LESSON 12 IT SNOWS 下雪了

Sarah Josepha Hale (b.1788?, d.1879) was born in Newport, N.H.Her maiden name was Buell.In 1814 she married David Hale, an eminent lawyer, who died in 1822.Left with five children to support, she turned her attention to literature.In 1828 she became editor of the “Ladies’Magazine.” In 1837 this periodical was united with “Godey’s Lady’s Book,” of which Mrs.Hale was literary editor for more than forty years.

1.“It snows!” cries the Schoolboy, “Hurrah!” and his shout

Is ringing through parlor and hall,

While swift as the wing of a swallow, he’s out,

And his playmates have answered his call;

It makes the heart leap but to witness their joy;

Proud wealth has no pleasures, I trow^[1],

Like the rapture that throbs in the pulse of the boy

As he gathers his treasures of snow;

Then lay not the trappings^[2] of gold on thine heirs,

While health and the riches of nature are theirs.

2.“It snows!” sighs the Imbecile^[3], “Ah!” and his breath

Comes heavy, as clogged with a weight;

While, from the pale aspect of nature in death,

He turns to the blaze of his grate;

And nearer and nearer, his soft-cushioned chair

Is wheeled toward the life-giving fl ame;

He dreads a chill puff of the snow-burdened air,

Lest it wither his delicate frame;

Oh! small is the pleasure existence can give,

When the fear we shall die only proves that we live!

3.“It snows!” cries the Traveler, “Ho!” and the word

Has quickened his steed’s lagging pace;

The wind rushes by, but its howl is unheard,

Unfelt the sharp drift in his face;

For bright through the tempest his own home appeared,

Ay, though leagues intervened^[4], he can see:

There’s the clear, glowing hearth, and the table prepared,

And his wife with her babes at her knee;

Blest thought! how it lightens the grief-laden hour,

That those we love dearest are safe from its power!

4.“It snows!” cries the Belle, “Dear, how lucky!” and turns

From her mirror to watch the fl akes fall,

Like the fi rst rose of summer, her dimpled cheek burns!

While musing^[5] on sleigh ride and ball:

There are visions of conquests^[6], of splendor, and mirth,

Floating over each drear winter’s day;

But the tintings^[7] of Hope, on this storm-beaten earth,

Will melt like the snowfl akes away.

Turn, turn thee to Heaven, fair maiden, for bliss;

That world has a pure fount ne’er opened in this.

5.“It snows!” cries the Widow, “O God!” and her sighs

Have stifl ed^[8] the voice of her prayer;

Its burden ye’ll read in her tear-swollen eyes,

On her cheek sunk with fasting and care.

’T is night, and her fatherless ask her for bread,

But “He gives the young ravens their food,”

And she trusts till her dark hearth adds horror to dread,

And she lays on her last chip of wood.

Poor suff erer! that sorrow thy God only knows;

’T is a most bitter lot to be poor when it snows.

【中文阅读】

莎拉·约瑟法·黑尔（1788—1879）出生在美国新罕布什尔州纽波特，她娘家的姓氏是布伊尔。1814年，她嫁给了大卫·黑尔，一位杰出的律师。1822年，她丈夫去世，留给她五个嗷嗷待哺的孩子，她随后把注意力转向文学。1828年，她成为《女士杂志》的编辑。1837年，该期刊与《戈蒂女士手册》合并，黑尔夫人担任该杂志的文学编辑，长达四十多年。

1.“下雪了！”学校里的男孩高声叫起来，“太好啦！”

他的欢呼声划过走廊，穿过大厅，

像一只迅疾的燕子般的，他奔到门外。

他的伙伴们响应着他的呼喊，快乐地冲进雪中。

只是看着他们的喜悦，便让我心情欢畅。

令人骄傲的财富，不会带来这样的快乐，我想，

像这男孩欢快堆积起雪球时，

他的脉搏中跳动着的狂喜。

所以，别给你的孩子留下财富的陷阱，

因为他们已经拥有健康和大自然的馈赠。

2.“下雪了！”孱弱的人在叹息，“唉！”

他的呼吸沉重，仿佛便要窒息。

从窗前死亡般的白茫茫大地，

他转向壁炉中温暖的火光。

推动带着柔软垫子的轮椅，

他一点点靠近那赋予生命的火焰。

他害怕，那带着雪花的冷风，

会将他微弱的生命之火吹熄。

噢！生存给予的乐趣是那么微不足道，

对死亡的恐惧仅仅证明，我们仍然活着！

3.“下雪了！”旅行者感慨道，“驾！”

他策马扬鞭，加快速度。

寒风肆虐的尖厉呼啸，他充耳不闻，

冰冷的雪片刮过脸庞，他也毫不在意。

暴风雪中，前方家里的灯光已隐约在线，

啊，透过这漫天大雪，他能看见：

家里，壁炉明净温暖，桌台已摆好，

孩子们趴在妻子的膝上。

这幸福的一幕！它照亮了满怀悲伤的心，

当我们知道，我们最爱的那些人不受暴风雪的侵袭！

4.“下雪了！”妙龄少女娇声惊呼，“天哪，多美呀！”

她从镜子前扭过头，看着窗外的雪片纷飞。

像夏日盛开的第一朵玫瑰，她绽开带着酒窝的笑脸，

想象着雪橇飞奔，雪球翻滚。

在每一个凄凉的冬日，

都有着对征服、盛宴和欢乐的幻想。

但那淡淡的希望，在这片暴风雪肆虐的土地上，

会像雪花般融化。

将你纯洁的心信奉给上帝吧，美丽的少女！

天堂里，有着这世界上所没有的纯净。

5.“下雪了！”寡妇低低地哭泣，“上帝啊！”

她的沉沉叹息，掩盖了祷告的声音。

从她被泪水泡肿的眼里，你能看到，

她饥饿消瘦的颧骨，以及对孩子的牵挂。

夜已深了，她失去父亲的孩子向她乞求食物，

但是，“他赐食给啼叫的小乌鸦”，

她低低祈祷着，直到熄灭的壁炉增添了恐惧，

她将最后一片细柴投进炉中。

可怜的母亲！只有上帝知道你的悲伤，

大雪纷飞，那是穷人难以迈过的道道鬼门关。

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【注释】

[1] Trow, to think, to believe.

[2] Trappings, ornanents.

[3] Imbecile, one who is feeble either in body or mind.

[4] Intervened, were situated between.

[5] Musing, thinking in an absent-minded way.

[6] Conquests, triumphs, successes.

[7] Tintings, slight colorings.

[8] Stif led, choked, suppressed.