LESSON 5

AFTER THE THUNDERSTORM

暴雨过后

James Thomson, 1700-1748, the son of a clergyman, was born in Scotland. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, and intended to follow the profession of his father, but never entered upon the duties of the sacred office. In 1724 he went to London, where he spent most of his subsequent life. He had shown some poetical talent when a boy; and, in 1826, he published “Winter,” a part of a longer poem, entitled “The Seasons,” the best known of all his works. He also wrote several plays for the stage; none of them, however, achieved any great success. In the last year of his life, he published his “Castle of Indolence,” the most famous of his works excepting “The Seasons.” Thomson was heavy and dull in his personal appearance, and was indolent in his habits. The moral tone of his writings is always good. This extract is from “The Seasons.”

As from the face of heaven the shattered clouds

Tumultuous rove, the interminable sky

Sublimer swells, and o’er the world expands

A purer azure.

Through the lightened air

A higher luster and a clearer calm,

Diffusive, tremble; while, as if in sign

Of danger past, a glittering robe of joy,

Set off abundant by the yellow ray,

Invests the fields; and nature smiles revived.

’T is beauty all, and grateful song around,

Joined to the low of kine, and numerous bleat

Of flocks thick-nibbling through the clovered vale:And shall the hymn be marred by thankless man, Most favored; who, with voice articulate,

Should lead the chorus of this lower world?

Shall man, so soon forgetful of the Hand

That hushed the thunder, and serenes the sky,

Extinguished fed that spark the tempest waked, That sense of powers exceeding far his own,

Ere yet his feeble heart has lost its fears?

【中文阅读】

上天那张乌云斑驳的脸

狂风漫卷，呼号弥长

更崇高的东西在膨大，覆盖世界的是更纯净的蔚蓝。

透过轻薄的空气

更高处熠熠生辉，更清澈的宁静

扩散，颤抖，仿佛危险的过去

一丝迹象，光辉灿烂的欢快的长袍

黄色光束变幻出色彩阑珊，

倾洒在田野上，大自然在微笑中复苏重生。这就是美的全部，感激的歌儿在回荡，

整个三叶草覆盖的山谷，

低头吃草的黄牛群，数不尽的小羊咩咩叫，圣歌被那些徒劳无功的人所玷污，

绝大多数受到眷顾；那些声音洪亮的人能带领这个堕落的世界齐声合唱吗？

很快忘了上帝之手的人

能让雷声寂灭，让天空湛蓝，

熄灭那能唤起暴风雨的火花，

力量的感觉遍布他身上，

他那脆弱的心已经不再恐惧？