那只签署文件的手巫宁坤 译

The Hand That Signed The Paper狄兰·托马斯


那只签署文件的手毁了一座城市;
The hand that signed the paper felled a city;
五个大权在握的手指扼杀生机,
Five sovereign fingers taxed the breath,
把死者的世界扩大一倍又把一个国家分两半,
Doubled the globe of dead and halved a country;
这五个王置一个王于死地。
These five kings did a king to death.

那只有权势的手通向倾斜的肩膀,
The mighty hand leads to a sloping shoulder,
手指关节由于石灰质而僵硬;
The finger joints are cramped with chalk;
一支鹅毛笔结束了一场
A goose's quill has put an end to murder
结束过谈判的屠杀。
That put an end to talk.

The hand that signed the treaty bred a fever,
那只签署条约的手制造瘟疫,
And famine grew, and locusts came;
又发生饥谨,飞来蝗灾,
Great is the hand that holds dominion over
那只用一个潦草的签名
Man by a scribbled name.
统治人类的手多了不起。


The five kings count the dead but do not soften
五个王数死人但不安慰
The crusted wound nor pat the brow;
结疤的伤口也不抚摸额头;
A hand rules pity as a hand rules heaven;
一只手统治怜悯一只手统治天;
Hands have no tears to flow.
手没有眼泪可流。


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