主题：Andrew Marr：我们英国人——英国诗歌文学简史 -- 万年看客

依笔者的拙见，乔治.赫伯特是继莎士比亚之后最伟大的英语诗人。他是一名教士，出生在威尔士，在伦敦与剑桥接受过教育，平生大部分时间都在萨里斯伯里郊外的一个小郊区度过。他的母亲玛格德琳是一位严母，也是一位才女，还是约翰.邓恩的密友兼赞助人。尽管赫伯特满腹才华，却没能取得世俗意义上的成功。于是他退而过起了乡间教士的生活，平日里牧养教众，宣讲圣经，创作宗教诗歌。他并不会将这些诗歌公之于众，只会交给朋友们传阅。他与位于剑桥郡小吉丁的英国国教社区关系密切。除此之外关于他的生平就没什么可说的了。他的诗歌的奥妙在于精巧的节律与炉火纯青的韵调。阅读他的诗文能让人感到作者与上帝之间存在着私人联系。在他的著名诗作《爱之三》（Love III）当中，他把自己设想成了一名含羞带愧不情不愿的客人，去上帝家里赴宴：

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,

Guilty of dust and sin．

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning

If I asked anything．

爱对我表示欢迎，这可吓退了我的灵魂；

带着负罪的愧疚，带着浮世的灰尘；

我浑身无精打彩，逃不过那雪亮的眼睛；

爱看得一清二楚，

就在我刚刚跨进大门；

爱向我走来，爱向我靠近；

“你需要什么？”爱亲亲热热向我发问。

“A guest,” I answered, “worthy to be here．”

Love said, “you should be he．”

“I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,

I cannot look on thee．”

Love took my hand, and smiling, did reply,

“Who made the eyes but I?”

我说“需要一位贵客，配得上做您的佳宾。”

爱却脱口而出：“你就是这位客人。”

“我这人有些冷酷，我不懂知恩报恩，

呵，亲爱的，我怎么配受到您的垂青？”

爱拉起我的手，向我展现一张笑脸，

“难道不是我创造了生灵的双眼？”

“Truth, Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame

Go where it doth deserve．”

“And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?”

“My dear, then I will serve．”

“You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meet．”

So I did sit and eat．

“没错，我的主，但是我的眼睛已经污损，

羞愧令我无地自容，我的忤逆难以容忍。”

爱说：“这不是你的过错，你不该背上这种罪名。”

“亲爱的， 那我就甘做你的仆人。”

爱说：“你且就坐，我要把你宴请。”

于是我就坐下来将美餐细品。【吕志鲁译，有修改】

在接下来的《重轭》（The Collar）一诗当中，他激烈描写了自己抱负难申、耐不住乡间恬淡生活的焦躁心态，他的听众则是永远饶有趣味地倾听他诉苦的上帝：

I struck the board, and cried, "No more;

I will abroad!

What? shall I ever sigh and pine?

My lines and life are free, free as the road,

Loose as the wind, as large as store.

Shall I be still in suit?

Have I no harvest but a thorn

To let me blood, and not restore

What I have lost with cordial fruit?

Sure there was wine

Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn

Before my tears did drown it.

Is the year only lost to me?

Have I no bays to crown it,

No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted?

All wasted?

Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,

And thou hast hands.

Recover all thy sigh-blown age

On double pleasures: leave thy cold dispute

Of what is fit and not. Forsake thy cage,

Thy rope of sands,

Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee

Good cable, to enforce and draw,

And be thy law,

While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.

Away! take heed;

I will abroad.

Call in thy death's-head there; tie up thy fears;

He that forbears

To suit and serve his need

Deserves his load."

But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild

At every word,

Methought I heard one calling, Child!

And I replied My Lord.

我猛敲餐桌，大吼：“我受够了！

我要走！

凭什么，我整日哀叹又低落？

我的人生我做主，通达如道路，

悠闲如清风，宽敞如谷仓。

难道继续作奴仆？

我岂不是颗粒无收？

地里唯有荆棘，让我受伤流血，

从无丰盛果实，助我恢复元气。

没错，有酒，

不过我连连叹息酒桶已见底；

曾经，有粮，

不过我泪流不止田地已淹没。

难道一年过去，我只能失落？

我当真没有荣耀冠冕？

没有灿烂鲜花？没有喜庆花环？尽都枯萎？

白白浪费？

我的心哪，并非如此；仍有果实，

你且有双手。

用加倍的欢愉

弥补每个悲叹之日；放下善恶之辩，

那是败兴之举。挣脱囚笼，

脱下尘沙长袍，

那些织就它的想法全都微不足道，无非是绳索，

要紧紧套住你，强迫你，牵扯你，

做你的戒律，

趁你闭上眼、看不见。

让开！当心；

我要走。

招呼死亡露头；把恐惧绑牢。

那奋起不做奴仆的人，

那竭力满足自我的人，

心甘情愿担重担。 ”

我怒不可遏，声讨之势

愈发狂野，

此时一声呼唤犹然响起：“孩子！”

我应声道：“天父。”【JOY LI JING网友译】

尽管赫伯特的生活在很多方面都算得上宁静祥和，但是他在一生当中也遭遇过希望落空，丧亲丧友，疾病缠身以及其他人生常见问题。在《苦痛》（Affliction）一诗当中他回顾了自己的一生，并且与上帝较上了劲。尽管诗中充满了自怜的语句，但却没有一丝自怜的口吻：

When first thou didst entice to thee my heart,

I thought the service brave;

So many joys I writ down for my part,

Besides what I might have

Out of my stock of natural delights,

Augmented with thy gracious benefits.

当您初次勾引走了我的心，

我还以为能为您服务多么甜美；

我写下了那么多喜乐欢欣，

这还不算我原有的积累；

我的天然喜乐的库存，

在您的恩典护佑下充溢盈门。

I looked on thy furniture so fine,

And made it fine to me;

Thy glorious household-stuff did me entwine,

And 'tice me unto thee.

Such stars I counted mine: both heav'n and earth;

Paid me my wages in a world of mirth.

我看到您的家具做工精湛，

在我眼里真是满目锦绣；

金碧辉煌的陈设令我心弦乱颤，

勾引我来到您的左右。

我以为群星都属于我；天堂与人间

付给我的工资是快乐每一天。

What pleasures could I want, whose King I serv'd,

Where joys my fellows were?

Thus argu'd into hopes, my thoughts reserv'd

No place for grief or fear.

Therefore my sudden soul caught at the place,

And made her youth and fierceness seek thy face.

我能想要什么愉悦，我侍奉谁家的君主，

我的同伴们的喜乐该去哪里寻找？

我被说服，接受了希望；无论恐惧痛苦

在我的脑海里全都无处落脚。

因此我的灵魂在此地突然沦为俘虏，

年轻气盛之际只想将您的尊容目睹。

At first thou gav'st me milk and sweetnesses;

I had my wish and way;

My days were straw'd with flow'rs and happiness;

There was no month but May.

But with my years sorrow did twist and grow,

And made a party unawares for woe.

起初您给予我乳汁甘甜如蜜；

我的生活称心如意；

鲜花与快乐装点着日复一日，

月复一月都是阳春天气。

但是悲哀随着年岁增长越发滋生，

痛苦悄然潜入了宴会当中。

My flesh began unto my soul in pain,

"Sicknesses cleave my bones;

Consuming agues dwell in ev'ry vein,

And tune my breath to groans."

Sorrow was all my soul; I scarce believ'd,

Till grief did tell me roundly, that I liv'd.

我的肉体开始让灵魂承受疼痛，

疾病劈砍着我的骨架；

烧人的热病在每一根血管里输送，

每喘一口气都要呻吟一下。

我的灵魂只剩忧愁；我难以相信，

只有悲痛才让我感到一命未尽。

When I got health, thou took'st away my life,

And more, for my friends die;

My mirth and edge was lost, a blunted knife

Was of more use than I.

Thus thin and lean without a fence or friend,

I was blown through with ev'ry storm and wind.

我还健康时您夺走了我的人生，

因为我的朋友全都英年早亡；

从此我失去了笑颜，磨损了刀锋，

甚至不配与废铁一较短长。

茕茕孑立，四周既无围墙也无友人，

八方的风暴吹得我入地无门。

Whereas my birth and spirit rather took

The way that takes the town;

Thou didst betray me to a ling'ring book,

And wrap me in a gown.

I was entangled in the world of strife,

Before I had the power to change my life.

我的出身与精神原本会让我

走一条建功立业的道路；

您却用连篇累牍的经卷出卖了我，

用一袭法袍将我全身裹住。

还不等我有能力改变人生，

我的世界就陷入了无尽的纷争。

Yet, for I threaten'd oft the siege to raise,

Not simp'ring all mine age,

Thou often didst with academic praise

Melt and dissolve my rage.

I took thy sweet'ned pill, till I came where

I could not go away, nor persevere.

可是尽管我经常威胁您撤去围困重重，

不要满脸堆笑地敷衍我的年岁，

您却总是恭维我这些年学术有成，

悄然间让我的怒意融解消退。

我吞吃了您的糖衣药丸，一路脚步不停，

现在我既不能后退，也无法咬牙前行。

Yet lest perchance I should too happy be

In my unhappiness,

Turning my purge to food, thou throwest me

Into more sicknesses.

Thus doth thy power cross-bias me, not making

Thine own gift good, yet me from my ways taking.

但是您还唯恐我万一性情古怪，

硬是将不幸当成了幸福，

将苦痛当成了可口的饭菜，

所以又用更重的疾患将我荼毒。

您的权柄伤害了我，真是双重的可恶，

赐予我灾殃，又逼我远离自己选的道路。

Now I am here, what thou wilt do with me

None of my books will show;

I read, and sigh, and wish I were a tree,

For sure then I should grow

To fruit or shade: at least some bird would trust

Her household to me, and I should be just.

如今我在这里，您要把我怎样发落？

我的书本全都无法回答；

我读书，我叹气，心想化作树木兴许不错，

到那时我肯定能抽枝发芽：

结出果实，张开荫蔽，至少也为几只飞鸟

提供栖身之地，这样的生活有多美好。

Yet, though thou troublest me, I must be meek;

In weakness must be stout;

Well, I will change the service, and go seek

Some other master out.

Ah my dear God! though I am clean forgot,

Let me not love thee, if I love thee not.

但我却必须柔顺，尽管您将我害得惨；

您说越是在软弱当中越必须坚定；

好吧，从今后我打算换一位老板，

改换门庭，从此听从别家的命令。

啊，亲爱的上帝！尽管您显然将我忘记，

请让我不再爱您，要是我对您从无爱意。

乔治.赫伯特于1633年去世，最终导致英国内战的政治危机在这一年尚未显露端倪。不过赫伯特历来都是英国国教的雄辩捍卫者。人们很容易认为他这是在缺乏原则地搞妥协，想要在天主教与清教之间走一条中间路线。他的《英国教堂》（British Church）一诗正是对于中间路线的少见辩护，行文甜蜜并且大体采用了取长补短的立场：

I joy, dear mother, when I view

Thy perfect lineaments, and hue

Both sweet and bright.

Beauty in thee takes up her place,

And dates her letters from thy face,

When she doth write.

亲爱的母亲，我一抬眼就满心欢喜，

你的面容多么完美，气色灿烂无比，

甜蜜明媚，多么美好。

美丽常伴在你身边，

倘若她想动笔谋篇，

也要将你的脸当做字母表。

A fine aspect in fit array,

Neither too mean nor yet too gay,

Shows who is best.

Outlandish looks may not compare,

For all they either painted are,

Or else undress'd.

你形象姣好，气质合宜，

既不妖艳也不土气，

可见你才是无与伦比。

不能与你并立，其他妆容多么乖张，

她们要么只会一味的艳抹浓妆，

要么寒酸得衣不蔽体。

She on the hills which wantonly

Allureth all, in hope to be

By her preferr'd,

Hath kiss'd so long her painted shrines,

That ev'n her face by kissing shines,

For her reward.

水性杨花之辈立足在山上，

四下里卖弄风情，只为能让

她的意中人对她着迷；

她那艳俗的圣龛，让他们亲吻个没够，

亲得她满脸反光，看着都嫌难受，

这份报酬倒是与她相宜。

She in the valley is so shy

Of dressing, that her hair doth lie

About her ears;

While she avoids her neighbour's pride,

She wholly goes on th' other side,

And nothing wears.

羞涩局促之辈躲在山谷度日，

只留着齐耳短发，因为她不喜修饰。

她犯下了过犹不及的错误，

虽然避免了邻居那样的傲慢，

但是一身打扮却实在不好看，

素面朝天并不值得倾慕。

But, dearest mother, what those miss,

The mean, thy praise and glory is

And long may be.

Blessed be God, whose love it was

To double-moat thee with his grace,

And none but thee.

但是啊，最亲爱的母亲，你避免了她们的过错，

因为你谨守中道，才能将赞美与荣光收获，

愿这一切都能长久。

愿上帝保佑你，正是因为上帝之爱

降下恩典，加倍用心地将你保护起来，

唯独你有资格拥有。