我們是七個
華茲華斯 (英國)
我碰見壹個鄉村小姑娘：
她說才八歲開外；
濃密的發絲壹卷卷從四方
包裹著她的小腦袋.
她帶了山林野地的風味,
衣著也帶了土氣：
她的眼睛很美,非常美；
她的美叫我歡喜.
“小姑娘,妳們壹***是幾個,
妳們姊妹弟兄?”
“幾個?壹***是七個,”她說,
看著我象有點不懂.
“他們在哪兒?請給我講講.”
“我們是七個,”她回答,
“兩個老遠的跑去了海上,
兩個在康威住家.
“還有我的小姐姐、小弟弟,
兩個都躺在墳園,
我就位在墳園的小屋裏,
跟母親,離他們不遠.”
“妳既說兩個跑去了海上,
兩個在康威住家,
可還說是七個!——請給我講講,
好姑娘,這怎麽說法.”
“我們壹***是七個女和男,”
小姑娘馬上就回答,
裏頭有兩個躺在墳園
在那棵墳樹底下.”
“妳跑來跑去,我的小姑娘,
妳的手腳都靈活；
既然有兩個埋進了墳坑,
妳們就只剩了五個.”
小姑娘回答說,“他們的墳頭
看得見壹片青青,
十二步就到母親的門口,
他們倆靠得更近.
“我常到那兒去織我的毛襪,
給我的手絹縫邊；
我常到那兒的地上去坐下,
唱歌給他們消遣.
“到太陽落山了,剛近黃昏,
要是天氣好,黑得晚,
我常把小湯碗帶上壹份,
上那兒吃我的晚飯.
“先走的壹個是金妮姐姐,
她躺在床上哭叫,
老天爺把她的痛苦解了結,
她就悄悄的走掉.
“所以她就在墳園裏安頓；
我們要出去遊戲,
草不濕,就繞著她的墳墩——
我和約翰小弟弟.
“地上蓋滿了白雪的時候,
我可以滑溜坡面,
約翰小弟弟可又得壹走,
他就躺到了她旁邊.”
我就說,“既然他們倆升了天,
妳們剩幾個了,那麽?”
小姑娘馬上又回答壹遍：
“先生,我們是七個.”
1798
卞之琳 譯
二、英文原作：
We Are Seven
William Wordsworth (1770–1850)
A SIMPLE Child,
That lightly draws its breath,
And feels its life in every limb,
What should it know of death?
I met a little cottage Girl:5
She was eight years old,she said;
Her hair was thick with many a curl
That clustered round her head.
She had a rustic,woodland air,
And she was wildly clad:10
Her eyes were fair,and very fair;
—Her beauty made me glad.
‘Sisters and brothers,little Maid,
How many may you be?’
‘How many?Seven in all,’ she said,15
And wondering looked at me.
‘And where are they?I pray you tell.’
She answered,‘Seven are we;
And two of us at Conway dwell,
And two are gone to sea.20
‘Two of us in the church-yard lie,
My sister and my brother;
And,in the church-yard cottage,I
Dwell near them with my mother.’
‘You say that two at Conway dwell,25
And two are gone to sea,
Yet ye are seven!—I pray you tell,
Sweet Maid,how this may be.’
Then did the little Maid reply,
‘Seven boys and girls are we; 30
Two of us in the church-yard lie,
Beneath the church-yard tree.’
‘You run above,my little Maid,
Your limbs they are alive;
If two are in the church-yard laid,35
Then ye are only five.’
‘Their graves are green,they may be seen,’
The little Maid replied,
‘Twelve steps or more from my mother’s door,
And they are side by side.40
‘My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them.
‘And often after sun-set,Sir,45
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.
‘The first that died was sister Jane;
In bed she moaning lay,50
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.
‘So in the church-yard she was laid;
And,when the grass was dry,
Together round her grave we played,55
My brother John and I
‘And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side.’ 60
‘How many are you,then,’ said I,
‘If they two are in heaven?’
Quick was the little Maid’s reply,
‘O Master!we are seven.’
‘But they are dead; those two are dead!65
Their spirits are in heaven!’
’Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said,‘Nay,we are seven!’
三、詩人介紹：
華茲華斯（William Wordsworth，1770-1850年），英國浪漫主義詩人，曾當上桂冠詩人。其詩歌理論動搖了英國古典主義詩學的統治，有力地推動了英國詩歌的革新和浪漫主義運動的發展。他是文藝復興運動以來最重要的英語詩人之壹，其詩句“樸素生活，高尚思考（plain living and high thinking）”被作為牛津大學基布爾學院的格言。