LESSON 8

WORK

劳 动

Eliza Cook (b. 1817, d. 1889) was born at London. In 1837 she commenced contributing to periodicals. In 1840 the first collection of her poems was made. In 1849 she became editor of “Eliza Cook’s Journal.”

1. Work, work, my boy, be not afraid;

Look labor boldly in the face;

Take up the hammer or the spade,

And blush not for your humble place.

2. There’s glory in the shuttle’s song;

There’s triumph in the anvil’s stroke;

There’s merit in the brave and strong

Who dig the mine or fell the oak.

3. The wind disturbs the sleeping lake,

And bids it ripple pure and fresh;

It moves the green boughs till they make

Grand music in their leafy mesh .

4. And so the active breath of life

Should stir our dull and sluggard wills;

For are we not created rife

With health, that stagnant torpor kills?

5. I doubt if he who lolls his head

Where idleness and plenty meet,

Enjoys his pillow or his bread

As those who earn the meals they eat.

6. And man is never half so blest

As when the busy day is spent

So as to make his evening rest

A holiday of glad content.

【中文阅读】

伊莉莎·库克（1817～1889）生于伦敦。1837年，开始投身杂志出版事业。1840年，她的第一部诗歌选集问世。1849年，她成为《伊莉莎·库克》杂志编辑。

1．干活，我的孩子，不要害怕；

勇敢地，面对劳动；

从容地拿起，锤子铁锨，

千万不要，为卑微感到羞愧。

2．穿梭机，歌唱中赋有荣光；

铁砧敲打，寓意着凯旋胜利，

勇敢坚强，涵盖人的优秀品德；

阳光照耀，工人们坚实臂膀。

3．微风，拂起沉睡的湖面，

撩动，优美的水意潺潺；

狂风，挪动绿意葱茏的枝干，

茂密丛林，奏起交响奇观。

4．生命翕动，吐出力的欢畅，

是否搅翻，沉寂的死水昏然？

如果不愿，沦陷致命慵懒，

哪怕身体康健，情欲正常？

5．是否，他还无力地歪着头，

恣意放纵，将怠惰富足写在脸上，

沉湎于，烟水繁华的食色享受，

与艰难讨生活面孔，相得益彰。

6．如果，铭记生活中点滴感恩，

忙碌充足，度过愉快时光，

节日礼花，绽放成光明降临，

夜晚的心，最终皈依安康。 BdLe3cuzrUqJeh7NEy5i8ifx47xlY7Qvdfmmq62Bigp8BlcuSP/UC5Ah05QmDB3l