1835年,爱默生在美国马萨诸塞州康科特买了一所屋子,很快就成为城中最重要的市民之一。他在那里亦娶了第二任妻子利迪亚·杰克逊。他称她为利迪亚人而她称他为爱默生先生,俩人生下的孩子是华都、艾伦、伊蒂丝和爱德华·爱默生。艾伦是以他前妻的名字命名,这是利迪亚的建议。
Song of Nature
自然之歌
by Ralph Waldo Emerson
拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生
What without him is summer's pomp,
没有他,怎一番夏日的盛景,
Or winter's frozen shade?
怎一番冬日冰冷的暗影?
I travail in pain for him,
我为他陷入劳苦伤痛,
My creatures travail and wait;
我的创造物苦苦等待;
His couriers come by squadrons,
他的信使纷纷而来,
He comes not to the gate.
他却没有来到门外。
Twice I have moulded an image,
我两度造出一个形象,
And thrice outstretched my hand,
又三次把我的手展开,
Made one of day, and one of night,
造一个用白昼,另一个用夜晚,
And one of the salt sea-sand.
还有一个用那盐渍的海滩。
One in a Judaean manger,
一个在犹大的马槽,
And one by Avon stream,
还有一个在埃文河畔,
One over against the mouths of Nile,
一个对着尼罗河口,
And one in the Academe.
还有一个在“学苑”。
I moulded kings and saviours,
我造出国王与救世主,
And bards o'er kings to rule;——
还有王权莫及的游吟诗仙;——
But fell the starry influence short,
却未能降下灿如群星的感化,
The cup was never full.
那杯子从未充满。
Yet whirl the glowing wheels once more,
再次将那些光辉的轮子旋转,
And mix the bowl again;
再度混合起杯中诸物;
Seethe, fate! the ancient elements,
沸腾吧,命运!远古的元素,
Heat, cold, wet, dry, and peace, and pain.
热,冷,湿,干,还有和平,还有痛苦。
Let war and trade and creeds and song
让战争、贸易、教义、歌曲
Blend, ripen race on race,
结合,并日臻成熟,
The sunburnt world a man shall breed
人要抚育被太阳炙灼的世界
Of all the zones, and countless days.
每一寸土地,和不可穷尽的年数。
No ray is dimmed, no atom worn,
光线不再黯淡,原子不再衰竭,
My oldest force is good as new,
我亘古的力量完好如新,
And the fresh rose on yonder thorn
鲜艳的玫瑰在远处的荆丛
Gives back the bending heavens in dew
用露珠透映弯曲的苍穹。