美國語文第五冊 第56期：公正不會缺席（04）
The traveler drew near the board, but when he saw the scanty fare,
那位來客走近桌子，看見桌上那丁點食物，
he raised his eyes toward heaven with astonishment: "And is this all your store?" said he;
他仰起頭驚訝地問，“所有食物就這些？
and a share of this do you offer to one you know not? then never saw I charity before!
難道你還愿意與陌生人分享？這是我未曾見過的慈悲！
But, madam, said he, continuing, "do you not wrong your children by giving a part of your last mouthful to a stranger?"
不過，夫人，他說，“給陌生人哪怕一口吃的，難道不委屈你的孩子們嗎？”
"Ah," said the poor widow—and the tear-drops gushed into her eyes as she said it
“哎，”那位寡母嘆了口氣，淚如泉涌，
I have a boy, a darling son, somewhere on the face of the wide world,
我有個兒子，伶俐可愛，他現(xiàn)在一定還活在這世上某個地方。
unless Heaven has taken him away, and I only act toward you as I would that others should act toward him.
只有圣父才能將他帶走，我為你做這點事，就是指望別人亦能這樣善待他。
God, who sent manna from heaven, can provide for us as he did for Israel;
我的上帝，誰能從天上為我們孤兒寡母帶回他的恩賜，就像他當(dāng)年賜予以色列人那樣？
and how should I this night offend him, if my son should be a wanderer, destitute as you,
假如我的孩子也在流浪，和你一樣無助無望，他也該有個地方可以過夜，風(fēng)寒抵御，
and he should have provided for him a home, even poor as this, were I to turn you unrelieved away!
哪怕和我們這間小屋如此簡陋，如果我拒絕落難中的你，我怎能指望別人亦能為他做點什么！
The widow ended, and the stranger, springing from his seat, clasped her in his arms.
那位寡母剛說完，陌生人“騰”地一聲站起，將她攬進(jìn)懷里，
God indeed has provided your son a home, and has given him wealth to reward the goodness of his benefactress: my mother! oh, my mother!
上帝確實為你的兒子準(zhǔn)備了住所，并且賜予他財富，以報答母親的養(yǎng)育之恩，媽媽！噢，我的媽媽！
It was her long lost son, returned to her bosom from the Indies.
原來，這位陌生人正是寡婦失去音訊很久的兒子。他剛從印度群島返回，
He had chosen that disguise that he might the more completely surprise his family;
原本想給全家一個驚喜，才裝扮成過路人進(jìn)屋打聽。
and never was surprise more perfect, or followed by a sweeter cup of joy.
這真是讓全家人意想不到的天大驚喜，隨后，狹小木屋頓時變成一片歡樂的海洋。
