美国语文第六册 第253期:对死亡的见解(4)

All that breathe will share thy destiny. The gay will laugh when thou art gone, the solemn brood of care plod¹ on,

所有活着的人都与你分享最后的归宿。欢愉的人会大笑，只为你撒手人寰，静肃好思的人继续跋涉，

and each one as before will chase his favorite phantom²; yet all these shall leave their mirth and their employments, and shall come and make their bed with thee.

每人和从前一样追求他心仪的幻想；然而，他们都抛弃他们的欢乐和工作，来与你睡在一张床上。

As the long train of ages glide³ away, the sons of men, the youth in life's green spring, and he who goes in the full strength of years, matron and maid,

随着时光更替，岁月流逝，人们的后代，不论正值青春年少，还是步入盛年，不论妇人还是姑娘，

The speechless babe, and the gray-headed man shall one by one be gathered to thy side by those who in their turn shall follow them.

不论不会说话的婴儿，还是白发盈顶的老人——都一个接一个聚在你身旁，而将他们聚在一起的也跟随而来。

So live, that when thy summons comes to join the innumerable caravan⁴, which moves to that mysterious realm, where each shall take his chamber⁵ in the silent halls of death,

就这样活着，到时候召唤你加入那支车马无数的队伍，他们走向那神秘的国度，每个人都在静谧的魂灵厅堂里各有居所，

Thou go not, like the quarry⁶ slave at night, scourged⁷ to his dungeon⁸, but, sustained and soothed⁹ by an unfaltering trust,

你不会像夜间猎获的奴隶，被鞭笞着赶进他的地牢，而是在坚定的信念支持与抚慰下，

approach thy grave, like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.

一步步走向你的坟墓，就像一个把被子裹在身上的人，躺下，愉快地进入梦乡。

1 plod   

v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作

参考例句：

• He was destined to plod the path of toil.他注定要在艰辛的道路上跋涉。
• I could recognize his plod anywhere.我能在任何地方辨认出他的沉重脚步声。

2 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

3 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

4 caravan   

n.大蓬车；活动房屋

参考例句：

• The community adviser gave us a caravan to live in.社区顾问给了我们一间活动住房栖身。
• Geoff connected the caravan to the car.杰弗把旅行用的住屋拖车挂在汽车上。

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

7 scourged   

鞭打( scourge的过去式和过去分词 )； 惩罚，压迫

参考例句：

• He was scourged by the memory of his misdeeds. 他对以往的胡作非为的回忆使得他精神上受惩罚。
• Captain White scourged his crew without mercy. 船长怀特无情地鞭挞船员。

8 dungeon   

n.地牢，土牢

参考例句：

• They were driven into a dark dungeon.他们被人驱赶进入一个黑暗的地牢。
• He was just set free from a dungeon a few days ago.几天前，他刚从土牢里被放出来。

9 soothed   

v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦

参考例句：

• The music soothed her for a while. 音乐让她稍微安静了一会儿。
• The soft modulation of her voice soothed the infant. 她柔和的声调使婴儿安静了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》