坎特伯雷故事集序幕翻7译

The General Prologue

WHEN APRIL with his showers sweet with fruit
The drought of March has pierced unto the root
And bathed each vein with liquor that has power
To generate therein and sire the flower;
When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,(5)
Quickened again, in every holt and heath,
The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun
Into the Ram one half his course has run,
And many little birds make melody
That sleep through all the night with open eye(10)
(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)—
Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,
And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,
To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.
And specially from every shire’s end(15)
Of England they to Canterbury wend,
The holy blessed martyr there to seek
Who helped them when they lay so ill and weak.
Befell that, in that season, on a day
In Southwark, at the Tabard, as I lay(20)
Ready to start upon my pilgrimage
To Canterbury, full of devout courage,
There came at nightfall to that hostelry
Some nine and twenty in a company
Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall(25)
In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all
That toward Canterbury town would ride.
The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,
And well we there were eased, and of the best.
And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest,(30)
So had I spoken with them, every one,
That I was of their fellowship anon,
And made agreement that we’d early rise
To take our way, as to you I’ll devise.
But nonetheless, whilst I have time and space,(35)
Before yet farther in this tale I pace,
It seems to me accordant with reason
To inform you of the state of every one
Of all of these, as it appeared to me,
And who they were, and what was their degree,(40)
And also what array they all were in;
And with a knight thus will I first begin.

The General Prologue

WHEN APRIL with his showers sweet with fruit

四月瓜果伴雨香，
The drought of March has pierced unto the root

三月干渴已至根。
And bathed each vein with liquor that has power

初得甘霖润根络，
To generate therein and sire the flower;

浸润根络绽芳华。
When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,(5)

西风流香今又疾，
Quickened again, in every holt and heath,

苍莽何处不惊奇！
The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun

嫩蕾翠枝伴初阳，
Into the Ram one half his course has run,

金乌刚过白羊半。
And many little birds make melody

鸣禽欢喜争做歌，
That sleep through all the night with open eye(10)

夜半不用瞑目眠。
(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)—

春息挑逗难沉寂，
Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,

信徒踏上朝圣路。
And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,

行者前行觅异路。
To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.

异域闻名之圣坛，
And specially from every shire’s end(15)

偏远直到五湖边。
Of England they to Canterbury wend,

所去者坎特圣地，
The holy blessed martyr there to seek

昔日圣徒殉教在此地，
Who helped them when they lay so ill and weak.

困疠不堪何人助？
Befell that, in that season, on a day

当此时，在此季，
In Southwark, at the Tabard, as I lay(20)

索斯沃克吾安歇，
Ready to start upon my pilgrimage

启程即将去圣地。
To Canterbury, full of devout courage,

坎特朝圣多虔诚。
There came at nightfall to that hostelry

奄忽旅社已黄昏，
Some nine and twenty in a company

络绎旅人二十九。
Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall(25)

天涯异路幸作伴，
In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all

心中皆有朝圣念。
That toward Canterbury town would ride.

齐心皆欲去坎特。
The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,

房厩宽敞兮人马皆得安，
And well we there were eased, and of the best.日薄西兮乃得所。
And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest,(30)

闲哉快哉心不烦！
So had I spoken with them, every one,

先领风骚兮吾发言：
That I was of their fellowship anon,

今后路上将做伴，
And made agreement that we’d early rise

大家协商要早起。
To take our way, as to you I’ll devise.

启程须早我尽力。
But nonetheless, whilst I have time and space,(35)

眼前夜暮尚得闲，
Before yet farther in this tale I pace,

多说无妨大家事。
It seems to me accordant with reason

思忖不妨相交流，
To inform you of the state of every one

相互了解更亲近。
Of all of these, as it appeared to me,

如上述，依我看。
And who they were, and what was their degree,(40)

何籍何职互不知，
And also what array they all were in;

隔行隔地两茫茫！

And with a knight thus will I first begin. 

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