VIII

八

So we reveal our status

因此我们用双角、圆盘

with twin-horns, disk, erect serpent,

用直立的蛇来显示我们的地位，

though these or the double-plume or lotus

尽管这些东西，还有双羽，莲花， 11

are, you now tell us, trivial

你现在告诉我们，都是

intellectual adornment;

无甚足道的知识残渣；

poets are useless,

诗人是无用之物，

more than that,

不仅如此，

we, authentic relic,

我们，可靠的文物，

bearers of the secret wisdom,

神秘智慧的肩负者，

living remnant

是内殿乐队

of the inner band

和圣殿开创者中

of the sanctuaries' initiate,

仅存着的活人，

are not only 'non-utilitarian',

我们不仅“不实用”，

we are 'pathetic':

而且是“多愁善感”：

this is the new heresy;

这就是时髦的邪说，

but if you do not even understand what words say,

如果你根本不懂文字的意义，

how can you expect to pass judgement

你又怎么能判断

on what words conceal?

文字隐藏着什么？

yet the ancient rubrics reveal that

而古代的红字标题显示

we are back at the beginning:

我们又回到了初始：

you have a long way to go,

你还有很长的路，

walk carefully, peak politely

走路要小心，对那些

to those who have done their worm-cycle,

刚结束蛆虫期的人说话要客气，

for gods have been smashed before

因为众神早已被击碎，

and idols and their secret is stored

偶像与偶像的秘密

in man's very speech,

已储存在人的每句话里，

in the trivial or

在琐碎不足道的

the real dream; insignia

或真实的梦里；徽章

in the heron's crest,

在苍鹭的冠中，

the asp's back,

在毒蛇的背上，

enigmas, rubrics promise as before,

谜语，正如红字标题所承诺

protection for the scribe;

不会被誊抄者写错；

he takes precedence of the priest,

走在祭司之前的人，

stands second only to the Pharaoh.

地位仅次于法老。