雙語 ● 哥哥歌唱的奇跡 The Miracle of a Brother’s Song
■ 哥哥歌唱的奇跡 The Miracle of a Brother’s Song
◎ Henry Clarke
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy’s tummy.
像其他的好媽媽一樣，當(dāng)卡倫發(fā)現(xiàn)自己又懷孕時，她就盡力幫她3歲的兒子邁克爾做好準(zhǔn)備，迎接這個新生兒的到來。他們知道這是個女孩，于是，日復(fù)一日，夜復(fù)一夜，邁克爾趴在媽媽的肚子上，為他的小妹妹唱歌。
The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come. Every five minutes ... every minute. But Complications arise during delivery. Hours of labor. Would a C-section be required? Finally, Michael’s little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren[38] howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal[39] intensive care unit at St. Mary’s Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee.
卡倫是田納西州莫里森市衛(wèi)理公會教堂的活躍分子，她的懷孕期進(jìn)展正常。接著產(chǎn)前陣痛就來臨了。每5分鐘一次……每分鐘一次。但在分娩過程中出現(xiàn)了并發(fā)癥，陣痛持續(xù)了幾個小時。是不是需要剖腹產(chǎn)？最終，邁克爾的小妹妹降生了，但她的情況很糟糕。伴著夜間警報器的鳴叫聲，救護(hù)車把嬰兒送到田納西州諾克斯維爾市的圣瑪麗醫(yī)院，新生兒重癥監(jiān)護(hù)病房。
The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.” Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby—now they plan a funeral.
日子一天天過去了。這個小女兒的情況愈來愈糟。小兒科專家告訴這對父母：“希望非常渺茫。請做好最壞的打算吧。”卡倫和她的丈夫聯(lián)系了當(dāng)?shù)匾患夜?，安排了葬禮的計劃。他們曾在家里布置好一間特別的嬰兒房——現(xiàn)在卻要計劃一個葬禮。
Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, “I want to sing to her.” he says. Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Michael keeps nagging[40] about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not.
邁克爾一直乞求父母，讓他進(jìn)去看看小妹妹?！拔蚁氤杞o她聽?！彼f。這是重病特護(hù)的第二周了?？磥砗孟竦讲涣诉@周結(jié)束，葬禮就要來臨了。邁克爾不斷地纏著要給小妹妹唱歌聽，然而重病特護(hù)區(qū)不允許兒童入內(nèi)。不過卡倫下定了決心，不管他們愿不愿意，她都要帶邁克爾進(jìn)去。
If he doesn’t see his sister now, he may never see her alive. She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows, “Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed.” The mother raises up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse’s face, her lips a firm line. “He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!” Karen tows Michael to his sister’s bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings:
如果現(xiàn)在他看不到他的小妹妹，就再也沒機(jī)會見到她了?？▊惤o兒子穿了一身特大型的洗刷服，帶他走進(jìn)加護(hù)病房。他看起來就像一個行走的洗衣籃，不過護(hù)士長認(rèn)出來這是一個孩子，便吼道：“馬上帶那個孩子離開這兒！小孩禁止入內(nèi)。”卡倫的母性變得堅強(qiáng)起來，這位平日里溫柔的女士用堅毅的目光盯著護(hù)士長的臉，堅定地說：“他不會離開的，除非給他的妹妹唱首歌?！笨▊惱~克爾走到他小妹妹的床前。他凝視著這個不再為生存掙扎的小嬰兒，開始唱歌。用3歲孩子單純的心聲，邁克爾唱道：
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray—”
“你是我的陽光，我唯一的陽光，當(dāng)天空灰暗時，你能讓我快樂——”
Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.
女嬰立刻有了反應(yīng)。脈搏的跳動開始變得平穩(wěn)起來。
Keep on singing, Michael. “You never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away—” The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten’s purr.
邁克爾繼續(xù)唱著：“親愛的，你從不知道我有多么愛你。請不要把我的陽光帶走——”不規(guī)則的、緊張的呼吸開始變得平滑，像小貓的呼嚕聲那般安穩(wěn)。
Keep on singing, Michael. “The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms ...” Michael’s little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her.
邁克爾繼續(xù)唱著：“親愛的，那天晚上當(dāng)我睡著，我夢到我把你抱在懷中……”他的小妹妹仿佛休息般地放松下來，復(fù)原般的休息似乎在她身上擴(kuò)展開來。
Keep on singing, Michael. Tears conquer[41] the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don’t, take my sunshine away.”
邁克爾還在唱著。淚水在護(hù)士長的臉上肆意流著。卡倫變得容光煥發(fā)?！澳闶俏业年柟?，我唯一的陽光。請別把我的陽光帶走?！?
Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day—the very next day—the little girl is well enough to go home!
葬禮計劃取消了。第二天——就在第二天——小女孩好了起來，可以回家了！
Woman’s Day magazine called it “the miracle of a brother’s song”. The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God’s love!
《婦女日》雜志稱之為“哥哥歌唱的奇跡”。醫(yī)護(hù)人員說這就是一個奇跡。卡倫說它是上帝之愛的奇跡。
