美國語文第三冊 第45期：輕聲說話
Speak gently; it is better far
請輕聲說話，
To rule by love than fear:
愛的力量勝于恐懼的統(tǒng)治；
Speak gently; let no harsh words mar
請輕聲說話，
The good we might do here.
勿讓刺耳之語成為美德的瑕疵。
Speak gently to the little child;
請對小朋友輕聲說話，
Its love be sure to gain;
無疑你將得到他們的愛；
Teach it in accents soft and mild;
教導(dǎo)的音調(diào)宜溫柔文雅，
It may not long remain.
否則愛就不再存留。
Speak gently to the aged one;
請對長者輕聲說話，
Grieve not the care worn heart:
飽經(jīng)憂患的心不應(yīng)再感悲傷；
The sands of life are nearly run;
生命的沙漏即將停下，
Let such in peace depart.
讓他們平靜離場。
Speak gently, kindly, to the poor;
請對窮苦之人輕聲和藹說話，
Let no harsh tone be heard;
不讓他們聽到嚴(yán)苛的音調(diào)；
They have enough they must endure,
他們?nèi)淌艿目嚯y已夠巨大，
Without an unkind word.
即使一個(gè)刻薄的字眼也不曾聽到。
Speak gently to the erring; know
即使沒有無情的話語，
They must have toiled in vain;
他們要忍受的苦難也已夠多。
Perhaps unkindness made them so;
也許就是無情的對待讓他們把過錯(cuò)犯下，
Oh, win them back again.
噢，把他們再爭取回來吧。
Speak gently: it is a little thing
請輕聲說話，
Dropped in the heart's deep well;
這微不足道卻能深入人心，
The good, the joy, which it may bring,
它可能激發(fā)美德，創(chuàng)造歡樂，
Eternity shall tell.
直到永恒不竭不盡。
(George Washington Langford)
（喬治.華盛頓.蘭福德）
