译丘特切夫: 一闪的亮光

I am starting to translate my favorite poems by Russian lyric poet Fyodor Tyutchev, into my native language. My first encounter of his poems was in Tarkovski's film 'Stalker', at the end of which the stalker's crippled teenaged daughter recited Tyutchev's "the eyes once I saw". I was thrilled by the depth of the verse and couldn't move for a moment. I replayed this final scene again and again, and i decided to find out this yet unknown magic. As what I find, it is a gold mine in the lofty spirit. The unfortunate is that Russian is inaccessible to me, but even a taste of such fresh morning dew is alluring. This endeavor is my tribute to this great Russian and his muse.


一闪的亮光

［丘特切夫］

你可听到那微妙的琴音
在浸透着哀愁的黑暗里，
当午夜一阵随意的风
惊扰了沉睡的弦琴。

声音突然变得亢奋，
转瞬间又消失无影，
仿佛饱受磨难的呼喊，
爆发后又立即消失。

每一阵微风的呼吸
倾诉着琴弦的忧伤，
好像天使美丽的琴
在尘土和天空中叹息。

啊，我们的灵魂飞离了故园，
飞往永恒的圣地。
将逝去的朋友的幽魂，
拥入我们的胸臆。

我们的信念如此生动，
我们的心灵如此雀跃，
仿佛天堂里永恒的河，
在我们的血管流逸。

但这不是我们的土地，
天堂里我们竟很快疲敝。
毕竟渺小的尘埃，
无法呼吸这圣火般的空气。

转眼间，
我们从迷梦中惊醒,
痛苦和颤栗的眼神
环视四周的天际。

沉重的头颅眩惑于
一闪的亮光，
复而沉落，
非向着安宁，
竟向着那曾令人倦怠的梦境。

｛译自： Jesse Zeldin 英文版. 07/30/05

A FLASH OF LIGHT

Have you heard the subtle sound of the harp-box
In the gloom-filled depths of the dark,
When a carefree midnight breeze disturbs
The sleep of the slumbering strings?

That sound now striking and startling, and then
Of a sudden fading away,
As though the climactic cry of torment
Evoked in them had been quenched.

As every zephyr’s breath explodes
The sorrow in the strings,
You should say an angel’s lyre is mourning
In the dust and across the skies.

O then our souls fly from this sphere
Of earth to a deathless one!
For we would press the friendly phantom
Of the past unto our breasts.

How lively is our faith, how happy
Our heart is, and how gay!
As though the ethereal stream of heaven
Were flowing through our veins.

But this is not our realm; in heaven
We soon would be wearied o’er.
It is not granted to paltry dust
To breathe the fire divine.

For no more than one burning moment
Will we break this magical dream,
Arise, and with troubled, trembling glance
Scan all the horizon round.

And then with heavy head, bedazzled
By this single flash alone,
Sink back anew, but not to calm;
Rather to wearying dreams.

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