英国语文第三册 第77期:方舟与鸽子

LESSON 66 The ark and the dove

第六十六课 方舟和鸽子

"Tell me a story, please," my little girl lisped from her cradle.

“请给我讲个故事吧。”我的小女儿从摇篮里哼出声。

So I bent¹ me down, and told her how it rained, and rained, and rained,

于是我弯下腰，给她讲雨是如何不停地下，

till all the flowers were covered, and the trees hid their tall heads,

直到花儿被淹没了，树的最顶端也被遮蔽了，

and where the houses stood, and people dwelt, a fearful deluge² rolled.

可怕的洪水滚到了人们居住、房屋耸立的地方。

Because the world was wicked, and refused to heed³ the words of God.

因为这个世界是邪恶的，拒绝听从上帝的话。

But one good man, who long had warned the wicked to repent⁴, obey, and live, taught by the voice of Heaven.

但有一个受上天教导的好人，早就警告过邪恶的人要悔改、服从、活下去。

Had built an ark; and thither⁵, with his wife and children, turned for safety.

他建造了一艘方舟；在那里，他带着他的妻子与孩子，寻求安全。

Two and two, of beasts and birds and creeping things, he took, with food for all.

他带上了走兽，飞鸟，爬虫，以及所有的食物。

And, when the tempest roared and the great fountains of the sky poured out a ceaseless flood, till all beside were drowned.

当暴风雨咆哮着降临，天空的喷泉倾泻而下奔腾不息时，其他所有的一切都被淹没了。

They in their quiet vessel⁶ dwelt secure.

他们则在安静的方舟里安然居住。

And so the mighty⁷ waters bore them up, and o'er the bosom⁸ of the deep they sailed for many days.

大水将他们冲了起来，高度远远超过了他们航行多日的海洋。

But then a gentle dove scaped from the casement⁹ of the ark, and spread her lovely pinion¹⁰ o'er that boundless¹¹ wave.

但之后，一只温和的鸽子从方舟的窗户飞了出去，在无边无际的波浪上伸展着她可爱的翅膀。

All was desolation. Chirping¹² nest, nor face of man, nor living thing she saw.

一切都很荒凉。不论是啁啾的巢，人脸，还是她看见的活物。

For all the people of the earth were drowned, because of disobedience.

因为地球上的所有人都由于违抗而被淹死了。

Naught¹³ she spied, save wide, dark waters, and a frowning sky, nor found her weary foot a place of rest.

除了宽阔、黑暗的水域和阴沉的天空，她什么也没有看见，也没有找到任何可以让疲惫的脚休息的地方。

So, with a leaf of olive in her mouth, sole fruit of her drear voyage, which perchance upon some wrecking¹⁴ billow floated by,

就这样，她嘴里叼着一片橄榄枝，这是她此次阴郁航行中的唯一收获，可能是在被巨浪打翻的遇难船上找到的，

with drooping¹⁵ wing the peaceful ark she sought.

下垂着翅膀，回到了安然无事的方舟。

The righteous man that wandering dove received,

那个正直的人将这只飞来飞去的鸽子迎了回来，

and to her mate restored, who, with sad moans, had wondered at her absence.

而她的同伴们则还在为她的不见发出悲伤的呻吟。

Then I looked upon the child, to see if her young thoughts wearied with following mine.

这时我看了看孩子，看她幼小的思维是否厌倦了跟随我的讲述。

But her blue eye was a glad listener, and the eager breath of pleased attention curled her parted lip.

但她的蓝眼睛透露出她是个高兴的倾听者，开心的关注带来的渴望的气息，使她分开的嘴唇翘了起来。

And so I told her how the waters dried, and the green branches waved, and the sweet buds came up in loveliness,

于是我给她讲了之后大水是如何变干涸的，绿色的树枝是如何摇曳的，甜美的花蕾是如何美丽地长出来的，

and that meek¹⁶ dove went forth¹⁷ to build her nest.

还有那只温顺的鸽子是如何飞出去筑巢的。

While thousand birds awoke their songs of praise, and the tired ark upon the breezy breast of Ararat reposed¹⁸.

同时，无数的鸟儿高声唱着赞歌，疲惫的方舟靠在阿勒山上休息。

And Noah with glad spirit reared an altar to his God.

诺亚则高兴地为他的上帝建造了一座圣坛。

Since, many a time, when to her rest, ere evening's earliest star,

从那以后，很多次，在她要休息的时候，在夜晚最早的一颗星星出来之前，

that little one is laid, with earnest tone, and pure cheek pressed to mine, she fondly says, "Tell me the story of the Dove."

这个小家伙躺着，将纯净的脸颊贴向我，用认真的语气天真地说，“给我讲鸽子的故事。”

1 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

2 deluge   

n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥

参考例句：

• This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.雨大的时候，这条小溪能变作洪流。
• I got caught in the deluge on the way home.我在回家的路上遇到倾盆大雨。

3 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

4 repent   

v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔

参考例句：

• He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
• Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。

5 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

6 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

7 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

8 bosom   

n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的

参考例句：

• She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
• A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

9 casement   

n.竖铰链窗；窗扉

参考例句：

• A casement is a window that opens by means of hinges at the side.竖铰链窗是一种用边上的铰链开启的窗户。
• With the casement half open,a cold breeze rushed inside.窗扉半开，凉风袭来。

10 pinion   

v.束缚；n.小齿轮

参考例句：

• At nine the next morning Bentley was pinioned,hooded and hanged.次日上午9点，本特里被捆住双臂，戴上头罩，然后绞死了。
• Why don't you try tightening the pinion nut first?你为什么不先扭紧小齿轮的螺帽？

11 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

12 chirping   

鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The birds,chirping relentlessly,woke us up at daybreak. 破晓时鸟儿不断吱吱地叫，把我们吵醒了。
• The birds are chirping merrily. 鸟儿在欢快地鸣叫着。

13 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

14 wrecking   

破坏

参考例句：

• He teed off on his son for wrecking the car. 他严厉训斥他儿子毁坏了汽车。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Instead of wrecking the valley, the waters are put to use making electricity. 现在河水不但不在流域内肆疟，反而被人们用来生产电力。 来自辞典例句

15 drooping   

adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词

参考例句：

• The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
• The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

16 meek   

adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的

参考例句：

• He expects his wife to be meek and submissive.他期望妻子温顺而且听他摆布。
• The little girl is as meek as a lamb.那个小姑娘像羔羊一般温顺。

17 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。

18 reposed   

v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane, like a Harlequin at home. 克朗彻先生盖了一床白衲衣图案的花哨被子，像是呆在家里的丑角。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• An old man reposed on a bench in the park. 一位老人躺在公园的长凳上。 来自辞典例句