Sympathy BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR 翻译一位黑人诗人的诗

Sympathy

 

BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

 

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

    When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;   

When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,   

And the river flows like a stream of glass;

    When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,   

And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—

I know what the caged bird feels!

 

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

    Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;   

For he must fly back to his perch and cling   

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

    And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars   

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

 

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,

    When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—

When he beats his bars and he would be free;

It is not a carol of joy or glee,

    But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,   

But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—

I know why the caged bird sings!

 

同情

 

我懂得笼中鸟的感受， 唉！

当太阳在高地的斜坡上闪亮；

当风轻轻摇动春天的草地，

河水像流淌的镜子；

当第一只鸟唱歌第一个花苞绽放，

清香从它的圣杯悄悄地流-

我懂得笼中鸟的感受

 

我懂得为何笼里的鸟扇动翅膀

知道它的血染红无情的围栏；

因他必须飞回到他的栖息处依傍

当他本该开心有树枝作秋千来荡；

可陈旧的伤疤仍有疼痛震颤

而这些伤疤再一次更锋利地刺伤

我懂得为何他扇动翅膀

 

我懂得为何笼中鸟要歌唱，只有我， 

当他擦伤了翅膀和胸膛，-

当他击打笼子的围栏时才会自由；

这不是欢乐的颂歌，

而是他心底发出的祈祷，

而是他投向天堂的恳求-

我懂得为何笼中鸟要歌唱！