天真与经验之歌:第36篇 流浪儿

 　　The Little Vagabond 流浪儿

　　Dear mother, dear mother, the Church is cold; 亲爱的妈妈、亲爱的妈妈、教堂可真冷。

　　But the Alehouse is healthy, and pleasant, and warm. 但酒店里却暖和，使人健康又开心：

　　Besides, I can tell where I am used well; 而且我能知道在那儿过得好。

　　Such usage in heaven will never do well. 在天堂里我可绝没这么逍遥。

　　But, if at the Church they would give us some ale, and a pleasant fire our souls to regale¹, 不过如果在教堂他们肯给我们点啤酒，再给一炉旺火让我们的灵魂享受享受：

　　We'd sing and we'd pray all the livelong day, 我们就会在漫长的日子里唱歌又祈祷，

　　Nor ever once wish from the Church to stray. 也就一点不想离开教堂到处乱跑。

　　Then the Parson might preach, and drink, and sing, 于是牧师就要祈祷，喝酒，又唱歌，

　　And we'd be as happy as birds in the spring; and modest Dame² Lurch³, who is always at church, 我们也会像春天里的鸟儿那样快乐：而那位总是在教堂的文静的跛腿女先生，

　　Would not have bandy children, nor fasting, nor birch. 就不会有弯腿的孩子、不禁食也不打人。

　　And God, like a father, rejoicing to see his children as pleasant and happy as He, 而上帝就像一个父亲，他高兴地看到他的孩子们都跟他一样地快乐逍遥：

　　Would have no more quarrel with the Devil or the barrel, 也不会再跟魔鬼或酒鬼争吵个没完，

　　But kiss him, and give him both drink and apparel. 却是亲吻他，给他喝酒又给他衣服穿。

1 regale   

v.取悦，款待

参考例句：

• He was constantly regaled with tales of woe.别人老是给他讲些倒霉事儿来逗他开心。
• He loved to regale his friends with tales about the many memorable characters he had known as a newspaperman.他喜欢讲些他当记者时认识的许多名人的故事给朋友们消遣。

2 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

3 lurch   

n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行

参考例句：

• It has been suggested that the ground movements were a form of lurch movements.地震的地面运动曾被认为是一种突然倾斜的运动形式。
• He walked with a lurch.他步履蹒跚。