英语听书《白鲸记》第148期

 But this august dignity I treat of, is not the dignity of kings and robes, but that abounding¹ dignity which has no robed investiture.  我这里讲的“尊严”不是帝王将相的尊严，而是平民百姓的尊严，

Thou shalt see it shining in the arm that wields² a pick or drives a spike³; that democratic dignity which, on all hands, radiates without end from God; Himself!  这尊严表现在他们有力的臂膀上，表现在他们手中投枪的闪光上。 平民的尊严来自于上帝光芒的照耀！ 

The great God absolute! The centre and circumference⁴ of all democracy! His omnipresence, our divine equality! 独来独往的上帝是人间的民主与平等的起源，

If, then, to meanest mariners⁵, and renegades and castaways, I shall hereafter ascribe high qualities, though dark; weave round them tragic⁶ graces;  他无所不在的神通，造就了万千人类子孙的尊严。 

if even the most mournful, perchance the most abased⁷, among them all, shall at times lift himself to the exalted⁸ mounts; if I shall touch that workman's arm with some ethereal light;  我也许要将人类的一些高贵品质归之于一些最卑贱的水手和异教徒身上，在他们之中挑选出感人的悲剧人物来；我也许还要写到您的灵光在他们有力的臂膀上的闪光，

if I shall spread a rainbow over his disastrous⁹ set of sun; then against all mortal critics bear me out in it, thou just Spirit of Equality, which hast spread one royal mantle¹⁰ of humanity over all my kind!  写到彩虹一样的五彩之路接续了他们充满厄运的命运之路…万能的上帝啊，拯救我于迷途吧！ 

1 abounding   

adj.丰富的，大量的v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Ahead lay the scalloped ocean and the abounding blessed isles. 再往前是水波荡漾的海洋和星罗棋布的宝岛。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比
• The metallic curve of his sheep-crook shone silver-bright in the same abounding rays. 他那弯柄牧羊杖上的金属曲线也在这一片炽盛的火光下闪着银亮的光。 来自辞典例句

2 wields   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的第三人称单数 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• She wields enormous power within the party. 她操纵着党内大权。
• He remains chairman, but wields little power at the company. 他还是主席，但在公司没有什么实权了。

3 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

4 circumference   

n.圆周，周长，圆周线

参考例句：

• It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。
• The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

5 mariners   

海员，水手（mariner的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Mariners were also able to fix their latitude by using an instrument called astrolabe. 海员们还可使用星盘这种仪器确定纬度。
• The ancient mariners traversed the sea. 古代的海员漂洋过海。

6 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

7 abased   

使谦卑( abase的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到羞耻； 使降低（地位、身份等）； 降下

参考例句：

• His moral force was abased into more than childish weakness. 他的精神力量已经衰颓，低得不如孩子。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
• He is self-abased because of unluck he meets with. 他因遭不幸而自卑。

8 exalted   

adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的

参考例句：

• Their loveliness and holiness in accordance with their exalted station.他们的美丽和圣洁也与他们的崇高地位相称。
• He received respect because he was a person of exalted rank.他因为是个地位崇高的人而受到尊敬。

9 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

10 mantle   

n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红

参考例句：

• The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green.大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
• The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow.山上覆盖着一层雪。