,让我抬起了头、And yet, because I love thee, I obtain
承受着光明,许我继续活下去,From that same love this vindicating grace,
哪怕是怎样枉然,也要爱你到底;To live on still in love, and yet in vain, ..
.也要祝福你——即使拒绝你在当面。To bless thee, yet renounce thee to thy face.
(12)说真的,就是这为我所夸耀的爱吧,Indeed this very love which is my boast,
当它从胸房涌上眉梢,给我加上And which, when rising up from breast to brow,
一顶皇冠——那一颗巨大的红宝石,Doth crown me with a ruby large enow
光彩夺目,让人知道它价值连城……To draw men's eyes and prove the inner cost, ...
就算我这全部的、最高成就的爱吧,This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost,
我也不懂得怎样去爱,要不是你I should not love withal, unless that thou
先立下示范,教给我该怎么办——Hadst set me an example, shown me how,
当你恳切的目光第一次对上了When first time thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed
我的目光,而爱呼应了爱。很明白, And love called lo
ve. And thus, I cannot speak
即使爱,我也不能夸说是我的美德。Of love even, as a good thing of my own.
是你,把我从一片昏迷的软乏中Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak
抱起,高置上黄金的宝座,*近在And placed by thee on a golden throne,
--你的身旁。而我懂得了爱,只因为And that I love (O soul, we must meek!)
紧挨着你——我唯一爱慕的人Is by thee only, whom I love alone.
(13)你可是要我把对你涌起的恩情,And wilt thou have me fashion into speech
形之于言词,而且还觉得十分充裕;The love I bear thee, finding words enough,
不管有多猛的风,高举起火炬,And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough
让光辉,从两张脸儿间,把我俩照明?Between our faces, to cast light on each? -
-我却把它掉在你脚边,没法命令I drop it thy feet. I cannot teach
我的手托着我的心灵,那么远距My hands to hold my spirit so far off
自己;难道我就能借文字作契据,From myself ... me ... that I should bring thee proof
掏给你看、那无从抵达的爱情In words, of love hid in me out of reach.
在我的心坎?不,我宁愿表达Nay, let the silence of my womanhood
女性的爱凭她的贞静,而换来command my woman-love to thy belief, -
-你的谅解——看见我终不曾软化,Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed,
任你怎样地央求,我只是咬紧着嘴,And rend the garment of my life, in brief,
狠心撕裂着生命的衣裙;生怕By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,
这颗心一经接触,就泄露了悲哀。Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief.
(14)如果你一心要爱我,那就别为了么,If thou must love me, let it be for nought
只是为了爱才爱我。别这么讲:Except for love's sake only. Do not say
“我爱她,为了她的一笑,她的模样,`I love her for her smile ... her look ... her way
她柔语的声气;为了她这感触Of speaking gently, ... for a trick of thought
正好合我的心意,那天里,的确That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
给我带来满怀的喜悦和舒畅。”A sense of pleasant ease on such a day' --
亲爱的,这些好处都不能持常,For these things in themselves, Belov\`ed, may
会因你而变,而这样唱出的爱曲Be changed, or change for thee, -- and love, so wrought
也将这样哑寂。也别爱我因为你May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
又怜又惜地给我揩干了泪腮,Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry, --
一个人会忘了哭泣,当她久受你A creature might forget to weep, who bore
温柔的慰安——却因此失了你的爱。Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
爱我,请只是为了那爱的意念,But love for love's sake, that evermore
那你就能继续地爱,爱我如深海。Thou may'st love on, throu
gh love's eternity.
Footnote:This sonnet is little more than a copy of the following poemwhich some two and a half centuries earlier. Love not me for comely grace,For my pleasing eye or face,Nor for any outward part,No, nor for my constant heart, --For those may fail, or turn to ill, So thou and I shall sever:Keep therefore a true woman's eye,And love me still, but know not why --So hast thou the same reason stillTo doat upon me ever!ANON. Source: The Golden Treasury of The Best Songs and Lyrical Poems In The English Language, Oxford University Press, 1929.