美國語文第五冊 第55期：公正不會缺席（03）
But the industrious mother of helpless and depending children, far from the reach of human charity, has none of these to console her.
然而，這位勤勞無助而依賴孩子的母親，遠離人間行善，亦未曾接受任何仁慈，以安慰她那顆飽經(jīng)蒼涼的心。
And such a one was the widow of the Pine Cottage;
一位松樹木屋里的寡母，
but as she bent over the fire, and took up the last scanty remnant of food to spread before her children, her spirits seemed to brighten up,
當她彎身從火堆里拿出家里僅存的食物，分給面前嗷嗷待哺的孩子，她的心情似乎略微輕松，
as by some sudden and mysterious impulse, and Cowper's beautiful lines came uncalled across her mind:
仿佛某種突如其來的神秘感召，庫柏的優(yōu)美詩句驀然在她的心頭響起：
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense.
不要用你微弱感知判斷上帝，
But trust him for his grace; Behind a frowning Providence, he hides a smiling face.
相信他的寬宏慈悲，一個蹙眉的上帝身后，它藏匿了自己笑臉。
The smoked herring was scarcely laid upon the table,
煙熏的鯡魚剛剛放到桌上，
when a gentle rap at the door, and the loud barking of a dog, attracted the attention of the family.
門上響起輕輕的叩門聲，狗的大聲吠叫，吸引了全家人目光。
The children flew to open it, and a weary traveler, in tattered garments and in apparently indifferent health; entered,
孩子們飛快跑過去打開門，一位衣著襤褸的過路人走進屋，他面色疲憊，神情淡然，
and begged a lodging and a mouthful of food.
祈求主人能否給他安頓住處，再給他點吃的東西。
Said he: "It is now twenty-four hour's since I tasted bread."
他說，“我已經(jīng)一天一夜沒吃一點東西了。”
The widow's heart bled anew, as under a fresh complication of distresses; for her sympathies lingered not around her fireside.
那位母親的心突然又揪痛起來，新的困厄到來更是雪上加霜；畢竟，她的同情心不會讓她無動于衷地坐在火堆邊，
She hesitated not even now; rest, and a share of all she had, she proffered to the stranger.
哪怕現(xiàn)在，也不會猶豫不決。她請陌生人和全家一起分享食物。
"We shall not be forsaken," said she, "or suffer deeper for an act of charity."
她對他說，“哪怕付出的善行再小，我們亦不該被上帝拋棄或者遭難更多。”
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