精美英文欣赏:河之歌

The Song of the River

河之歌

You hear it all along the river.

沿河上下都可以听见那歌声。

You hear it, loud and strong, from the rowers as they urge the junk with its high stern, the mast lashed¹ alongside, down the swift running stream.

它响亮而有力，那是船夫，他们划着木船顺流向下，船尾翘得很高，桅杆系在船边。

You hear it from the trackers, a more breathless chant, as they pull desperately² against the current,

它也可能是比较急促的号子，那是纤夫，他们拉纤逆流而上。

half a dozen of them perhaps if they are taking up wupan, a couple of hundred if they are hauling a splendid junk, its square sail set, over a rapid.

如果拉的是小木船，也许就只五六个人；如果拉的是扬着横帆的大船过急滩，那就要200来人。

On the junk, a man stands amidships beating a drum incessantly³ to guide their efforts,

船中央站着一个汉子不停地击鼓助威，引导他们加劲。

and they pull with all their strength, like men possessed⁴, bent⁵ double;

于是他们使出全部力量，像着了魔似的，腰弯成两折，

and sometimes in the extremity⁶ of their travail⁷ they craw on the ground, on all fours, like the beasts of the field.

有时力量用到极限就全身趴在地上匍匐前进，像田里的牲口。

They strain, strain fiercely, against the pitiless might of the stream.

他们使劲，拼命使劲，对抗着水流无情的威力。

The leader goes up and down the line and when he sees one who is not putting all his will into the task he brings down his split bamboo on the naked back.

领头的在纤绳前后跑来跑去，见到有人没有全力以赴，竹板就打在他光着的背上。

Each one must do his utmost or the labour of all is vain.

每个人都必须竭尽全力，否则就要前功尽弃。

And still they sing a vehement⁸, eager chant, the chant of the turbulent waters.

就这样他们还是唱着激昂而热切的号子，那汹涌澎湃的河水号子。

I do not know how words can describe what there is in it of effort.

我不知道词语怎样能描写出其中所包括的拼搏，

It serves to express the straining heart, the breaking muscles, and at the same time the indomitable spirit of man which overcomes the pitiless force of nature.

它表现的是绷紧的心弦，几乎要断裂的筋肉，同时也表现了人类克服无情的自然力的顽强精神。

Though the rope may part and the great junk swing back, in the end the rapid will be passed;

虽然绳子可能扯断，大船可能倒退，但最终险滩必将通过，

and at the close of the weary day there is the hearty⁹ meal...

在筋疲力尽的一天结束时可以痛快地吃上一顿饱饭…

But the most agonizing¹⁰ song is the song of the coolies who bring the great bales from the junk up the steep steps to the town wall.

然而最令人难受的却是苦力的歌，他们背负着船上卸下的大包，沿着陡坡爬上城墙。

Up and down they go, endlessly, and endless as their toil¹¹ rises their rhythmic¹² cry.

他们不停地上上下下，随着无尽的劳动响起有节奏的喊声：

He, aw --ah, oh. They are barefoot and naked to the waist.

嗨，呦——嗬，嗨。他们赤着脚，光着背，汗水不断地从脸上流下。

The sweat pours down their faces and their song is a groan¹³ of pain. It is a sigh of despair.

他们的歌是痛苦的呻吟，失望的叹息，

It is heart-rending.

听来令人心碎，

It is hardly human.

简直不像是人的声音。

It is the cry of souls in infinite distress¹⁴, only just musical, and that last note is the ultimate sob¹⁵ of humanity.

它是灵魂在无尽悲戚中的呼喊，只不过有着音乐的节奏而已。那终了的一声简直就是人性泯灭的低泣。

Life is too hard, too cruel, and this is the final despairing protest.

生活太过于艰难、太残酷，这喊声正是最后绝望的抗议。

That is the song of the river.

这就是河之歌。

1 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

3 incessantly   

ad.不停地

参考例句：

• The machines roar incessantly during the hours of daylight. 机器在白天隆隆地响个不停。
• It rained incessantly for the whole two weeks. 雨不间断地下了整整两个星期。

4 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

5 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

6 extremity   

n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度

参考例句：

• I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
• What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？

7 travail   

n.阵痛；努力

参考例句：

• Mothers know the travail of giving birth to a child.母亲们了解分娩时的痛苦。
• He gained the medal through his painful travail.他通过艰辛的努力获得了奖牌。

8 vehement   

adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的

参考例句：

• She made a vehement attack on the government's policies.她强烈谴责政府的政策。
• His proposal met with vehement opposition.他的倡导遭到了激烈的反对。

9 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

10 agonizing   

adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式)

参考例句：

• I spent days agonizing over whether to take the job or not. 我用了好些天苦苦思考是否接受这个工作。
• his father's agonizing death 他父亲极度痛苦的死

11 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

12 rhythmic   

adj.有节奏的，有韵律的

参考例句：

• Her breathing became more rhythmic.她的呼吸变得更有规律了。
• Good breathing is slow,rhythmic and deep.健康的呼吸方式缓慢深沉而有节奏。

13 groan   

vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音

参考例句：

• The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
• The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。

14 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

15 sob   

n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣

参考例句：

• The child started to sob when he couldn't find his mother.孩子因找不到他妈妈哭了起来。
• The girl didn't answer,but continued to sob with her head on the table.那个女孩不回答，也不抬起头来。她只顾低声哭着。