大山和小松鼠
The Mountain and the Squirrel
愛默生
Ralph Waldo Emerson
愛默生(Ralph Waldo Emerson,1803-1882),美國十九世紀(jì)重要的哲學(xué)家、詩人、散文家。他生于牧師家庭,曾供奉教職。后游歷歐洲,受到浪漫主義、新柏拉圖主義、東方神秘主義和康德哲學(xué)的影響,提出超驗(yàn)主義的思想,主張人通過直覺感悟達(dá)到個人精神與宇宙精神的合一,并通過大量的散文和講演來宣揚(yáng)這一觀點(diǎn)。他的詩風(fēng)格質(zhì)樸,語言自然流暢,常以自然景物為歌詠對象,其中往往蘊(yùn)涵深刻的寓意和哲理。《大山和小松鼠》就以大山與松鼠間充滿童趣的對話,談?wù)摿撕暧^事物與微觀事物之間的辨證關(guān)系。
有一座大山和一只小松鼠
The mountain and the squirrel
爭得臉紅脖子粗,
Had a quarrel,
大山笑話小松鼠“太小”;
And the former called the latter "Little prig;"
小卷毛兒回答:
Bun replied,
“你是大個兒,我當(dāng)然知道,
You are doubtless very big;
可世上有這樣那樣的東西,
But all sorts of things and weather
它們必須湊在一起
Must be taken in together
才能組成大家庭,
To make up a year,
才有四季的運(yùn)行。
And a sphere.
我站在我的位置上,
And I think it no disgrace
從沒把自己瞧不上。
To occupy my place.
如果說我的個子沒你高,
If I'm not so large as you,
你想變小還變不了,
You are not so small as I,
也不像我那樣敏捷活潑;
And not half so spry:
不過我并不否認(rèn)你為我
I'll not deny you make
準(zhǔn)備了一條挺棒的小道。
A very pretty squirrel track.
本領(lǐng)各不同,各有各的招兒,
Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;
要說我背不動森林是實(shí)情,
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
可你連咬碎個核桃也干不成?!?/p>
Neither can you crack a nut.