希望 HOPE——by Emily Bronte

H o p e

希 望

by Emily Bronte

艾米莉·勃朗特

Hope was but a timid friend;

She sat without the grated den,

Watching how my fate would tend,

Even as selfish-hearted men.

希望只是个羞怯的友伴——

她坐在我的囚牢之外，

以自私者的冷眼旁观

观察我的命运的好歹。

She was cruel in her fear;

Through the bars one weary day,

I looked out to see her there,

And she turned her face away!

她因胆怯而如此冷酷。

郁闷的一天，我透过铁栏，

想看到我的希望的面目，

却见她立即背转了脸！

Like a false guard, false watch keeping,

Still in strife, she whispered peace;

She would sing while I was weeping,

If I listened, she would cease.

像一个假看守在假意监视，

一面敌对一面又暗示和平；

当我哀泣时她吟唱歌词，

当我静听她却噤口无声。

False she was, and unrelenting;

When my last joys strewed the ground,

Even Sorrow saw, repenting,

Those sad relics scattered round;

她心如铁石而且虚假。

当我最后的欢乐落英遍地，

见此悲惨的遗物四处抛撒

就连“哀愁”也遗憾不已；

Hope, whose whisper would have given

Balm to all my frenzied pain,

Stretched her wings, and soared to heaven,

Went, and ne'er returned again!

而希望，她本来能悄悄耳语

为痛苦欲狂者搽膏止痛，——

却伸展双翼向天堂飞去，

一去不回，从此不见影踪。