威廉·华兹华斯(William Wordsworth, 1770—1850年),英国19世纪著名的浪漫派诗人。与科尔律治、骚赛一起被称为“湖畔派”诗人。他的诗风格淳朴,清新自然,享有“自然诗人”的美称。主要作品有长诗《漫游》、《抒情歌谣集》、《序曲》、《咏水仙》等。
Behold Her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy① strain;
O listen!For the vale profound②
Is overflowing with the sound.
No nightingale did ever chaunt③
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travelers in some shady haunt,
Amang Arabian sands;
A voice so thrilling me’er was heard
In spring-time from the cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas.
Among the farthest Hebrides.
Will no one tell me what she sings?
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago;
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of to-day?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?
Whate’er the theme, the maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o’er the sickle④ bending;——
I listened, motionless⑤ and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.
① melancholyadj. 忧郁的;令人沮丧的;可悲的
② profoundadj. 深邃的;深切的 n. 【书】深渊;(灵魂)深处
③ chaunt =chantvi. 唱歌;反复地唱歌(或说话)
④ sicklen. 镰刀
⑤ motionlessadj. 不动的,静止的
孤独的割麦女
看,一个孤独的高原姑娘在
远远的田野间收割,
一边割一边独自歌唱,——
请你站住,或者悄悄走过!
她独自把麦子割了又捆,
唱出无限悲凉的歌声,
屏息听吧! 深广的谷地
己被歌声涨满而漫溢!
还从未有过夜莺百啭,
唱出过如此迷人的歌,
在沙漠中的绿荫间抚慰过疲惫的旅客;
还从未有过杜鹃迎春,
声声啼得如此震动灵魂,
在遥远的赫布利底群岛
打破过大海的寂寥。
她唱什么,谁能告诉我?
忧伤的音符不断流涌,
是把遥远的不幸诉说?
是把古代的战争吟咏?
也许她的歌比较卑谦,
只是唱今日平凡的悲欢,
只是唱自然的哀伤苦痛——
昨天经受过,明天又将重逢?
姑娘唱什么,我猜不着,
她的歌如流水永无尽头;
只见她一面唱一面干活,
弯腰挥镰,操劳不休……
我凝神不动,听她歌唱,
然后,当我登上了山岗,
尽管歌声早己不能听到,
它却仍在我心头缭绕。
这首诗写于1805年,寓景于诗歌,向我们展现了一位在农田独自劳动的爱尔兰少女的形象。这首诗运用了丰富的想象,从小处着眼,把平凡的场景托寓于少女哀婉的歌声之中,造就了一位平凡而又美丽动人的少女形象。该诗体现了作者在创作中的一种倾向,即用个体来表现普通人性。