美国语文第六册 第238期:衬衫之歌(1)

LESSON 73 SONG OF THE SHIRT

第七十三课 衬衫之歌

With fingers weary and worn, with eyelids¹ heavy and red, a woman sat, in unwomanly rags, plying² her needle and thread:

手指酸软渐磨伤，眼皮沉重血丝浓，衣不遮体斜身坐，针线飞舞又穿梭；

Stitch! stitch! stitch!

一针一针再一针！

In poverty, hunger, and dirt, and still with a voice of dolorous³ pitch, she sang the "Song of the Shirt!"

饥寒交迫哪堪当，声音悲呛引吭歌，却道是《衬衫之歌》！

"Work! work! work!"

“干活！干活！再干活！”

While the cock is crowing aloof⁴! and work! work! work!, till the stars shine through the roof!

公鸡一声待报晓！干活！干活！再干活！只待寒星映琼宇！

It is oh to be a slave along with the barbarous Turk, where woman has never a soul to save, if this is Christian⁵ work!

把身为奴空嗟叹，土耳其人真野蛮，要把灵魂来拯救，只有基督方成事！

"Work! work! work!", till the brain begins to swim;

“干活！干活！再干活！” 脑袋开始嗡嗡响；

Work! work! work!, till the eyes are heavy and dim!

干活！干活！再干活！眼皮沉重视物茫！

Seam, and gusset, and band, band, and gusset, and seam,

缝针上袖绑扎带，反过来亦是一样，

till over the buttons I fall asleep, and sew them on in a dream!

缝罢扣子入梦乡，梦里依稀缝纫忙！

O men, with sisters dear! O men, with mothers and wives! It is not linen⁶ you're wearing out, But human creatures'lives! Stitch! stitch! stitch!

姐妹切伴在君侧！慈母娇妻神亦伤！衣破不复亚麻样，恰似人生空悲切！一针！一针！再一针！

In poverty, hunger, and dirt, sewing at once, with a double thread, a shroud⁷ as well as a shirt.

饥寒交迫哪堪当，切用双线来缝纫，缝了尸布又缝衫。

1 eyelids   

n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色

参考例句：

• She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 plying   

v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意

参考例句：

• All manner of hawkers and street sellers were plying their trade. 形形色色的沿街小贩都在做着自己的买卖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was rather Mrs. Wang who led the conversation, plying Miss Liu with questions. 倒是汪太太谈锋甚健，向刘小姐问长问短。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

3 dolorous   

adj.悲伤的；忧愁的

参考例句：

• With a broken-hearted smile,he lifted a pair of dolorous eyes.带著伤心的微笑，他抬起了一双痛苦的眼睛。
• Perhaps love is a dolorous fairy tale.也许爱情是一部忧伤的童话。

4 aloof   

adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的

参考例句：

• Never stand aloof from the masses.千万不可脱离群众。
• On the evening the girl kept herself timidly aloof from the crowd.这小女孩在晚会上一直胆怯地远离人群。

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

7 shroud   

n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏

参考例句：

• His past was enveloped in a shroud of mystery.他的过去被裹上一层神秘色彩。
• How can I do under shroud of a dark sky?在黑暗的天空的笼罩下，我该怎么做呢？