八二年大学时,书店买了本查良铮译的”雪莱抒情诗选“。记得有一段”生命可转移,但不会飞跑“,当时囫囵吞枣,记住文字,但从没理解。近日翻出旧书,读此句仍不解其意,于是借万能的网,找出 Percy Shelley 的原文,仔细读了,加上译文(结合查先生和自己的理解);实际上这是天使(合唱一部)和魔鬼(合唱二部)的对话。
SEMICHORUS 1: (合唱一部)
Life may change, but it may fly not; (生命会改变,但精髓飞不了)
Hope may vanish, but can die not; (希望会渐消,但不可能死掉)
Truth be veiled, but still it burneth; (真理被掩盖,但其仍在燃烧)
Love repulsed,--but it returneth! (爱情被远逐,但回来是明朝)
SEMICHORUS 2: (合唱二部)
Yet were life a charnel where (不过生命只是停尸房)
Hope lay coffined with Despair; (希望绝望一棺装)
Yet were truth a sacred lie, (真理是神圣谎言)
Love were lust-- (爱情实质是肉体欲望)
SEMICHORUS 1: (合唱一部)
If Liberty (如果自由)
Lent not life its soul of light, (不给生命以灵魂之光)
Hope its iris of delight, (如果希望不赠与欢乐的花蕊)
Truth its prophet’s robe to wear, (如果真理不送与先知的袈裟)
Love its power to give and bear. (爱情没权给与和忍耐)
其中头一段是被引用最多的雪莱诗句。
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