【双语有声阅读】查尔斯隆斯伯里的遗嘱

Last will and testament¹ of Charles Lounsberry

 

查尔斯隆斯伯里的遗嘱

In the pocket of an old ragged² coat belonging to an elderly man in Chicago, a will was found, after his death.

在芝加哥一位辞世老人大衣的口袋里，人们发现了一份遗嘱。

It went like this:

遗嘱中写道:

I, Charles Lounsberry, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby make and publish this my Last Will and Testament,in order, as justly as may be, to distribute my interests in the world among succeeding men.

我，查尔斯隆斯伯里，在心智清醒的状况下，写下这封遗嘱，以此尽量公正地把我的财产非配给后人。

That part of my interests which is known in law and recognized in the sheep-bound volumes as my property, being inconsiderable and of no account,I make no disposition³ of this in my Will.

对于法律所承认，写在羊皮卷宗上的我那点财产，在此不做赘述；

My right to live, being but a life estate, is not at my disposal,but, these things excepted, all else in the world I now proceed to devise and bequeath.

而我活着的权力为命运所拥有，也不为我支配。下面我要分配一下我的其他财产。

ITEM: I give to good fathers and mothers, in trust to their children, all good little words of praise and encouragement,and all quaint⁴ pet names and endearments⁵; and I charge said parents to use them justly,but generously, as the deeds of their children shall require.

一，我要把给孩子们的赞扬和鼓励的话，所有奇异的昵称和爱语都交由他们出色的爸爸妈妈们；我要求爸爸妈妈们合理地使用它们，但不要吝啬，因为孩子们需要这些。

ITEM: I leave to children inclusively, but only for the term of their childhood, all and every,the flowers of the field, and the blossoms of the woods, with the right to play among them freely according to the custom of children,warning them at the same time against the thistles and the thorns.

二，我要给所有的孩子们，所有处在孩童时代的孩子们鲜花野草，给他们在田野和树林里随性自由玩耍的权利，但也提醒他们留下荆棘利刺。

And I devise to the children the banks of the brooks⁶ and the golden sands beneath the waters thereof,and the odors of the willows⁷ that dip therein, and the white clouds that float high over the giant trees.

我也留给了孩子们河岸，还有河水下面金光闪闪的沙子，河边柳树散发的清香，以及大树上面的蓝天白云。

And I leave the children the long, long days to be merry in a thousand ways,and the night and the moon and the train of the Milky⁸ Way to wonder at, but subject, nevertheless, to the rights hereinafter given to lovers.

我还留给了孩子们在无数个日子里能够快乐的一千种方式，还有能够让他们为之产生遐想的黑夜，月亮以及银河专列，但是，有些是给下文中的恋人的。

ITEM: I devise to boys jointly⁹ all the idle fields and commons where ball may be played,all pleasant waters where one may swim, all snow-clad hills where one may coast, and all streams and ponds where one may fish, or where,when grim winter comes, one may skate, to have and to hold the same for the period of their boyhood.

三，我留给男孩子们能打球的场地，能安全游泳的水域，能够滑雪的小山，能钓鱼的小溪和池塘，或者是寒冬来到后可以溜冰的地方，让这些伴随着他们度过少年时代。

And all meadows,with the clover-blossoms and butterflies thereof;the woods with their appurtenances: the squirrels and birds and echoes and strange noises;and all distant places, which may be visited, together with the adventures there to be found.

我还要给他们开满苜蓿花和飞舞着蝴蝶的草地；居住着松鼠，各种鸟类，以及发出种种怪声的树林；还要他们能够涉足和探险的远方。

And I give to said boys, each his own place at the fireside at night, with all pictures that may be seen in the burning wood,to enjoy without hindrance¹⁰ and without any encumbrance¹¹ of care.

我也给这些孩子们每人一块夜晚坐在火炉旁的地方，让他们观看燃烧的木头中呈现的各种画面，让他们自由自在，不受束缚地享受快乐！

ITEM: To lovers, I devise their imaginary world, with whatever they may need, as the stars of the sky, the red roses by the wall,the bloom of the hawthorn¹², the sweet strains of music, and anything else they may desire to figure to each other the lastingness¹⁴ and beauty of their love.

四，对于那些恋人们，我留给他们一个想象的世界，那里有他们需要的所有东西，比如天空中的繁星，墙边鲜艳的玫瑰，盛开的山楂花，甜蜜的乐曲，和他们想用来向恋人表达自己忠贞不渝的爱情的任何事物。

ITEM: To young men jointly, I devise and bequeath all boisterous¹⁵ inspiring sports of rivalry,and I give to them the disdain¹⁶ of weakness and undaunted confidence in their own strength.

五，对于年轻人，我留给他们所有激烈，具有启迪性的竞争运动，无惧弱点的品质和对自己力量的坚定信心。

Though they are rude, I leave them the powers to make lasting¹³ friendships, and of possessing companions,and to them exclusively I give all merry songs and brave choruses to sing with lusty voices.

尽管他们不那么知礼，我还是要留给他们维持常青友谊，结交伙伴的能力。我要把所有欢快的歌曲和气势磅礴的合唱留给他们，让他们用粗矿的喉咙歌唱。

ITEM: And to those who are no longer children, or youths, or lovers,I leave memory, and bequeath to them the volumes of the poems of Burns and Shakespeare, and of other poets,if there be any, to the end that they may live the old days over again, freely and fully¹⁷ without tithe¹⁸ or diminution¹⁹.

六，对于那些不再是孩子，年轻人，或是恋人的，我留给他们回忆，还有彭斯，莎士比亚和其他诗人的诗，以便让他们重拾往日的岁月，真切丝毫不减地回味当初的感觉。

ITEM: To the loved ones with snowy crowns, I bequeath the happiness of old age,the love and gratitude²⁰ of their children until they fall asleep.

七，对于那些满头白发的人，我留给他们晚年时的欢乐，以及孩子们对他们的爱和感恩，让这些一直伴随着他们进入梦乡。

1 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

2 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

3 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

4 quaint   

adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的

参考例句：

• There were many small lanes in the quaint village.在这古香古色的村庄里，有很多小巷。
• They still keep some quaint old customs.他们仍然保留着一些稀奇古怪的旧风俗。

5 endearments   

n.表示爱慕的话语，亲热的表示( endearment的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were whispering endearments to each other. 他们彼此低声倾吐着爱慕之情。
• He held me close to him, murmuring endearments. 他抱紧了我，喃喃述说着爱意。 来自辞典例句

6 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 willows   

n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木

参考例句：

• The willows along the river bank look very beautiful. 河岸边的柳树很美。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Willows are planted on both sides of the streets. 街道两侧种着柳树。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 milky   

adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的

参考例句：

• Alexander always has milky coffee at lunchtime.亚历山大总是在午餐时喝掺奶的咖啡。
• I like a hot milky drink at bedtime.我喜欢睡前喝杯热奶饮料。

9 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

10 hindrance   

n.妨碍，障碍

参考例句：

• Now they can construct tunnel systems without hindrance.现在他们可以顺利地建造隧道系统了。
• The heavy baggage was a great hindrance to me.那件行李成了我的大累赘。

11 encumbrance   

n.妨碍物，累赘

参考例句：

• Only by overcoming our weaknesses can we advance without any encumbrance;only by uniting ourselves in our struggle can we be invincible.克服缺点才能轻装前进，团结战斗才能无往不胜。
• Now I should be an encumbrance.现在我成为累赘了。

12 hawthorn   

山楂

参考例句：

• A cuckoo began calling from a hawthorn tree.一只布谷鸟开始在一株山楂树里咕咕地呼叫。
• Much of the track had become overgrown with hawthorn.小路上很多地方都长满了山楂树。

13 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

14 lastingness   

耐久

参考例句：

15 boisterous   

adj.喧闹的，欢闹的

参考例句：

• I don't condescend to boisterous displays of it.我并不屈就于它热热闹闹的外表。
• The children tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.孩子们经常是先静静地聚集在一起，不一会就开始吵吵嚷嚷戏耍开了。

16 disdain   

n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑

参考例句：

• Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
• A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。

17 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

18 tithe   

n.十分之一税；v.课什一税，缴什一税

参考例句：

• It's not Christ plus your tithe.这不是基督再加上你的什一税。
• The bible tells us that the tithe is the lords.圣经说十分之一是献给主的。

19 diminution   

n.减少；变小

参考例句：

• They hope for a small diminution in taxes.他们希望捐税能稍有减少。
• He experienced no diminution of his physical strength.他并未感觉体力衰落。

20 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。