美国语文第五册 第54期:公正不会缺席(2)

 　　Providence¹ had many years before taken from her her eldest² son, 很多年前，上帝带走了她的大儿子。

　　who went from his forest home to try his fortune on the high seas, since which she had heard no tidings of him; 那年，他离开了森林里的家，去海上淘金。从那以后，母亲再亦没有听到他的音讯；

　　and in her latter time had, by the hand of death, deprived her of the companion and staff of her earthly pilgrimage, in the person of her husband. 随后，死亡之神最终夺去她的丈夫她世俗生活中的伴侣以及家庭支柱。

　　Yet to this hour she had upborne; she had not only been able to provide for her little flock, 即便那时，她仍然还有支撑下去的信念，她静心地照料她的孩子们，

　　but had never lost an opportunity of ministering to the wants of the miserable³ and destitute⁴. 亦从未错过任何机会对更为贫困潦倒的人伸出援手。

　　The indolent may well bear with poverty while the ability to gain sustenance⁵ remains⁶. 懒惰很可能和贫穷与生俱来，但维持生存能力依然还在，

　　The individual who has but his own wants to supply may suffer with fortitude⁷ the winter of want; 唯有那些给予奉献的个体，坚韧不拔地面对物质的极度匮乏，从而饱经尘世苦难；

　　his affections are not wounded, his heart is not wrung⁸. 她的钟爱不会受伤，她的心灵亦不会榨干。

　　The most desolate⁹ in populous¹⁰ cities may hope, for charity has not quite closed her hand and heart, and shut her eyes on misery¹¹. 在人口稠密的喧嚣城市，最为孤独的人或许心怀希望，因为慈善的人会向她打开心灵之窗，慈善的人不会对她的悲惨熟视无睹。

1 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

2 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

3 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

4 destitute   

adj.缺乏的；穷困的

参考例句：

• They were destitute of necessaries of life.他们缺少生活必需品。
• They are destitute of common sense.他们缺乏常识。

5 sustenance   

n.食物，粮食；生活资料；生计

参考例句：

• We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
• The urban homeless are often in desperate need of sustenance.城市里无家可归的人极其需要食物来维持生命。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 fortitude   

n.坚忍不拔；刚毅

参考例句：

• His dauntless fortitude makes him absolutely fearless.他不屈不挠的坚韧让他绝无恐惧。
• He bore the pain with great fortitude.他以极大的毅力忍受了痛苦。

8 wrung   

绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）

参考例句：

• He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
• He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

9 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

10 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

11 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。