背景知识
托马斯·哈代(Thomas Hardy),英国诗人、小说家。他是横跨两个世纪的作家,早期和中期的创作以小说为主,继承和发扬了维多利亚时代的文学传统;晚年以其出色的诗歌开拓了英国20世纪的文学。哈代作为诗人, 也颇有声誉。哈代的诗冷峻、深刻、细腻、优美,言筒意赅,自成一格. 较他的小说更具有现代意识。
《合二为一》是诗人哈代为“泰坦尼克”号失事而作,诗歌表现了诗人关注人类命运的一片真诚,十分寓有哲理,反映出哈代诗歌的独特魅力。
Convergence of the Twain
合二为一
(Lines on the loss of the Titanic)
(“泰坦尼克号”失事所感)
Thomas Hardy
托马斯·哈代
I
(一)
In a solitude of the sea
远离人间的虚荣
Deep from human vanity,
抛开生命的全盛,
And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she.
她静静的躺在大海的孤独之中。
II
(二)
Steel chambers, late the pyres
钢铁的房屋,新近的火堆,
Of her salamandrine fires,
她的火如同火舌,
Cold currents thrid, and turn to rhythmic tidal lyres.
穿透股股冷流,变成富有节奏的琴声般的潮水。
III
(三)
Over the mirrors meant
在镜子上方
To glass the opulent
(它用来映照辽阔景象),
The sea-worm crawls——grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent.
海虫蝙行——怪诞、粘滑、无窗、冷淡。
IV
(四)
Jewels in joy designed
为了陶醉敏感的心灵
To ravish the sensuous mind
而在喜悦中设计的珍品
Lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind.
无光的躺着,迷糊、黑暗、迟钝。
V
(五)
Dim moon-eyed fishes near
眼睛朦胧的鱼停在附近,
Gaze at the gilded gear
凝视涂上金色的齿轮,
And query: "What does this vaingloriousness down here?". . .
发出“这个豪华巨物在干什么?”的询问
VI
(六)
Well: while was fashioning
好吧:当正在研制
This creature of cleaving wing,
这破浪而行的物体,
The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything
激动的、催促万物的上帝意志
VII
(七)
Prepared a sinister mate
为她——如此快乐的巨体——
For her——so gaily great——
准备了一个阴险的伴侣——
A Shape of Ice, for the time fat and dissociate
冰的形象,为了遥远的、分离的时期。
VIII
(八)
And as the smart ship grew
随着潇洒的船的形象
In stature, grace, and hue
优雅地茁壮成长,
In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too.
冰山也成长在幽暗的寂静的远方。
IX
(九)
Alien they seemed to be:
他们似乎显得相异:
No mortal eye could see
没有世间的视力
The intimate welding of their later history.
能看见他们后期历史溶成内在的整体,
X
(十)
Or sign that they were bent
或表示他们被系于
By paths coincident
一致的道路,
On being anon twin halves of one August event,
形成以后的威严事件的两个分部,
XI
(十一)
Till the Spinner of the Years
直至“岁月编织者”发出命令:
Said "Now!" And each one hears,
“好了”,于是人人听清,
And consummation comes, and jars two hemispheres.
于是终结降临,使两个半球震惊。