LESSON 66 The ark and the dove

第六十六课 方舟与鸽子

"Tell me a story, please," my little girl lisped from her cradle.

“请给我讲个故事吧。”我的小女儿从摇篮里哼出声。

So I bent me down, and told her how it rained, and rained, and rained,

于是我弯下腰，给她讲雨是如何不停地下，

till all the flowers were covered, and the trees hid their tall heads,

直到花儿被淹没了，树的最顶端也被遮蔽了，

and where the houses stood, and people dwelt, a fearful deluge rolled.

可怕的洪水滚到了人们居住、房屋耸立的地方。

Because the world was wicked, and refused to heed the words of God.

因为这个世界是邪恶的，拒绝听从上帝的话。

But one good man, who long had warned the wicked to repent, obey, and live, taught by the voice of Heaven.

但有一个受上天教导的好人，早就警告过邪恶的人要悔改、服从、活下去。

Had built an ark; and thither, with his wife and children, turned for safety.

他建造了一艘方舟；在那里，他带着他的妻子与孩子，寻求安全。

Two and two, of beasts and birds and creeping things, he took, with food for all.

他带上了走兽，飞鸟，爬虫，以及所有的食物。

And, when the tempest roared and the great fountains of the sky poured out a ceaseless flood, till all beside were drowned.

当暴风雨咆哮着降临，天空的喷泉倾泻而下奔腾不息时，其他所有的一切都被淹没了。

They in their quiet vessel dwelt secure.

他们则在安静的方舟里安然居住。

And so the mighty waters bore them up, and o'er the bosom of the deep they sailed for many days.

大水将他们冲了起来，高度远远超过了他们航行多日的海洋。

But then a gentle dove scaped from the casement of the ark, and spread her lovely pinion o'er that boundless wave.

但之后，一只温和的鸽子从方舟的窗户飞了出去，在无边无际的波浪上伸展着她可爱的翅膀。

All was desolation. Chirping nest, nor face of man, nor living thing she saw.

一切都很荒凉。不论是啁啾的巢，人脸，还是她看见的活物。

 

For all the people of the earth were drowned, because of disobedience.

因为地球上的所有人都由于违抗而被淹死了。

Naught she spied, save wide, dark waters, and a frowning sky, nor found her weary foot a place of rest.

除了宽阔、黑暗的水域和阴沉的天空，她什么也没有看见，也没有找到任何可以让疲惫的脚休息的地方。

So, with a leaf of olive in her mouth, sole fruit of her drear voyage, which perchance upon some wrecking billow floated by,

就这样，她嘴里叼着一片橄榄枝，这是她此次阴郁航行中的唯一收获，可能是在被巨浪打翻的遇难船上找到的，

with drooping wing the peaceful ark she sought.

下垂着翅膀，回到了安然无事的方舟。

The righteous man that wandering dove received,

那个正直的人将这只飞来飞去的鸽子迎了回来，

and to her mate restored, who, with sad moans, had wondered at her absence.

而她的同伴们则还在为她的不见发出悲伤的呻吟。

Then I looked upon the child, to see if her young thoughts wearied with following mine.

这时我看了看孩子，看她幼小的思维是否厌倦了跟随我的讲述。

But her blue eye was a glad listener, and the eager breath of pleased attention curled her parted lip.

但她的蓝眼睛透露出她是个高兴的倾听者，开心的关注带来的渴望的气息，使她分开的嘴唇翘了起来。

And so I told her how the waters dried, and the green branches waved, and the sweet buds came up in loveliness,

于是我给她讲了之后大水是如何变干涸的，绿色的树枝是如何摇曳的，甜美的花蕾是如何美丽地长出来的，

and that meek dove went forth to build her nest.

还有那只温顺的鸽子是如何飞出去筑巢的。

While thousand birds awoke their songs of praise, and the tired ark upon the breezy breast of Ararat reposed.

同时，无数的鸟儿高声唱着赞歌，疲惫的方舟靠在阿勒山上休息。

And Noah with glad spirit reared an altar to his God.

诺亚则高兴地为他的上帝建造了一座圣坛。

Since, many a time, when to her rest, ere evening's earliest star,

从那以后，很多次，在她要休息的时候，在夜晚最早的一颗星星出来之前，

that little one is laid, with earnest tone, and pure cheek pressed to mine, she fondly says, "Tell me the story of the Dove."

这个小家伙躺着，将纯净的脸颊贴向我，用认真的语气天真地说，“给我讲鸽子的故事。”