译作：Alexander Brome的《金钱的力量》

靳乾

金钱的力量

译者：Tanya
原作：Alexander Brome

身为金银不是人们膜拜的原因，
而是人们抵挡不了金钱的力量；
能说人们对钱财的依赖不在它本身
不能说对女人的求爱不是为了嫁妆;
如今我们所看到的奇迹
创造于黄金不可抗拒的权力，
塑造了我们爱情忠贞，热情洋溢。

它买得起权杖和王冠，王国和王位；
它赢得了战役，战胜了强大的征服者；
它攻得下城市和城镇，城堡和堡垒，
连我们法律令状也写成了它的颜色；
召集创立了我们的议会还是因为它，
使国王成管家，使王国成国家，
它译人民政府为上层专政决不夸大。

它能策划阴谋，发现他们的本质；
它能使重罪犯减免处刑；
它能使他们审理法案虽本应受制，
却在好似公正地裁决以执行；
它能给哗众取宠的小丑过分的骄傲，
它能让乞丐，傻瓜，篡权者骑马招摇，
还能让所有者落魄地在旁边奔跑。

※※※

它能使蓝围裙的学徒尊为长官；
使我们赤裸而站，在他们面前毫无脸面；
他们为留给子嗣让剪下最好的羊毛，
我们称着老爷，然后领取赏钱；
他们身上浮华艳丽，灵魂却贫瘠，
讨好着苍白的女仆，还称她们为淑女，
但因为缺少才气，只会发誓和污言秽语。

※※※

它能促成婚姻，成为爱的中心，
它能勾引男人，亦能装扮女人
那任何感情不能改变的出身，美德，才智，
同时他也能让阁下们对扫街的小鬼屈尊；
它给予你求爱的少女美丽与风尚，
也能让每个年龄的每种女人释放主张；
它是世界的灵魂，世俗凡人的也一样。

它能弄到骏马，秃鹰，猎犬和野兔；
它能给你管着你的骟马的侍从；
它能把民妻买通，更别说他们的货物；
它能使娇羞的女人听话顺从；
它让我们喝到葡萄酒，春天般的舒畅，
它能给诗人的想象插上翅膀；
它能使你们像我们一样高歌欢唱。

The Power of Money

Alexander Brome

’Tis not the silver nor gold for itself
That makes men adore it, but ’tis for its power;
For no man does upon pelf because pelf
But all court the lady in hope her dower;
The wonders that now in our days we behold
Done by the irresistible power of gold,
Our zeal, and our love, and allegiance do mold.

This purchaseth kingdoms, kings, scepters, and crowns;
Wins battles,and conquers the conquerors bold;
Takes bulwarks, and castles, and cities, and towns，
And our prime laws are writ in letters of gold;
’Tis this that our Parliament calls and creates,
Turns kings into keepers, and kingdoms to states，
And peopledoms this into highdoms translates.

This, plots can devise, and discover what they are;
This makes the great felons the lesser condemn;
This, sets those on the bench, that should stand at the bar,
Who judge such as by right to execute them;
Gives the boisterous clown his unsufferable pride,
Makes beggars, and fools, and usurpers to ride,
Whiles ruin’d proprietors run by their side.

※※※

This makes your blue aprons Right Worshipful;
And for this we stand bare, and before them do fall；
They leave their young heirs well fleeced with wool,
Whom we must call squires, then they pay all:
Who with beggarly souls, though their bodies be gaudy,
Court the pale chambermaid, and nickname her a lady,
And for want of good wit, they do swear and talk bawdy.

※※※

This marriage makes, ’tis the center of love,
It draws on the man, and it pricks up the woman
Birth, virtue, and parts no affection can move,
While this makes lords bow to the brat of a broom-man;
This gives virtue and beauty to the lass that you woo,
Makes women of all sorts and ages to do;
’Tis the soul of the world, and the worldling too.

This horse procures us, and hawks, hounds and hares;
’Tis this keeps your groom, and your groom keeps your gelding;
It buys citizens’ wives, as well as their wares;
And this makes your coy lady so coming and yielding;
It buys us good sack, which revives like the spring,
And gives the poetical fancies their wing;
And this makes you as merry as we that do sing.

靳乾

作者简介
Alexander Brome (1620-1666), English poet, was by profession an attorney, and was the author of many drinking songs and of satirical verses in favour of the Royalists and against the Rump. He published in 1661 Songs and other Poems, containing songs on various subjects, followed by a series of political songs; ballads, epistles, elegies and epitaphs; epigrams and translations. Izaak Walton wrote an introductory eclogue for this volume in praise of the writer, and his gaiety and wit won for him the title of the "English Anacreon" in Edward Phillips's Theatrum Poetarum. Brome published in 1666 a translation of Horace by himself and others, and was the author of a comedy entitled The Cunning Lovers (1654). He also edited two volumes of Richards Brome's plays
在译此诗时觉得在把握用韵与措辞间非常难以取舍，文艺复兴时期的诗人表达情感坦率，却讲究诗歌格律，对于一个新手的觉得真正达到形似意合，真的很难啊。:-|

童天鉴日

翻译的很用心。喜欢的一首

靳乾

原帖由 童天鉴日 于 2009-8-20 14:48:00 发表
翻译的很用心。喜欢的一首

谢谢前辈鼓励！希望多来指教~:-D

靳乾

原帖由 童天鉴日 于 2009-8-20 14:48:00 发表
翻译的很用心。喜欢的一首

谢谢前辈鼓励！希望多来指教~:-D