美國語文第六冊 第125期:伍爾西大主教的垮臺(1)
(莎士比亞《亨利八世》第三幕第二場)
Wolsey says: Farewell! a long farewell, to all my greatness!
伍爾西說道：再見!永別了，我全部的宏偉事業(yè)。
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hopes;
世間之事就是這樣：一個人今天生出了希望的嫩葉;
to-morrow blossoms, And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;
第二天開了花，開滿了鮮艷的榮譽的花朵;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
第三天霜凍出現(xiàn)了，那是致命的霜凍;
And, when he thinks, good, easy man, full surely His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root, And then he falls, as I do.
而這位容易輕信的好人還蠻有把握，以為他的宏偉事業(yè)正在成熟;不料霜凍正在咬噬他的根，接著和我一樣，他就倒下了。
I have ventured, Like little, wanton boys that swim on bladders, This many summers in a sea of glory, But far beyond my depth:
我也冒過險，仿佛綁著豬尿泡游泳的頑皮孩子，多少年的夏天在光榮的大海上，游到了我力所不及的深處：
my high-blown pride At length broke under me,
我那鼓脹的虛榮終于爆破了，
and now has left me, Weary and old with service, to the mercy Of a rude stream, that must forever hide me.
現(xiàn)在留給我的，是一個疲憊衰老的身軀，任憑狂濤擺布，把我永遠(yuǎn)埋葬那里。
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye: I feel my heart new open'd.
這個世界的浮名虛榮，我恨你;我覺得我的心好像剛被人割了一刀。
Oh, how wretched Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favors!
啊，多么可憐啊!依靠帝王的庇蔭而生存的人!
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to, That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
在我們所企望看到的帝王的笑臉和帝王可能加在我們身上的毀滅之間，存在著多少苦痛和恐懼啊，
More pangs and fears than wars or women have:
遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超過戰(zhàn)爭和婦人所導(dǎo)致的后果。
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer, Never to hope again.
他一旦失敗，就像撒旦一樣，萬劫不復(fù)。
