LESSON 8 WORK 劳动

Eliza Cook (b.1817, d.1889) was born at London.In 1837 she commenced contributing to periodicals.In 1840 the f irst collection of her poems was made.In 1849 she became editor of “Eliza Cook’s Journal.”

1.Work, work, my boy, be not afraid;

Look labor boldly in the face;

Take up the hammer or the spade,

And blush not for your humble place.

2.There’s glory in the shuttle’s song;

There’s triumph in the anvil’s stroke;

There’s merit in the brave and strong

Who dig the mine or fell the oak.

3.The wind disturbs the sleeping lake,

And bids it ripple pure and fresh;

It moves the green boughs till they make

Grand music in their leafy mesh^[1].

4.And so the active breath of life

Should stir our dull and sluggard wills;

For are we not created rife^[2]

With health, that stagnant^[3] torpor^[4] kills?

5.I doubt if he who lolls^[5] his head

Where idleness and plenty meet,

Enjoys his pillow or his bread

As those who earn the meals they eat.

6.And man is never half so blest

As when the busy day is spent

So as to make his evening rest

A holiday of glad content.

【中文阅读】

伊丽莎·库克（1817—1889）出生于英国伦敦。1837年，开始投身杂志出版事业。1840年，她的第一本诗集问世。1849年，她开始编辑出版《伊丽莎·库克》杂志。

1.干活，干活，我的孩子，不要害怕，

勇敢地面对劳动。

拿起你的锤子或铁铲，

不要为你卑微的地位而羞愧。

2.梭子来回欢唱的音乐中带着荣光，

铁砧反复敲击的过程中述说着胜利，

那些挖煤的、砍树的工人啊，

汗水中正蕴藏着勇敢和强健的价值。

3.微风拂过沉睡的湖面，

撩动一圈圈漾开的涟漪。

它吹醒嫩绿的芽蕾，直到

满地绿意奏出一曲盛大的旋律。

4.这正是生活。那律动的气息，

打破我们呆板、懒散的意志。

生活，是由我们健康的身体创造的，

而健康，就是呆滞和麻木的大敌。

5.我不相信，当懒散和富足相遇时，

会有人懒洋洋地垂头犹豫；

我也不相信，当别人都在享受自力更生的乐趣时，

会有人踌躇于睡懒觉或发奋努力。

6.当一个人度过了忙碌的一天，

然后心满意足地，如庆祝节日一样，

舒舒服服地在晚上做个好梦——

这世上最幸福的事，莫过于此。

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【注释】

[1] Mesh, network.

[2] Rife, abounding.

[3] Stagnant, inactive.

[4] Torpor, laziness, stupidity.

[5] Lolls, reclines, leans.