精美英文欣赏:A Psalm of Life人生颂

A Psalm¹ of Life

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers³,

And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment⁴, and not sorrow,

Is our destined⁵ end or way?

But to act, that each tomorrow

Finds us farther than today.

Art is long, and time is fleeting⁶,

And our hearts, though stout⁷ and brave,

Still, like muffled⁸ drums, are beating

Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

Be a hero in the strife⁹!

Trust no future, however pleasant!

Let the dead past bury its dead!

Act-act in the living present!

Heart within, and god overhead!
人生颂》

朗费罗

人生不过是一场幻梦！　

灵魂睡着了，就等于死了，　

事物的真相与外表不同。　

人生是真切的！人生是实在的！

它的归宿决不是荒坟；

你本是尘土，必归于尘土，

这是指躯壳，不是指灵魂

我们命定的目标和道路

不是享乐，也不是受苦；

而是行动，在每个明天

都超越今天，跨出新步。

智艺无穷，时光飞逝；　

这颗心，纵然勇敢坚强，

也只如鼙鼓，闷声敲动着，

一下又一下，向坟地送丧。　

世界是一片辽阔的战场，

人生是到处扎寨安营；　　

莫学那听人驱策的哑畜，　

做一个威武善战的英雄！　　

别指望将来，不管它多可爱！

把已逝的过去永久掩埋！　

行动吧－－趁着活生生的现在！　

心中有赤心，头上有真宰！
1.Psalm   [sɑ:m]      n. 圣诗,圣歌,诗篇

例句：

You can find this psalm in the Bible. 
你可以在圣经上找到这篇赞美诗。

2.slumber²  vi. 微睡, 静止, 麻木  vt. 睡着度过(时间)

例句：

Thought once awakened¹⁰ does not again slumber .
思想一旦被唤醒，就再也不会沉睡。

3.muffled    adj. (指声音)听不清的(因有物体相隔)

例句：

A muffled sound resembling that of soft footsteps. 
低沉声音象柔柔的脚步声的低沉的声音

4.bivouac  n. 野营, 露营, 露营地  vi. 露宿

例句：

We bivouacked on the open plain. 
我们在开阔的原野上露营.
 

1 psalm   

n.赞美诗，圣诗

参考例句：

• The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。
• The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。

2 slumber   

n.睡眠，沉睡状态

参考例句：

• All the people in the hotels were wrapped in deep slumber.住在各旅馆里的人都已进入梦乡。
• Don't wake him from his slumber because he needs the rest.不要把他从睡眠中唤醒，因为他需要休息。

3 slumbers   

睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His image traversed constantly her restless slumbers. 他的形象一再闯进她的脑海，弄得她不能安睡。
• My Titan brother slumbers deep inside his mountain prison. Go. 我的泰坦兄弟就被囚禁在山脉的深处。

4 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

5 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

6 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

7 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

8 muffled   

adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）

参考例句：

• muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
• There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。

10 awakened   

v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到

参考例句：

• She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
• The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》