英语听书《白鲸记》第346期

 If, then, to meanest mariners¹, and renegades and castaways, I shall hereafter ascribe high qualities, though dark; weave round them tragic² graces;  那么,如果我以后将把高尚的品质(虽然并不明显)归之于那些最卑贱的水手。背教者和被摒弃者;

if even the most mournful, perchance the most abased³, among them all, shall at times lift himself to the exalted⁴ mounts;  环绕着他们编织出一些悲剧人物来;如果即使在他们中间有最令人悲伤的,或者是最下贱的人,会时时自我跃升到绝顶的高峰;

if I shall touch that workman's arm with some ethereal light;  如果我将以一种灵光去渲染工人的胳臂;

if I shall spread a rainbow over his disastrous⁵ set of sun;  如果我将把一片虹彩铺盖在他们那夕阳西沉似的恶运上;

then against all mortal critics bear me out in it, thou just Spirit of Equality, which hast spread one royal mantle⁶ of humanity over all my kind!  那么你这公正的平等之神呀,你既然把人道的法衣铺盖在我们这些人的头上,就请你不顾人间一切批评,把我拯救出来吧!

Bear me out in it, thou great democratic God! who didst not refuse to the swart convict, Bunyan, the pale, poetic⁷ pearl;  请把我拯救出来吧,你这伟大的民主之神呀!你对那个脸色发青,诗人的精英,重犯班扬,都没有撒手不理;

Thou who didst clothe with doubly hammered leaves of finest gold, the stumped⁸ and paupered arm of old Cervantes; Thou who didst pick up Andrew Jackson from the pebbles⁹;  你这个用加倍力气。炼打出纯金叶去包着塞万提斯老头那只断臂的人;你这个把安德鲁。

who didst hurl¹⁰ him upon a war-horse; who didst thunder him higher than a throne!  杰克逊从卵石上捡起来,把他抛上战马,捧上十三层天的人呵!

Thou who, in all Thy mighty¹¹, earthly marchings, ever cullest Thy selectest champions from the kingly commoners; bear me out in it, O God! 你这个施用你的全能,从王侯群中把那些行尸走肉,永被淘汰的人都挑选出来当勇士的人呵;请把我拯救出来吧,上帝呵!

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 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。

7 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

8 stumped   

僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说

参考例句：

• Jack huffed himself up and stumped out of the room. 杰克气喘吁吁地干完活，然后很艰难地走出房间。
• He was stumped by the questions and remained tongue-tied for a good while. 他被问得张口结舌，半天说不出话来。

9 pebbles   

[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
• Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

10 hurl   

vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂

参考例句：

• The best cure for unhappiness is to hurl yourself into your work.医治愁苦的最好办法就是全身心地投入工作。
• To hurl abuse is no way to fight.谩骂决不是战斗。

11 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。