美国语文第四册 第138期:道德勇气(5)

 　　He was ashamed to go on kneeling, ashamed to rise from his knees. 他很害羞跪下祷告。

　　At last, as it were from his inmost heart, a still, small voice seemed to breathe forth¹ the words of the publican, 终于，好像从内心深处，一个微小的声音坚定地说出了税官说的那些话，

　　"God be merciful to me a sinner!" He repeated them over and over, clinging to them as for his life, “愿上帝怜悯我这个罪人！”他一遍又一遍地重复着，紧紧抓住它们不放，

　　and rose from his knees comforted and humbled², and ready to face the whole world. 然后站了起来，这时他感到了安慰和谦卑，他已经做好面对整个世界的准备了。

　　It was not needed: two other boys besides Arthur had already followed his example, 他的担心是多余的：阿瑟旁边另两个男孩已经和他一样跪了下来，

　　and he went down to the great school with a glimmering³ of another lesson in his heart, 他感到又学到了一课——

　　the lesson that he who has conquered his own coward spirit has conquered the whole outward world; 征服了自己内心的懦弱就是征服了世界；

　　and that other one which the old prophet learned in the cave at Mount Horeb, when he hid his face, and the still, small voice asked, 他也明白了当以利亚藏身在基立溪旁的山洞时，为什么会有一个坚定的声音问他，

　　"What doest thou here, Elijah?" “你在这里做什么，以利亚？”

　　that however we may fancy ourselves alone on the side of good, the King and Lord of men is nowhere without his witnesses; 不论我们觉得自己在世界上有多孤独，神灵是看得见的；

　　for in every society, however seemingly corrupt⁴ and godless, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. 一个不论多么腐败和不敬神的社会，总有不向邪恶屈服的人。

　　He found, too, how greatly he had exaggerated the effect to be produced by his act. 他还发现，他是多么夸大了自己行为的影响。

　　For a few nights there was a sneer⁵ or a laugh when he knelt down, but this passed off soon, and one by one all the other boys but three or four followed the lead. 接下来的几个晚上，当他跪下祷告时都有一两声嘲笑，可是很快就听不到了。不久，除三四个男孩以外，其他人一个个都和他一样祷告了。

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 humbled   

adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低

参考例句：

• The examination results humbled him. 考试成绩挫了他的傲气。
• I am sure millions of viewers were humbled by this story. 我相信数百万观众看了这个故事后都会感到自己的渺小。

3 glimmering   

n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. 他这么说是什么意思，我有点明白了。 来自辞典例句
• Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

4 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

5 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。