郎费罗诗歌选

小溪与海浪The Brook and the Wave

小溪从山上流下，The brooklet came from the mountain,

象诗人边走边唱，As sang the bard of old,

用它那银白的小脚Running with feet of silver

奔跑在金黄的沙上。Over the sands of gold!

在那远远的咸水洋，Far away in the briny ocean

奔腾着狂暴的海浪，There rolled a turbulent wave,

忽而高歌在海滩畔，Now singing along the sea-beach,

忽而怒吼在洞穴旁。Now howling along the cave.

尽管相隔得这么远，And the brooklet has found the billow,

小溪也找到了海浪，Though they flowed so far apart,

用她清新而甜美的甘泉And has filled with its freshness and sweetness

注满那狂暴、苦涩的胸膛！That turbulent, bitter heart!

箭与歌The Arrow and the Song

我向空中射一枝箭，I shot an arrow into the air,

不知它落到哪里；It fell to earth, I knew not where:

它飞得好快呵，For so swiftly it flew, the sight

眼睛跟不上它的踪迹。Could not follow it in its flight.

我向空中唱一支歌，I breathed a song into the air,

不知它落到何方；It fell to earth I knew not where;

谁有这样尖、这样强的眼力For who has sight so keen and strong,

能追上歌声的飞翔？That it can follow the flight of song?

很久很久以后，在橡树上Long, long afterward, in an oak,

我找到那枝箭，还不曾折断；I found the arrow still unbroke;

还有那支歌，也被我找到，And the song, from beginning to end,

从头到尾藏在朋友的心间。I found again in the heart of a friend.

叶玉森是用《诗经》“国风体”来翻译这首《箭与歌》的，全文如下：

“吾矢射空，莫知堕处。其飞甚疾，目不及顾。吾歌绕空，莫知灭处。声浪之行，目不得顾。卒获吾矢，贯彼檞木，卒获吾歌，在彼友腹。”

朗费罗逝世前三年发表的《潮涨兮，潮落兮》

潮漲兮，潮落兮The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls

潮涨兮，潮落兮。The tide rises, the tide falls,

天黄昏，暮鸦啼。The twilight darkens, the curlew calls,

褐色海滩潮又湿，Along the sea-sands damp and brown

行人上城赶路急。The traveler hastens toward the town,

潮涨兮，潮落兮。And the tide rises, the tide falls.

夜幕降，千家寂。Darkness settles on roofs and walls.

海扬波，不停息。But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;

浪花小手白且柔，The little waves, with their soft, white hands,

抹去沙滩人足迹。Efface the footprints in the sands,

潮涨兮，潮落兮。And the tide rises, the tide falls.

天破晓，马夫起。The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls

圈中驹，嘶又踢。Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;

夜去昼来仍如故，The day returns, but nevermore

行人一去无消息。Returns the traveler to the shore.

潮涨兮，潮落兮。And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The Quadroon Girl

混血女

The Slaver in the broad lagoon 奴贩泊舟处，

Lay moored with idle sail; 礁湖水浩荡。

He waited for the rising moon 正待晚风来，

And for the evening gale. 天际皓月上。

Under the shore his boat was tied, 舟泊礁湖边，And all her listless crew 水手懒无力。

Watched the gray alligator slide 目送灰色鳄，

Into the still bayou. 游入沼口侧。

Odours of orange-flowers and spice 橙花杂椒花，

Reached them from time to time, 香气阵阵至。

Like the airs that breathing from

Paradise 有如天国风，Upon a world of crime. 吹来万恶地。

The Planter, under his roof of thatch, 茅舍农场主，

Smoked thoughtfully and slow; 拈烟心犹豫。

The Slaver’s thumb was on the latch, 奴贩抚门键，

He seemed in haste to go. 似欲匆匆去。

He said, “My ship at anchor rides口言礁湖上，