雙語《園丁集》 尊敬的長者 饒恕這一對罪人吧

44

REVEREND sir, forgive this pair of sinners. Spring winds to-day are blowing in wild eddies, driving dust and dead leaves away, and with them your lessons are all lost.

Do not say, father, that life is a vanity.

For we have made truce with death for once, and only for a few fragrant hours we two have been made immortal.

Even if the king's army came and fiercely fell upon us we should sadly shake our heads and say, Brothers, you are disturbing us. If you must have this noisy game, go and clatter your arms elsewhere. Since only for a few fleeting moments we have been made immortal.

If friendly people came and flocked around us, we should humbly bow to them and say, This extravagant good fortune is an embarrassment to us. Room is scarce in the infinite sky where we dwell. For in the spring-time flowers come in crowds, and the busy wings of bees jostle each other. Our little heaven, where dwell only we two immortals, is too absurdly narrow.

44

尊敬的長者，饒恕這一對罪人吧。

今天春風猖狂地吹起旋舞，

把塵土和枯葉都掃走了，

你的功課也隨著一起丟掉了。

師父，不要說生命是虛空的。

因為我們和死亡訂下一次和約，

在一段溫馨的時間中，我倆變不朽。

即使是國王的軍隊兇猛地前來追捕，

我們將憂愁地搖頭說，

弟兄們，你們擾亂了我們了。

如果你們必須做這個吵鬧的游戲，

到別處去敲擊你們的武器吧。

因為我們剛在這片刻飛逝的時光中變成不朽。

如果親切的人們來把我們圍起，

我們將恭敬地向他們鞠躬說，

這個榮幸使我們慚愧。

在我們居住的無限天空之中，沒有多少隙地。

因為在春天繁花盛開，蜜蜂的忙碌的翅翼也彼此摩擠。

只住著我們兩個仙人的小天堂，是狹小得太可笑了。