一．

I

我对众神知之甚少；但我想这条河

I do not know much about gods; but I think that the river

就是一尊孔武骄傲的神——易怒，粗野不羁，

Is a strong brown god—sullen, untamed and intractable,

耐心有限，最初被作为一条边界；

Patient to some degree, at first recognised as a frontier;

实用，但不值得信赖，作为本地贸易的搬运工；

Useful, untrustworthy, as a conveyor of commerce;

桥梁建造者所必须面对的唯一麻烦制造者。

Then only a problem confronting the builder of bridges.

麻烦一旦被征服，这尊骄傲的大神一度

The problem once solved, the brown god is almost forgotten

被城里的居民遗忘——但是，它却一度不肯安歇，

By the dwellers in cities—ever, however, implacable.

持续着它的习性和怒气，作为一个破坏者，一个

Keeping his seasons and rages, destroyer, reminder

人们巴不得忘记的那些历史的提示者。得不到

Of what men choose to forget. Unhonoured, unpropitiated

机器崇拜者们的尊崇和供奉，它等待着，观望着，等待着。

By worshippers of the machine, but waiting, watching and waiting.

它的节律曾出现在托儿所的卧室里，

His rhythm was present in the nursery bedroom,

出现在四月庭院里茂盛的臭椿树里，

In the rank ailanthus of the April dooryard,

在秋天餐桌上葡萄的气味中，

In the smell of grapes on the autumn table,

在冬日夜晚煤气灯下的光圈里。

And the evening circle in the winter gaslight.

河流在我们中间，大海则环绕在我们四周；

    The river is within us, the sea is all about us;

海也是大地的边缘，它的波浪

The sea is the land's edge also, the granite

冲进岸边的花岗岩，把早先的和现在的

Into which it reaches, the beaches where it tosses

造物的象征抛了上来：

Its hints of earlier and other creation:

海星，鲎鱼，鲸鱼的脊骨；

The starfish, the horseshoe crab, the whale's backbone;

海边的水潭里，留给我们好奇心的是

The pools where it offers to our curiosity

更纤巧的海藻和海葵。

The more delicate algae and the sea anemone.

它抛起我们遗弃之物，撕烂的渔网，

It tosses up our losses, the torn seine,

破碎的捕虾篓，折断的船桨，

The shattered lobsterpot, the broken oar

和异域死者的衣物。大海有很多种声音，

And the gear of foreign dead men. The sea has many voices,

很多种神明，很多种声音。

Many gods and many voices.

　　　　　　　　　海盐凝结在石楠花上，

                                              The salt is on the briar rose,

The fog is in the fir trees.

雾霭弥漫在冷杉林中。

                                        The sea howl

大海呼号

And the sea yelp, are different voices

大海狂吠，都是不同的声音

Often together heard: the whine in the rigging,

常常被同时听到：帆索的哀鸣，

The menace and caress of wave that breaks on water,

波涛翻滚在海面上的威吓与爱抚，

The distant rote in the granite teeth,

远处花岗岩齿缝中的拍击声，

And the wailing warning from the approaching headland

以及逼近的海岬上聚集的呼号和警报

Are all sea voices, and the heaving groaner

都是大海的声音，是归途中

Rounded homewards, and the seagull:

起伏的叹息。而海鸥是：

And under the oppression of the silent fog

在沉默的雾气的压迫下

The tolling bell

鸣叫的钟——

Measures time not our time, rung by the unhurried

被不紧不慢地起伏的波涛所敲响，它所测量时间

Ground swell, a time

不是我们的时间，一种

Older than the time of chronometers, older

比计时器中的时间更古老的时间；一种

Than time counted by anxious worried women

比妇人们焦虑不安地计算着的时间更古老的时间，

Lying awake, calculating the future,

她们夜不成寐，计算未来，

Trying to unweave, unwind, unravel

试图把过去与未来拆开，松开，解开，

And piece together the past and the future,

再重新拼凑起来。

Between midnight and dawn, when the past is all deception,

在午夜与黎明之间，当过去成为一场欺骗，

The future futureless, before the morning watch

未来没有未来，在黎明守望之前

When time stops and time is never ending;

时间停住，而又永无终点；

And the ground swell, that is and was from the beginning,

波涛起伏，不论过去还是现在，都始于起点，

Clangs

钟声

The bell.

轰鸣。

II

二．

Where is there an end of it, the soundless wailing,

在那无声的哀号停歇的地方，

The silent withering of autumn flowers

沉默枯萎的秋日玫瑰

Dropping their petals and remaining motionless;

抖落花瓣，静默不动，

Where is there an end to the drifting wreckage,

在飘荡的海难残骸消失的地方，

The prayer of the bone on the beach, the unprayable

是为岸边尸骨的祈祷，那不幸的

Prayer at the calamitous annunciation?

天使报喜节上的不可祈祷的祈祷？

没有终点，只有不断的增加：接踵而来的

    There is no end, but addition: the trailing

时日所产出的绵延的结果。

Consequence of further days and hours,

在这时日中，因多年生活于破败中

While emotion takes to itself the emotionless

感情，曾是最可靠的信仰，

Years of living among the breakage

最终把自己带向无情，

Of what was believed in as the most reliable—

因而变成最应该放弃的。

And therefore the fittest for renunciation.

最后增加上来的，是被挫败的

骄傲和因失去力量而心生怨恨，

    There is the final addition, the failing

是因无所归属而可能被忽略的虔诚，

Pride or resentment at failing powers,

是在一个飘荡的破漏的船只里

The unattached devotion which might pass for devotionless,

沉默地忍受上一个天使报喜节里

In a drifting boat with a slow leakage,

无法拒绝的喧闹的钟声。

The silent listening to the undeniable

Clamour of the bell of the last annunciation.

哪里是渔夫们的归宿？他们驶入

风的尾端，雾在那里开始退去。

    Where is the end of them, the fishermen sailing

我们无法想象一个没有海洋的时代，

Into the wind's tail, where the fog cowers?

或者一个没有漂着废弃物的大海，

We cannot think of a time that is oceanless

或者一个没有指望的未来，

Or of an ocean not littered with wastage

像过去一样，没有目的地。

Or of a future that is not liable

当东北风减弱，吹过一直没有变化、

Like the past, to have no destination.

未被侵蚀的浅堤，我们不得不想象他们

一如既往地戽水，布网，拉网，

    We have to think of them as forever bailing,

或者领取卖鱼钱，在坞口晾晒船帆，

Setting and hauling, while the North East lowers

而不应该想象他们会有一次毫无收获的出海，

Over shallow banks unchanging and erosionless

或者捞起经不起称量的一网。

Or drawing their money, drying sails at dockage;

Not as making a trip that will be unpayable

这无声的哀号，没完没了，

For a haul that will not bear examination.

凋谢的花，也落个没完，

不痛也不动的痛苦的运动，没有终了，

    There is no end of it, the voiceless wailing,

大海的漂移，残留物的飘荡，也没有终了，

No end to the withering of withered flowers,

尸骨向死神——它的上帝的祈祷，永无终了。只有天使报喜日

To the movement of pain that is painless and motionless,

那艰难的、无望的祈祷。

To the drift of the sea and the drifting wreckage,

似乎，当一个人变老，

The bone's prayer to Death its God. Only the hardly, barely prayable

他的过去就会变成另一番模样，不再只是一个事件序列，

Prayer of the one Annunciation.

甚至不是发展：在肤浅的进化论的

鼓舞下，最近积累起来的偏见谬误，

    It seems, as one becomes older,

按照流行的观念，变成一种否认过去的方式。

That the past has another pattern, and ceases to be a mere sequence—

幸福的时刻——不是感觉良好，

Or even development: the latter a partial fallacy

成就与富足，安全或情爱，

Encouraged by superficial notions of evolution,

甚至不是一席欢宴，而是突降的天启——

Which becomes, in the popular mind, a means of disowning the past.

我们曾拥有经验，但却遗失了其意义，

The moments of happiness—not the sense of well-being,

而对意义的接近修复了经验，

Fruition, fulfilment, security or affection,

并以另一种形式，超越了意义，

Or even a very good dinner, but the sudden illumination—

我们被指派给幸福。正如我之前所说

We had the experience but missed the meaning,

在意义中苏醒的经验，

And approach to the meaning restores the experience

不只是一个人的经验，

In a different form, beyond any meaning

而属于很多代人——不要忘记

We can assign to happiness. I have said before

有些事也许不必说出：

That the past experience revived in the meaning

偷偷翻看那被确信的历史记录

Is not the experience of one life only

的背后，或向身后投去一半目光，

But of many generations—not forgetting

朝着那原始的恐惧。

Something that is probably quite ineffable:

现在，我们开始发现这些痛苦时刻

The backward look behind the assurance

（它是否来自于——因为误解——

Of recorded history, the backward half-look

对不善之物的向往，或是对不善之物的恐惧，

Over the shoulder, towards the primitive terror.

都无关紧要）像时间中的永恒一样

Now, we come to discover that the moments of agony

永久恒常。在他人（而不是我们）的痛苦中

(Whether, or not, due to misunderstanding,

——我们被卷入其中，如同亲身经历——

Having hoped for the wrong things or dreaded the wrong things,

我们更能认识到这一点。

Is not in question) are likewise permanent

因为我们自己的过去被当前的行动所遮盖，

With such permanence as time has. We appreciate this better

而他人的苦痛对我们而言始终是鲜活的经验，

In the agony of others, nearly experienced,

绝对的存在，未被苦难之后的事物所磨损。

Involving ourselves, than in our own.

人们变化，微笑：而痛苦恒在。

For our own past is covered by the currents of action,

时间作为破坏者，亦是事物的保存者，

But the torment of others remains an experience

就像河流载着它的货物：死去的黑人，牛和鸡笼，

Unqualified, unworn by subsequent attrition.

就像被咬过的苹果，和苹果上的咬痕。

People change, and smile: but the agony abides.

不息的流水中褴褛的石头，

Time the destroyer is time the preserver,

波浪冲刷它，浓雾锁住它，

Like the river with its cargo of dead negroes, cows and chicken coops,

在平静的日子里，它只是一块纪念碑，

The bitter apple, and the bite in the apple.

在适宜出航的天气里，它永远是一个航标

And the ragged rock in the restless waters,

指引航线，但在阴沉暗淡的季节，

Waves wash over it, fogs conceal it;

或陷入狂怒时，它又恢复了本来面目。

On a halcyon day it is merely a monument,

In navigable weather it is always a seamark

To lay a course by: but in the sombre season

三．

Or the sudden fury, is what it always was.

我有时会想这是否就是克利什那神的寓意——

在其他事物中——或同一事物的另一个说法：

III

未来是一支渐行渐远的歌，一朵皇室玫瑰，或一抹

为还未来此表达悔恨的人而留下的遗憾，——像一支薰衣草

I sometimes wonder if that is what Krishna meant—

被压在从未打开的发黄的书页间。

Among other things—or one way of putting the same thing:

上升之路也是下降之路，向前之路也是向后之路。

That the future is a faded song, a Royal Rose or a lavender spray

面对时间，你很难镇定从容，但这件事是确定无疑的，

Of wistful regret for those who are not yet here to regret,

时间不是一个治疗师：病人早已不知所终。

Pressed between yellow leaves of a book that has never been opened.

当火车开动，乘客们安顿下来，

And the way up is the way down, the way forward is the way back.

开始品尝水果，阅读期刊或商业信件，

You cannot face it steadily, but this thing is sure,

（站台上送行的人也已离开）

That time is no healer: the patient is no longer here.

随着漫长的催人入睡的节奏，

When the train starts, and the passengers are settled

他们的脸从悲伤中放松下来。

To fruit, periodicals and business letters

向前吧，旅途中的人们！不要从过去

(And those who saw them off have left the platform)

逃向不同的生活，也不要进入任何未来；

Their faces relax from grief into relief,

当变窄的轨道飞速地滑向你身后，

To the sleepy rhythm of a hundred hours.

你已经不是离开车站时的那个人，

Fare forward, travellers! not escaping from the past

也不是将要到达某个终点站的那个人；

Into different lives, or into any future;

凝望着你身后不断加宽的犁沟，

You are not the same people who left that station

你也不应想“过去已经结束”

Or who will arrive at any terminus,

或者“未来在我们前方”。

While the narrowing rails slide together behind you;

夜幕降临，船上的索具和天线中，

And on the deck of the drumming liner

一个声音高声宣布（虽然不是通过时间嗡嗡响的外壳，

Watching the furrow that widens behind you,

和人们的耳朵，也不形之于任何语言）

You shall not think 'the past is finished'

“前行吧，你们这些认为自己在航行的人们；

Or 'the future is before us'.

你们已不是刚才那看着海港消失的人，

At nightfall, in the rigging and the aerial,

已不是那即将登陆的人。

Is a voice descanting (though not to the ear,

这里，刚才的海岸和更远的海岸之间

The murmuring shell of time, and not in any language)

当时间隐退，请用平等的眼光

'Fare forward, you who think that you are voyaging;

看待未来和过往。

You are not those who saw the harbour

在这既无行动也不无行动的时刻

Receding, or those who will disembark.

听一听这个：‘不论一个人专注于

Here between the hither and the farther shore

生存的哪一部分，

While time is withdrawn, consider the future

在死亡的时刻——这是唯一的行动

And the past with an equal mind.

（而且每一刻都是死亡的时刻）

At the moment which is not of action or inaction

它将在别的生命中开花结果：

You can receive this: "on whatever sphere of being

所以不要顾及行动的结果。

The mind of a man may be intent

向前行进吧。’

At the time of death"—that is the one action

　　　　　　　哦，航行者，哦，水手，

(And the time of death is every moment)

Which shall fructify in the lives of others:

你们，来到港口的人们，你们的肉体将

And do not think of the fruit of action.

承受大海的考验和裁决，

Fare forward.

或者不论遭遇何事，这都是你们真正的目的地。”

                      O voyagers, O seamen,

这就是克利什那，就像他在原野的战斗中

You who came to port, and you whose bodies

训诫阿朱那时一样。

Will suffer the trial and judgement of the sea,

Or whatever event, this is your real destination.'

　　　　　　　　　　没有告别，

So Krishna, as when he admonished Arjuna

On the field of battle.

而是前行，航行者们。

                                  Not fare well,

But fare forward, voyagers.

四．

IV

女神，你的神殿立于海岬之上，

请为那些船上的人们祈祷，为那些

Lady, whose shrine stands on the promontory,

以渔业为生的商人们，

Pray for all those who are in ships, those

一切与合法的交通相关的人们

Whose business has to do with fish, and

以及管理交通的人。

Those concerned with every lawful traffic

也请为那些送别儿子或丈夫出海的

And those who conduct them.

妇人送上祈祷，

她还在等他们归来：

    Repeat a prayer also on behalf of

Women who have seen their sons or husbands

天国之后。

Setting forth, and not returning:

也为那些曾经身处海上的人祈祷，

Figlia del tuo figlio,

在沙滩上，大海的嘴唇里，

Queen of Heaven.

或是在那来者不拒的黑暗的喉咙里，

或在大海之钟的永久祈祷声所无法到达的任何地方，

    Also pray for those who were in ships, and

终止了他们的航程。

Ended their voyage on the sand, in the sea's lips

Or in the dark throat which will not reject them

Or wherever cannot reach them the sound of the sea bell's

五．

Perpetual angelus.

与火星沟通，与神灵对话，

报告海妖的所作所为，

V

描绘星相、祭牲内脏或水晶球呈显的预言，

从笔迹中辨认病症，

To communicate with Mars, converse with spirits,

从掌纹里唤起过往人生，

To report the behaviour of the sea monster,

从手指中追忆苦难，

Describe the horoscope, haruspicate or scry,

用卦签或茶叶显示征兆，用纸牌

Observe disease in signatures, evoke

揭开宿命的谜团，摆设五角星的迷局，

Biography from the wrinkles of the palm

搞一搞巴比妥酸，或将

And tragedy from fingers; release omens

轮回的幻象解剖为前意识中的恐惧——

By sortilege, or tea leaves, riddle the inevitable

探索子宫，坟墓或梦境；所有这些

With playing cards, fiddle with pentagrams

都是司空见惯的消遣和迷药，大众媒体的特色：

Or barbituric acids, or dissect

当国家出现危难和困惑不决，

The recurrent image into pre-conscious terrors—

人们的好奇心就去探究过去与未来，

To explore the womb, or tomb, or dreams; all these are usual

并将永远持续，其中的某些尤甚，

Pastimes and drugs, and features of the press:

不论是在亚洲的海岸边，还是在艾奇威尔大街，

And always will be, some of them especially

而且矢志不渝。但要领会

When there is distress of nations and perplexity

那时间与非时间的交叉点的意义，

Whether on the shores of Asia, or in the Edgware Road.

却是圣徒的职责，

Men's curiosity searches past and future

也不是职责，是他们一生的给予

And clings to that dimension. But to apprehend

和承受，出于爱，热忱，

The point of intersection of the timeless

无私和自我牺牲。

With time, is an occupation for the saint—

对我们大多数人来说，只有意识缺席的时刻，

No occupation either, but something given

在时间之内和之外的时刻，

And taken, in a lifetime's death in love,

一阵消失在一道阳光下的心烦意乱，

Ardour and selflessness and self-surrender.

无人赏识的野百里香，或冬天的闪电，

For most of us, there is only the unattended

或瀑布，或沉醉于其中

Moment, the moment in and out of time,

以至于无所闻的音乐，但只要余音未绝，

The distraction fit, lost in a shaft of sunlight,

你就是音乐。这些都只是暗示和猜想，

The wild thyme unseen, or the winter lightning

猜想跟随着暗示；其余就是

Or the waterfall, or music heard so deeply

祈祷，遵从，修持，思想和行动，

That it is not heard at all, but you are the music

半被猜透的暗示，半被领会的馈赠，是基督的化身。

While the music lasts. These are only hints and guesses,

这里，显现于外在的事物

Hints followed by guesses; and the rest

所无法获得的统一，是真实的，

Is prayer, observance, discipline, thought and action.

这里，过去与未来

The hint half guessed, the gift half understood, is Incarnation.

被征服，并和解，

Here the impossible union

这里行动是另一种运动，

Of spheres of existence is actual,

只有运动的运动，

Here the past and future

而且它不含有出自恶魔和地府的动力

Are conquered, and reconciled,

所驱动的运动。

Where action were otherwise movement

所有合理的行动都是

Of that which is only moved

既来自于过去也来自于未来的自由。

And has in it no source of movement—

对我们大多数人来说，这是

Driven by daemonic, chthonic

从未在此地被领悟的目标；

Powers. And right action is freedom

我们没有被击败

From past and future also.

只是因为我们一直在尝试；

For most of us, this is the aim

如果我们在世间对本源的归返能滋养

Never here to be realised;

（离紫杉树并不太远）

Who are only undefeated

那意味深长的土壤上的生命，

Because we have gone on trying;

我们，终将感到满足。

We, content at the last

If our temporal reversion nourish

(Not too far from the yew-tree)

The life of significant soil.