"Speak! speak! thou fearful guest!
“可怕的客人！你说！
Who, with thy hollow breast
你那空洞的胸窝
Still in rude armor drest,
还披着粗笨铠甲，
Comest to daunt me!
你到这儿来吓唬我！
Wrapt not in Eastern balms,
不曾涂东土香膏，
But with thy fleshless palms
无肉的手掌伸着，
Stretched, as if asking alms,
像是在乞求布施，
Why dost thou haunt me?"
为什么你要缠住我？”
Then, from those cavernous eyes
从那凹陷的两眼，
Pale flashes seemed to rise,
惨白的微光闪现，
As when the Northern skies
好似严冬十二月
Gleam in December;
北国微亮的苍天；
And, like the water's flow
好似十二月河水
Under December's snow,
潜流在冰雪底层，
Came a dull voice of woe
从心房深处吐出
From the heart's chamber.
含糊忧郁的语声：
"I was a Viking old!
“我是个古代海盗，
My deeds, though manifold,
有多种多样事迹——
No Skald in song has told,
从没有歌者唱过，
No Saga taught thee!
也不曾载入传奇。
Take heed, that in thy verse
你要把这些事迹
Thou dost the tale rehearse,
写在你的诗篇里，
Else dread a dead man's curse;
要不，当心我诅咒！
For this I sought thee.
就为了这个，我找你。
"Far in the Northern Land,
“在那遥远的北国，
By the wild Baltic's strand,
荒凉的波罗的海滨，
I, with my childish hand,
我用幼时的小手
Tamed the gerfalcon;
驯养北方的大鹰；
And, with my skates fast-bound,
穿着紧缚的冰鞋，
Skimmed the half-frozen Sound,
在海湾冰上滑行，
That the poor whimpering hound
那狼狈惊吠的猎犬
Trembled to walk on.
战兢兢踏上冰凌。
"Oft to his frozen lair
“我常常追逐恶熊
Tracked I the grisly bear,
到它冰封的穴洞，
While from my path the hare
野兔从路旁逃窜，
Fled like a shadow;
影子般转眼无踪；
Oft through the forest dark
常常穿过黑树林，
Followed the were-wolf's bark,
尾随巨狼的悲鸣，
Until the soaring lark
听到高飞的百灵鸟
Sang from the meadow.
在草原唱起歌声。
"But when I older grew,
“后来我渐渐长大，
Joining a corsair's crew,
加入海盗的一帮，
O'er the dark sea flew
和这些强徒一起
With the marauders.
飞越阴沉的海洋。
Wild was the life we led;
我们的生活狂暴，
Many the souls that sped,
我们的号令森严：
Many the hearts that bled,
叫多少心脏流血，
By our stern orders.
送多少灵魂上天！
"Many a wassail-bout
“无数次饮宴作乐，
Wore the long Winter out;
消磨漫长的冬季；
Often our midnight shout
我们午夜的狂呼
Set the cocks crowing,
常常使雄鸡惊啼；
As we the Berserk's tale
像熊皮武士记数
Measured in cups of ale,
用杯杯麦酒算计，
Draining the oaken pail,
我们喝干橡木桶，
Filled to o'erflowing.
一个个烂醉如泥。
"Once as I told in glee
“有一回，我兴高采烈
Tales of the stormy sea,
讲海上风暴的故事，
Soft eyes did gaze on me,
一双温柔的蓝眼
Burning yet tender;
热情地向我凝视；
And as the white stars shine
像点点银星照临
On the dark Norway pine,
幽暗的挪威松顶，
On that dark heart of mine
这双星眸的清辉
Fell their soft splendor.
照临我幽暗的心灵。
"I wooed the blue-eyed maid,
“我向这姑娘求爱，
Yielding, yet half afraid,
她顺从，又有些畏怯；
And in the forest's shade
密林深处，浓荫里，
Our vows were plighted.
我们订下了婚约。
Under its loosened vest
她那娇小的胸脯
Fluttered her little breast,
颤抖在宽弛衣衫下，
Like birds within their nest
好似巢中的鸟儿
By the hawk frighted.
受到鹰隼的惊吓。
"Bright in her father's hall
“她父王殿堂宽敞，
Shields gleamed upon the wall,
墙头金盾亮光光，
Loud sang the minstrels all,
乐师们高声合唱，
Chanting his glory;
赞颂他功业辉煌。
When of old Hildebrand
我请求老希德布兰
I asked his daughter's hand,
答应他女儿的亲事，
Mute did the minstrels stand
乐师们静下来，站着
To hear my story.
听我讲我的身世。
"While the brown ale he quaffed,
“傲然畅饮黑麦酒，
Loud then the champion laughed,
王爷高声笑呵呵；
And as the wind-gusts waft
好像一阵风刮来，
The sea-foam brightly,
海上便涌起白沫：
So the loud laugh of scorn,
他那留须的唇边
Out of those lips unshorn,
发出轻蔑的大笑，
From the deep drinking-horn
这时，深深角杯里
Blew the foam lightly.
便轻轻泛起水泡。
"She was a Prince's child,
“她是王爷的娇女，
I but a Viking wild,
我却是海上强徒；
And though she blushed and smiled,
她含羞微笑应允了，
I was discarded!
我却被他们逐出！
Should not the dove so white
这样洁白的鸽子
Follow the sea-mew's flight,
不该随海鸥飞走，
Why did they leave that night
为什么她的香巢
Her nest unguarded?
那一夜却无人防守？
"Scarce had I put to sea,
“我和这姑娘一起，
Bearing the maid with me,
刚上船，离开陆地，
Fairest of all was she
（所有北欧人当中，
Among the Norsemen!
她的美无人能比！）
When on the white sea-strand,
只见老希德布兰
Waving his armèd hand,
带着二十名骑兵，
Saw we old Hildebrand,
挥动披甲的手臂，
With twenty horsemen.
来到白色的海滨。
"Then launched they to the blast,
“他们迎着风开船，
Bent like a reed each mast,
桅杆弯得像芦苇；
Yet we were gaining fast,
我们正疾驶如飞，
When the wind failed us;
风却跟我们作对；
And with a sudden flaw
一阵急遽的狂飙
Came round the gusty Skaw,
把船吹向斯科角，
So that our foe we saw
只见追踪的敌人
Laugh as he hailed us.
向我们狂呼狞笑。
"And as to catch the gale
“船帆遇到了回风，
Round veered the flapping sail,
拍动着，旋转不停；
'Death!' was the helmsman's hail,
听见舵手的吼声：
'Death without quarter!'
‘死吧！决不饶命！’
Mid-ships with iron keel
我们用铁铸龙骨
Struck we her ribs of steel;
猛撞敌船的钢筋；
Down her black hulk did reel
黑色的船身摇晃着，
Through the black water!
沉入黑色的海心！
"As with his wings aslant,
“像一只凶猛鸬鹚，
Sails the fierce cormorant,
侧斜着翅膀飞翔，
Seeking some rocky haunt,
衔着它的猎获物，
With its prey laden,—
寻找栖宿的岩冈：
So toward the open main,
我带着这位少女，
Beating to sea again,
面向茫茫的海洋，
Through the wild hurricane,
再度迎风行驶，
Bore I the maiden.
穿越狂飙巨浪。
"Three weeks we westward bore,
“西行了三个星期，
And when the storm was o'er,
大风暴终于平息，
Cloud-like we saw the shore
望见下风头展布着
Stretching to leeward;
云霓一般的陆地。
There for my lady's bower
那儿，我盖起高塔
Built I the lofty tower,
作我妻子的闺房——
Which, to this very hour,
这座塔直到此刻
Stands looking seaward.
还在向大海暸望。
"There lived we many years;
“在那儿一住多年，
Time dried the maiden's tears;
岁月揩干了泪痕；
She had forgot her fears,
姑娘早忘掉了恐惧，
She was a mother;
她成了慈爱的母亲。
Death closed her mild blue eyes,
死神合上她双眼，
Under that tower she lies;
她就在塔下安寝；
Ne'er shall the sun arise
太阳底下再没有
On such another!
这样可爱的美人！
"Still grew my bosom then,
“寂寞在内心生长，
Still as a stagnant fen!
寂寞如死水一汪！
Hateful to me were men,
世人都令我厌恶，
The sunlight hateful!
我也厌恶阳光！
In the vast forest here,
在一望无际的深林，
Clad in my warlike gear,
我周身披着戎装，
Fell I upon my spear,
倒在我的枪矛上——
Oh, death was grateful!
好呵，快意的死亡！
"Thus, seamed with many scars,
“就这样，弄一身伤痕，
Bursting these prison bars,
撞开监牢的铁门，
Up to its native stars
我的灵魂升了天，
My soul ascended!
攀登故国的星辰！
There from the flowing bowl
武士的灵魂举盏，
Deep drinks the warrior's soul,
把盈溢美酒饮干，
Skoal! to the Northland! skoal! "
你好！北国呵！你好！”
Thus the tale ended.
——故事到这里讲完。