The Sad Shepherd

There was a man whom Sorrow named his friend,
And he, of his high comrade Sorrow dreaming,
Went walking with slow steps along the gleaming
And humming sands, where windy surges wend:
And he called loudly to the stars to bend
From their pale thrones and comfort him, but they
Among themselves laugh on and sing alway:
And then the man whom Sorrow named his friend
Cried out, Dim sea, hear my most piteous story!
The sea swept on and cried her old cry still,
Rolling along in dreams from hill to hill.
He fled the persecution of her glory
And, in a far-off, gentle valley stopping,
Cried all his story to the dewdrops glistening.
But naught they heard, for they are always listening,
The dewdrops, for the sound of their own dropping.
And then the man whom Sorrow named his friend
Sought once again the shore, and found a shell,
And thought, I will my heavy story tell
Till my own words, re-echoing, shall send
Their sadness through a hollow, pearly heart;
And my own tale again for me shall sing,
And my own whispering words be comforting,
And lo! my ancient burden may depart.
Then he sang softly nigh the pearly rim;
But the sad dweller by the sea-ways lone
Changed all he sang to inarticulate moan
Among her wildering whirls, forgetting him.

悲哀的牧人

有一人被“哀愁”点名当做了朋友，
他，梦想着“哀愁”，那高贵的伙伴，
沿着那光闪闪、潮声隆隆的沙滩
慢步行走，那里有风浪在巡游。
他朝着群星大声呼喊，求它们
从银色宝座上俯身来安慰他，可
它们自顾自不断地大笑和唱歌。
于是那被“哀愁”当朋友的人
哭喊：沧海啊，请听我悲惨的故事！
大海汹涌，喊着她古老的嘶喊，
睡梦中翻滚过一个又一个山峦。
他从她的壮美的折磨下逃离，
到一处遥远、温柔的山谷中驻停，
向晶莹的露珠把全部的故事哭诉。
可它们什么也没听见，因为露珠
永远在倾听自身滴落的声音。
于是那被“哀愁”当朋友的人
又回到海滩去，找到一只空螺，
思忖：我要把沉痛的故事述说，
直到我自己的话语，再度回音，
把悲哀送过空洞、珠润的心底；
我自己的故事重新为我讴歌；
我自己的低语令人感到慰藉；
看哪！我古老的重负就可以脱离。
于是他对着珠润的螺唇轻唱；
可是那孤寂海边悲哀的居民
在她那迷人的螺旋中把他的歌声
都变成了模糊的呻吟，把他遗忘。

傅浩　译

附

And he, / of his high comrade Sorrow / dreaming

persecution: oppression for the holding of a belief or opinion. 更接近于迫害。

维护者注——

此诗作于1885年，最初发表于《都柏林大学评论》（1886年10月），题为《最悲惨者》

叶芝诗集（增订本） 2018 ——