美国语文第六册 第79期:三个警告(2)

 　　Yet, calling up a serious look, 然而，他回忆起那严肃的目光，

　　His hourglass trembled while he spoke¹: 在说话时他的沙漏颤抖个不停：

　　"Neighbor," he said, "farewell!  “邻居，”他说，“再见，死神

　　no more shall Death disturb your mirthful hour; 不会再来打扰你愉快的时光了；

　　And further, to avoid all blame of cruelty upon my name, 再者，为了避免对我名声所有残忍的指责，

　　To give you time for preparation, 给你时间做准备，

　　And fit you for your future station, 好在将来收你上天堂，

　　Three several warnings you shall have 在召你进坟墓前，

　　Before you're summoned to the grave; 有三个警告要告诉你；

　　Willing for once I'll quit my prey², and grant a kind reprieve³; 之所以答应暂缓

　　In hopes you'll have no more to say, but, when I call again this way, 是希望你毫无怨言，但是当我再来唤你时，

　　Well pleased the world will leave." 希望你高高兴兴于这个世界别过。”

　　To these conditions both consented, 待你对这些都满意，

　　And parted perfectly⁴ contented⁵. 就会心满意足地永诀。

　　What next the hero of our tale befell, 接下来，我们故事中的英雄，

　　How long he lived, how wisely, and how well, 活了很久，非常明智又快活，

　　It boots not that the Muse⁶ should tell; 连诗神缪斯也无法形容；

　　He plowed⁷, he sowed, he bought, he sold, 他耕种，他买卖，

　　Nor once perceived his growing old, 没有察觉到自己渐渐老去，

　　Nor thought of Death as near; 也没想到死神就在近旁；

　　His friends not false, his wife no shrew, 他的朋友没有过错，他的妻子也体贴温柔，

　　Many his gains, his children few, 他挣得很多，可孩子花得很少，

　　He passed his hours in peace. 他在平静祥和中度日。

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

3 reprieve   

n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解

参考例句：

• He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
• The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。

4 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

5 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

6 muse   

n.缪斯（希腊神话中的女神），创作灵感

参考例句：

• His muse had deserted him,and he could no longer write.他已无灵感，不能再写作了。
• Many of the papers muse on the fate of the President.很多报纸都在揣测总统的命运。

7 plowed   

v.耕( plow的过去式和过去分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过

参考例句：

• They plowed nearly 100,000 acres of virgin moorland. 他们犁了将近10万英亩未开垦的高沼地。 来自辞典例句
• He plowed the land and then sowed the seeds. 他先翻土，然后播种。 来自辞典例句