1)The coming of the ship(船的到來)

The Prophet(先知)
Kahlil Gibran(哈利勒‧紀伯倫)

1)The Coming of the Ship(船的到來)

Almustafa, the chosen and the beloved,
艾瑪斯塔法──上天所眷愛的，
who was a dawn unto his own day,
是他那年代的曙光，
had waited twelve years in the city of Orphalese
他在奧非裡斯城等待了十二年，
for his ship that was to return and bear him back to the isle of his birth.
等著載他返鄉的船，載他回到他誕生的小島。
And in the twelfth year, on the seventh day of Ielool, the month of reaping,
在第十二年，艾伊芳魯──收割月的第七天，
he climbed the hill without the city walls and looked seaward;
他登上城牆外的小山丘，眺望海面，
and he beheld the ship coming with the mist.
遙見他的船在輕霧中忽隱忽現。
Then the gates of his heart were flung open, and his joy flew far over the sea.
他的心情豁然開朗起來，喜悅之情遠飄過大海，
And he closed his eyes and prayed in the silences of his soul.
他閉上雙眼在靈魂的靜默之中祈禱。
But as he descended the hill, a sadness came upon him, and he thought in his heart:
但當他下山，憂愁悄然而至，他心中想著︰
How shall I go in peace and without sorrow?
我怎能平靜離去而不感到有一點憂傷呢？
Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city.
不，離開這城鎮，我豈會不傷痛？
Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls,
在這城內，我曾度過漫長痛苦的白晝，
and long were the nights of aloneness;
以及捱過了無數孤獨的夜晚。
and who can depart from his pain and his aloneness without regret?
有誰能因為揮別痛苦和孤單而不心傷的呢？
Too many fragments of the spirit have I scattered in these streets,
我曾有太多心靈的碎片散落在這裡的街頭，
and too many are the children of my longing that walk naked among these hills,
在這些山丘之間，有著無數我所鐘愛的孩子赤身踏過的足跡，
and I cannot withdraw from them without a burden and an ache.
我那能無所牽掛的遠離他們，而不感到心痛呢？
It is not a garment I cast off this day,
今天我脫掉的不是一件外衣，
but a skin that I tear with my own hands.
而是用自己的雙手撕下一層皮。
Nor is it a thought I leave behind me,
我留下的不是一個念頭，
but a heart made sweet with hunger and with thirst.
而是一顆因飢渴而變得甜蜜的心。
Yet I cannot tarry longer.
但我再也不能遲疑了。
The sea that calls all things unto her calls me, and I must embark.
召喚一切的大海，正在召喚我，我必須上船啟航了。
For to stay, though the hours burn in the night, is to freeze and crystallize and be bound in a mould.
因為留下來只會被冰凍，結成塊狀，儘管深夜的時光正如火炙。
Fain would I take with me all that is here. But how shall I?
我很想帶走這裡的一切，但我怎麼能夠？
A voice cannot carry the tongue and the lips that gave it wings.
聲音無法帶走那賜予羽翼的舌和唇，
Alone must it seek the ether.
它必須獨自去尋找蒼穹。
And alone and without his nest shall the eagle fly across the sun.
蒼鷹也得獨自離巢，才能飛掠過太陽。
Now when he reached the foot of the hill, he turned again towards the sea,
現下當他到達山麓時，再向海回望，
and he saw his ship approaching the harbour,
他看見他的船航近港口，
and upon her prow the mariners, the men of his own land.
船上的水手，都是故鄉的人。
And his soul cried out to them, and he said:
他的靈魂向他們呼喚，他說︰
Sons of my ancient mother, you riders of the tides,
我祖先的子民們，你們這些弄潮者啊﹗
How often have you sailed in my dreams.
多少次你們船航行入我夢中。
And now you come in my awakening, which is my deeper dream.
這一次你們在我清醒時刻航行而來，那又是我另一個更深遠的夢。
Ready am I to go, and my eagerness with sails full set awaits the wind.
我已準備啟程，我張滿了帆，滿腔熱切，等待風起。
Only another breath will I breathe in this still air,
且讓我再吸一口這裡寧靜的空氣，
only another loving look cast backward,
再一次依戀的回顧。
And then I shall stand among you, a seafarer among seafarers.
然後我將站在你們之間，一個航海者站在許多航海者之間。
And you, vast sea, sleepless mother,
而你，浩瀚的海啊，不寐的母親。
Who alone are peace and freedom to the river and the stream,
對於河流和溪川，唯有你是和平與自由。
Only another winding will this stream make, only another murmur in this glade,
這條小溪只能再蜿蜒一次，在沼地裡再低吟一回。
And then shall I come to you, a boundless drop to a boundless ocean.
然後我便奔向你，有如一滴無痕的水珠落入一片無垠的大海。
And as he walked he saw from afar men and women leaving their fields and their vineyards
當他行走著，他遙見男男女女離開他們的田地和葡萄園，
and hastening towards the city gates.
匆匆走向城門去。
And he heard their voices calling his name,
他聽到人們呼喚他的名字的聲音，
and shouting from field to field telling one another of the coming of the ship.
阡陌間互傳著──他的船來了的資訊。
And he said to himself:
他自言自語著︰
Shall the day of parting be the day of gathering?
離別的日子是否也是相聚的日子？
And shall it be said that my eve was in truth my dawn?
我的黃昏其實也該說是我的黎明？
And what shall I give unto him who has left his plough in midfurrow, or to him who has stopped the wheel of his winepress?
我能給他們什麼？對於這些丟下犁鋤或是把榨酒的機器停下來的人們。
Shall my heart become a tree heavy-laden with fruit that I may gather and give unto them?
我的心可否成為結實累累的樹，好讓我能採集果子分給他們？
And shall my desires flow like a fountain that I may fill their cups?
我的祈望應湧出如泉水，注滿他們的杯？
Am I a harp that the hand of the mighty may touch me,
我是否是一只豎琴，能讓有力的手所撥動？
or a flute that his breath may pass through me?
或是一根蘆笛，能讓他的氣息所穿透？
A seeker of silences am I,
我是個探求寧靜的人，
and what treasure have I found in silences that I may dispense with confidence?
在寧靜中我能找到什麼寶藏，可讓我滿懷自信分贈？
If this is my day of harvest,
假如這是我收成之日，
in what fields have I sowed the seed,
試問我曾在那塊田地裡播種？
and in what unremembered seasons?
那又是在一種什麼樣已被遺忘的季節裡？
If this indeed be the hour in which I lift up my lantern,
假如這確實是我應高舉燈籠的時刻，
it is not my flame that shall burn therein.
其中點燃的該不是我的火焰。
Empty and dark shall I raise my lantern,
我將舉起空寂而黑暗的燈籠。
And the guardian of the night shall fill it with oil and he shall light it also.
夜的守護者將以燈油注滿它並把它點亮。
These things he said in words. But much in his heart remained unsaid.
這些是他說出的話，但他心裡還留下更多話沒有說。
For he himself could not speak his deeper secret.
因為他自己不能說出他更深的祕密。
And when he entered into the city all the people came to meet him,
當他走進城時，所有人都來迎接他，
and they were crying out to him as with one voice.
他們異口同聲呼喚他。
And the elders of the city stood forth and said:
城裡的長者上前說︰
Go not yet away from us.
請你不要從我們身邊離開。
A noontide have you been in our twilight, and your youth has given us dreams to dream.
你曾是我們晦暗時刻的陽光，你的青春曾給了我們織夢的題材。
No stranger are you among us, nor a guest, but our son and our dearly beloved.
你在我們之中並非是陌生人，也非賓客，卻是我們的孩子，我們所鐘愛的。
Suffer not yet our eyes to hunger for your face.
請別讓我們的眼睛因渴望見到你的面容而酸痛。
And the priests and the priestesses said unto him:
男女祭司們對他說︰
Let not the waves of the sea separate us now,
不要讓海洋的波浪阻隔我們，
and the years you have spent in our midst become a memory.
不要讓我們共度的時光變成追憶。
You have walked among us a spirit,
你的性靈與我們同行，
and your shadow has been a light upon our faces.
你的影子宛如照亮我們臉上的光。
Much have we loved you.
我們深愛著你，
But speechless was our love, and with veils has it been veiled.
但我們的愛是含蓄而朦朧的無言之愛。
Yet now it cries aloud unto you,
而今它要向你大聲呼喚，
and would stand revealed before you.
要顯露在你面前。
And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth
從來，愛都不知道有多深，
until the hour of separation.
非要等到別離的時刻。
And others came also and entreated him.
其他的人也來挽留他。
But he answered them not. He only bent his head;
但他都沒有回答，只是低著頭，
and those who stood near saw his tears falling upon his breast.
身旁的人看見他的淚水滴落在胸襟。
And he and the people proceeded towards the great square before the temple.
於是他和人們走向寺廟前的廣場。
And there came out of the sanctuary a woman whose name was Almitra.
聖殿之中走出一位名叫艾蜜特卡的女人，
And she was a seeress.
他是一位女先知。
And he looked upon her with exceeding tenderness,
他非常溫柔的看著她，
for it was she who had first sought and believed in him when he had been but a day in their city.
因為當他才到這個城裡的時候，她是第一個找到他並且相信他的人。
And she hailed him, saying:
她讚頌他說︰
Prophet of God, in quest of the uttermost,
上帝的先知，為了探求極致，
long have you searched the distances for your ship.
你已竭盡所能搜尋你的船很久了。
And now your ship has come, and you must needs go.
現在你的船已到達，你必須得走了。
Deep is your longing for the land of your memories and the dwelling place of your greater desires;
對於你深切渴望著記憶中的園地和你深藏其中偉大的願望，
and our love would not bind you nor our needs hold you.
我們的愛不能束縛你，我們的需要也不能留住你。
Yet this we ask ere you leave us,
然而在你離開我們之前，
that you speak to us and give us of your truth.
對我們說話，把你的真理傳述給我們。
And we will give it unto our children,
我們會把這些話傳給我們的子女，
and they unto their children, and it shall not perish.
而他們會再傳給他們的孩子，真理將永不被消滅。
In your aloneness you have watched with our days,
你在孤獨中觀察我們的生活，
and in your wakefulness you have listened to the weeping and the laughter of our sleep.
你在清醒時聆聽我們夢中的哭泣與歡笑。
Now therefore disclose us to ourselves,
所以，現在請告訴我們，
and tell us all that has been shown you of that which is between birth and death.
那曾顯示給你，關於我們生與死之間一切的問題。
And he answered,
他回答說︰
People of Orphalese,
奧非裡斯城的人們啊﹗
of what can I speak save of that which is even now moving within your souls?
除了此刻仍在你們的靈魂之內游動的事物之外，我還能說些什麼？