A Psalm of Life – 人生颂

（旧作）

诗歌并不象数据一样给人精准的信息，但它在传递信息的同时，attempts to communicate attitudes, feelings, and interpretations. 诗歌的情感能唤起读者的共鸣，而让人在平凡的生活中，享受心灵的洗礼。这也许就是所谓的“诗意人生”。

 

The great German Poet, Goethe, was once asked by a friend what he would suggest as a daily exercises for spiritual betterment. He said:

“I would like to read a noble poem.

I would like to see a beautiful picture.

I would like to hear a bit of inspiring music.

I would like to meet a great soul.

 

下面是正在背的美国诗人Wadsworth的一首诗歌，并试翻了一下。

 

A Psalm of Life

--By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

Tell me not in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And thing’s are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And te grave is not its goal;

Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

 

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each tomorrow

Find us further than today.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

 

Is the world’s broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Lif,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, --act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o’erhead!

 

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sand of time.

 

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o’er life’s solemn min,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

Seeing, shall take heart again.

 

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learning to labor and to wait.

 

人生颂

   --Translated by 中年呓语

 

请不要在悲伤的诗句里告诉我：

“人生只是一场梦！”

灵魂睡着，也就意味死了，

事物并不象所见的一样。

生活是真切的，也是诚挚的！

生活的目标并不是迈向死亡之冢，

 “人来于尘土，归于尘土”。

只是指躯壳，而非灵魂。

 

我们命定的目标和道路，

不是享乐，也不是受苦；

而是行动，让每个明天，

都比今天进一步。

智慧无穷，但时光飞逝，

但我们的心，尽管勇敢坚强，

却象那沉闷的大鼓，敲响着，

蜿蜒地向墓地行走。

 

在这如战场般浩渺的世界，

在这生命的每个营地，

不要象那哑然失措，被茫然驱使的畜牲，

要象那战斗中的英雄！

不要指望着将来，不管它多美幻！

让死亡的过去掩埋，

行动，就在现在行动！

用胸膛里的心，和头顶上上帝的神明！

 

过往的伟人告诉我们：

我们可以让自己的生活变得更高尚，

并且，在我们离开世界的时候，

留下脚印在时间的沙上。

 

脚印，

也许能让那些在庄严的人生大海里航行的兄弟们，

在惨遭沉船或绝望的时刻，

看到它时一颗心能振作起来。

 

让我们振作起来做点什么，

不管命运如何；

始终努力，继续追求，

学会劳作，也学会等待！