第二十一课 彩虹
Triumphal arch, that fill'st the sky
当风暴准备着离开,
When storms prepare to part!
凯旋拱门占据了整个天空,
I ask not proud philosophy
我不会请教高傲的哲学家
To teach me what thou art:
告诉我你是什么:
Still seem, as to my childhood's sight,
在我童真的眼睛里它仍然似乎是,
A midway station given
一个寂静的中途车站,
For happy spirits to alight
因为天地之间,
Betwixt the earth and heaven.
我们可以快乐地来来往往。
Can all that optics teach unfold
当我梦想的宝石和黄金
Thy form to please me so,
被藏在你光芒四射的弯弓里,
As when I dreamt of gems and gold
所有的光学知识能否告诉我,如何才能发现你隐秘的宝藏,
Hid in thy radiant bow?
来讨得我的欢心?
When science from Creation's face
当科学创造的真理遭遇
Enchantment's veil withdraws,
想象之魅力面纱的拉开,
What lovely visions yield their place
多么可爱的幻想也将让位于
To cold material laws!
冰冷的物质法则!
And yet, fair bow, no fabling dreams,
然而,美丽的彩虹,你没有虚构的梦想,
But words of the Most High,
只有至高无上的上帝的旨意,
Have told why first thy robe of beams
他告诉我们为何你的第一缕光线制的长袍
Was woven in the sky.
都是由彩虹在天空中精心编织。
When o'er the green undeluged earth
当全世界的洪水退去,绿色遍布大地,
Heaven's cov'nant thou didst shine,
天空与你约定让你普照大地,
How came the world's gray fathers forth
为何全世界长老们倾巢而出,
To watch thy sacred sign!
看你的神圣指示!
And when its yellow lustre smiled
当它高居群山之巅
O'er mountains yet untrod,
微笑着发出金黄色的光彩,
Each mother held aloft her child,
每位母亲都高举起她的孩子,
To bless the bow of God.
共同赞美祝福上帝的彩虹。
Methinks thy jubilee to keep,
我认为你记忆中还保留着欢乐的佳节,
The first-made anthem rang
世界上第一首赞美诗的响起,
On earth, delivered from the deep,
来自第一位诗人发自心灵深处的
And the first poet sang.
浅吟低唱。
Nor ever shall the Muse's eye
没有缪斯女神的青睐,
Unraptured greet thy beam:
也没有人欢天喜地向你的光芒致意:
Theme of primeval prophecy,
你早期的预言,
Be still the poet's theme.
仍然成为诗人永恒的主题。
The Earth to thee her incense yields,
普天之下都向你祈福上香,
The lark thy welcome sings,
天空的云雀也向你唱出欢迎之歌,
When, glittering in the freshened fields,
这时,你在清新的田野里熠熠闪光,
The snowy mushroom springs.
皑皑白雪迅速融化,春天在飞快地生长。
How glorious is thy girdle, cast
你在群山,高塔和小镇撒下七彩腰带,
O'er mountain, tower. and town;
它们多么灿烂辉煌;
Or mirrored in the ocean vast,
数千英尺之下,
A thousand fathoms down!
你的光影投射在广阔无垠的大洋之上!
As fresh in yon horizon dark,
当远方的地平线刚刚昏暗,
As young thy beauties seem,
你看上去那么年轻美丽,
As when the eagle from the ark
来自方舟的金鹰,
First sported in thy beam.
在你七彩光线中首先开始翱翔。
For, faithful to its sacred page,
因为,忠实于上帝神圣的记录,
Heaven still rebuilds thy span,
首先向人类传颂和平之声,
Nor lets the type grow pale with age
上帝仍令你生生不息,
That first spoke peace to man.
也不允许你随着岁月的变换而变得色彩苍白暗淡。