尽管大雨熄灭了太阳,
Though giant rains put out the sun,
这里站立着我作为一个记号。
Here stand I for a sign.
虽然地上充满黑暗的大水,
Though earth be filled with waters dark,
我的杯子却斟满了葡萄美酒。
My cup is filled with wine.
告诉颤抖的祭司,这里
Tell to the trembling priests that here
在大洪水刑罚之下,
Under the deluge rod,
一个无名的,衣衫褴褛的,破碎的人
One nameless, tattered, broken man
站起来,为上帝干杯。
Stood up, and drank to God.
太阳曾照耀现在降雨的地方,
蜜蜂在炎热中嗡嗡作响,
Sun has been where the rain is now,
或许有一位哼唱的少女走来,
Bees in the heat to hum,
现在就让大洪水来吧:
Haply a humming maiden came,
棕色的光环,绿色的装扮,
Now let the deluge come:
笔直仿佛责打的金棒*,
Brown of aureole*, green of garb,
现在为雷霆的宝座干杯!
Straight as a golden rod,
为上帝的愤怒干杯。
Drink to the throne of thunder now!
在沉船的高处,我举着杯子,
Drink to the wrath of God.
抓紧生锈的宝剑,
我昂起破烂的羽毛
High in the wreck I held the cup,
向着上帝的荣耀。
I clutched my rusty sword,
天地未了,
I cocked my tattered feather
这个空洞的世界被抛起,
To the glory of the Lord.
在一个人挺直身,
Not undone were the heaven and earth,
像杯子一样把它喝干之前。
This hollow world thrown up,
Before one man had stood up straight,
And drained it like a cup.
【译注】
1.关于“少女”的描写,可能是指执行上帝洪水刑罚命令的天使,她头上有光环,衣服是绿色的,身体笔直,如同责打的金棒。这些都是诗人的想象。
2. aureole,在神秘学的传说中,及宗教艺术里面,在基督、神像、天使、圣徒等头部及周围部份的光环、光圈、光轮;也就是围绕在他们周围的能量场(Energy Field)。