It was New Year’s Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies2 on the surface of a clear calm lake. Then he cast them on3 the earth, where few more hopeless people than himself now moved towards their certain goal—the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and remorse4. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts5.
除夕之夜,一位老人站在窗前。他抬起哀伤的眼睛, 遥望着深蓝色的天空,那儿, 星星流光溢彩,宛若澄澈平静 的湖面上盛开的朵朵白莲。继 而,他的目光投向地面,那儿, 很少几个比他更加孤独绝望的人正缓缓走向人生的终点—— 坟墓。在通往人生终点的道路上,他已经过了六十个驿站, 而他在这段漫长的旅程中除了 过失和悔愧之外却两手空空, 一无所获。现在,他健康欠佳, 精神空虚,心情忧郁,没有晚年应有的那种舒适和安逸。
1(1819 —1900),19 世纪英国著名的散文家和文学评论家。
2 睡莲;百合花。
3 cast on/over 向......投射(投下)。
4 悔恨。
5 short of 短少;缺乏。这里作为后置 定语修饰 age。
The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads—one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed in- stead of water and where devils and poi- sonous snakes hissed and crawled6.
年轻时代的美好时光梦幻般地浮现在他的眼前。他回想起早年那稍纵即逝的严肃时刻——父亲将他放在人生的岔路口上,摆在他面前有两条道路, 供他挑选:一条路是通向和平宁静、阳光灿烂的胜境,那里缀满了鲜花、硕果,到处回荡着柔和、甜美的歌声;另一条路则通向黑暗的永无止境的深窟。那里的河流里流淌着的不是清水而是毒汁,在那里,恶魔肆虐,毒蛇嘶 嘶爬动。
6 one...,the other... 作 two roads 的同位语,对 roads 作进一步的说明或解释。其中 分 词 短 语 leading 作 one (road) 和 the other (road) 的 定 语。covered... 和 resounding... 作 place的定语;which和where分别所引导的三个定语从句修饰darkcave。
He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O youth, return! O my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I’ll choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.
他仰望天空,痛苦地哭 喊:“哦,青春,你回来吧!哦, 爸爸,请把我重新放到人生的 路口上吧,我会选择那条光明的正道的!”然而,他的父亲和他的宝贵的青春年华都早已一去不返了。
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol7 of himself. His remorse, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered on life together with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honoured and happy on this New Year’s night.
他看见一道道流星在黑暗的夜空中划过,那便是他那浪费了的时光;他看见一颗星星从空中陨落,消失,那是他自己的象征。后悔,如同一支利箭,深深地刺进他的心灵。接着,他又回忆起童年时代的朋友,他们同他一起踏上人生的旅程。而他们 却经过努力获得了成功,现在受到人们的尊敬,此刻正尽情地享受这新年良宵的欢乐。
7象征; 代表物。
The clock in the high church-tower struck and the sound made him remem- ber his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven where his father lived. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days! Come back!”
高高的教堂塔顶里的钟敲响了。钟声让他回忆起当年父母对他的爱。是他们给他以谆谆的教诲;是他们为他的美 好前程而向上苍祈祷。可他偏偏选择了那条错误的人生之路。羞愧和忧伤使得他再也不敢正视父亲住着的天堂,他那双黯然无光的眼睛饱噙着泪水;在绝望中,他迸力发出一声高喊: “回来吧,我那逝去的年华! 回来吧!”
And his youth did8 return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year’s Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
青春真的回到了他的身上。因为刚才所发生的一切只是他在除夕之夜所做的一场梦。尽管他真的犯有过失,但毕竟他还年轻;更何况他还没有堕入那个可怕的黑暗深窟;他仍然有自由去选择那条通向宁静和光明的道路。
8 表强调,“真的”“确实”的意思。
Those who still linger on the en- trance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble9 on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain10: “O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”
在人生的路口徘徊,对选择光明大路尚在犹豫不决的年轻人啊,你们千万要记住:当青春年华已经逝去,你的双足在黑沉沉的群山之中跌跌绊绊的时候,才痛心疾首地呼唤着你的青春和早年岁月的复归,那只能是枉费心力,为时太晚了。
9 磕磕绊绊地走。10 徒劳;无效。
