胡适留学日记五、世界会十周纪念,诗以祝之

(十二月廿二日)


  此间世界学生会(Cornell Cosmopolitan Club,余去年为其会长)成立十年矣(1904—1915),今将于正月九,十,十一,三日行十周祝典。一夜不寐,作诗以祝之:

A SONNET


ON THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THECORNELL COSMOPOLITAN CLUB.


"Let here begin a Brotherhood of Man,


Wherein the West shall freely meet the East,


And man greet man as man—greatest as least.


To know and love each other is our plan".



So thought our Founders: so our work began.


This is no place to solely dance and feast!


No! It expects us all to be the yeast


To leaven this our world and lead the van!



"What have you done in these ten years?" you say.


Little: 'tis no single grain that salts the sea.


But we have faith that come it will—that day—


When what are dreams now dreams no more shall be,


And to this tune the Muses shall all play:


"ABOVE ALL NATIONS IS HUMANITY!"


  〔中译

桑纳体


为纪念世界学生会十周年而作


“且让人类博爱从此开始,


西方东方在此自由相会,


人人一样尊敬无分尊卑,


我们的安排是相互理解和友谊。”



缔造者说——于是工作开始,


这里不安排饮宴和欢舞。


不!我们要做面包的酵母,


将世界发酵,作人类先驱。



若问我十年来有何成就?


很少,不如大海中一粒盐。


我们深信定将迎来那一天——



今日之梦将会化为现实,


所有的缪斯将击节欢唱:


“人类定将凌驾万邦之上!”


  诗成以示相知数人及英文文学教员罗刹先生(C. S. Northup),乞其削改,皆无大去取。今晨以示文学教长散仆生先生(M. W. Sampson),先生为言第七句之“Yeast”与第八句之“Leaven”意既复沓,字亦雅俗悬殊,不宜并立。余极以为是。惟“-east”韵不易得,故归而易之以“-est”韵。末二节亦稍有变易,似较胜矣。

"Let here begin a Brotherhood of Man,


Wherein the East shall freely meet the West,


And man greet man as man—blest or opprest.


To know and love each other is our plan."



So spoke our Founders: so our work began.


'Tis no mere place for us to feast and jest!


No! It prepares us for the knightly quest


To leaven this our world and lead the van!



Little we did, and ten years passed away:


No single grain it is that salts the sea,


But we have faith that come it will—that day—



When these our dreams no longer dreams shall be,


And ev'ry people on the earth shall say:


"ABOVE ALL NATIONS IS HUMANITY!"


  〔中译

“且让人类博爱从此开始,


东方西方在此自由相会,


人人尊敬无分贵贱尊卑,


我们的安排是相互理解和友谊。”



缔造者说。于是开始工作,


这里不是盛筵和玩笑的场所。


不!我们要到世界行侠仗义,


当人民先锋,将人民激励。



十年已逝,我们所为少矣,


不及弄成大海的一颗盐粒。


我们深信定将迎来那一天——



今日的梦想将化为现实,


地球上的人们将一起呼喊:


“人类定将凌驾万邦之上!”


  此体名“桑纳”体(Sonnet),英文之“律诗”也。“律”也者,为体裁所限制之谓也。

  此体之限制有数端:

  (一)共十四行。

  (二)行十音五“尺”(尺者〔foot〕,诗中音节之单位。吾国之“平平仄仄平平仄”,平平为一尺,仄仄为一尺,此七音凡三尺有半,其第四尺不完也。)

  (三)每“尺”为“平仄”调(Iambic),如:


  (四)十四行分段法有两种:


  (五)用韵法有数种:


  吾所用者为(乙)式(寅)调也。吾此诗为第三次用此体,前二次皆用(甲)式,以其用韵少稍易为也。

  廿四日去水牛城,车中念及前诗,复以书与散仆生先生商榷。先生来书以为第二稿所用west韵不如east韵之佳,第三句尤不如前稿,因言何不用Priest韵,遂成下稿。其第六七句乃先生所为也。

"Let here begin a Brotherhood of Man,


Wherein the West shall freely meet the East,


And man greet man as man—greatest as least.


To know and love each other is our plan."


So spoke our Founders; so our work began:


We made no place for pleasant dance and feast,


But each man of us vowed to serve as priest


In Mankind's holy war and lead the van.


What have we done in ten years passed away?


Little, perhaps; no one grain salts the sea.


But we have faith that come it will—that Day—



When these our dreams no longer dreams shall be,


And every nation on the earth shall say:


"ABOVE ALL NATIONS IS HUMANITY!"


  〔中译

“且让人类博爱从此开始,


西方东方在此自由相会,


人人一样尊敬,无分尊卑,


我们的安排是相互理解和友谊。”



缔造者说。于是开始工作,


这里不是饮宴狂欢的场所。


每个人都立誓教士般奉献,


作开路先锋,为人类圣战。



若问我十年我有何成就?


很少,但决不只是海中的一粒盐。


我们深信定将迎来那一天——



今日的梦想将化为现实,


地球上的人们将一起呼喊:


“人类定将凌驾万邦之上!”

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