《最后的诗歌》
XXV
第二十五首
神谕
The Oracles
英国 A. E. 豪斯曼原著
Alfred Edward Housman (1859 – 1936)
徐家祯翻译
’Tis mute, the word they went to hear on high Dodona mountain
When winds were in the oakenshaws and all the cauldrons tolled,
And mute’s the midland navel-stone beside the singing fountain,
And echoes list to silence now where gods told lies of old.
I took my question to the shrine that has not ceased from speaking,
The heart within, that tells the truth and tells it twice as plain;
And from the cave of oracles I heard the priestess shrieking
That she and I should surely die and never live again.
Oh priestess, what you cry is clear, and sound good sense I think it;
But let the screaming echoes rest, and froth your mouth no more.
’Tis true there’s better boose than brine, but he that drowns must drink it;
And oh, my lass, the news is news that men have heard before.
The King with half the East at heel is marched from lands of morning;
Their fighters drink the rivers up, their shafts benight the air,
And he that stands will die for nought, and home there’s no returning.
The Spartans on the sea-wet rock sat down and combed their hair.
风在橡树林中穿过,所有的鼎镬全都嗡嗡作声,
他们去多多纳高山聆听神谕,却什么声音都没听见,
歌唱泉边的中心石上也一片静寂,
现在回声倾听着静默,而以前神在此说些古老的谎言。
我把问题带去神坛,那里还没有停止发声,
从内心深处道出真理,清清楚楚说了两遍;
从神谕的岩洞里我听见女祭司尖厉的声音,
她说我与她定会死去而且绝无复活的存念。
哦,女祭司呀,你的喊声非常清楚,而且说得顺理成章,
但是,让尖叫的回声停止吧,别再口中白沫四溅,
当然啤酒要比盐水好喝,但是淹溺的人却只有盐水可喝,
哦,我的姑娘呀,你的消息对我们来说已不新鲜。
国王率领半个东方的军队已从早晨的国土进军;
他们的战士能将河水喝干,他们的箭矢能将天空遮掩,
而坚守挺立着的他将白白牺牲,永远无法回到家园。
斯巴达人梳理着头发,坐在海水打湿的岩石上面。
二0二二年四月二十七日
译于澳大利亚刻来佛寺爱闲堂