泰戈爾《新月集》第27期:小大人 THE LITTLE BIG MAN

《新月集》 (The Crescent Moon，1903)是印度詩人、作家泰戈爾創(chuàng)作的詩集，主要譯自1903年出版的孟加拉文詩集《兒童集》，也有的是用英文直接創(chuàng)作的。 詩集里著力描繪的是一個個天真可愛的兒童。詩人塑造了一批神形兼?zhèn)洹㈧陟陂W光的天使般的兒童藝術形象。

 

 

 

27 小大人 THE LITTLE BIG MAN

I AM small because I am a little child. I shall be big when I am as old as my father is.

我人很小，因為我是一個小孩子，到了我像爸爸一樣年紀時，便要變大了。

My teacher will come and say, "It is late, bring your slate and your books."

我的先生要是走來說道：“時候晚了，把你的石板，你的書拿來。”

I shall tell him, "Do you not know I am as big as father? And I must not have lessons any more."

我便要告訴他道：“你不知道我已經(jīng)同爸爸一樣大了么?我決不再學什么功課了。”

My master will wonder and say, "He can leave his books if he likes, for he is grown up."

我的老師便將驚異地說道：“他讀書不讀書可以隨便，因為他是大人了。”

I shall dress myself and walk to the fair where the crowd is thick.

我將自己穿了衣裳，走到人群擁擠的市場里去。

My uncle will come rushing up to me and say, "You will get lost, my boy; let me carry you."

我的叔叔要是跑過來說道：“你要迷路了，我的孩子，讓我領著你罷。”

I shall answer, "Can't you see, uncle, I am as big as father. I must go to the fair alone."

我便要回答道：“你沒有看見么，叔叔，我已經(jīng)同爸爸一樣大了?我決定要獨自一個人到市場里去。”

Uncle will say, "Yes, he can go wherever he likes, for he is grown up."

叔叔便將說道：“是的，他隨便到哪里去都可以，因為他是大人了。”

Mother will come from her bath when I am giving money to my nurse, for I shall know how to open the box with my key.

當我正拿錢給我保姆時，媽媽便要從浴室中出來，因為我是知道怎樣用我的鑰匙去開銀箱的。

Mother will say, "What are you about, naughty child?"

媽媽要是說道：“你在做什么呀，頑皮的孩子?”

I shall tell her, "Mother, don't you know, I am as big as father, and I must give silver to my nurse."

我便要告訴她道：“媽媽，你不知道我已經(jīng)同爸爸一樣大了么?我必須拿錢給保姆。”

Mother will say to herself, "He can give money to whom he likes, for he is grown up."

媽媽便將自言自語道：“他可以隨便把錢給他所喜歡的人，因為他是大人了。”

In the holiday time in October father will come home and, thinking that I am still a baby, will bring for me from the town little shoes and small silken frocks.

當十月里放假的時候，爸爸將要回家，他會以為我還是一個小孩子，為我從城里帶了小鞋子和小綢衫來。

I shall say, "Father, give them to my d?d? [elder brother], for I am as big as you are."

我便要說道：“爸爸，把這些東西給哥哥罷，因為我已經(jīng)同你一樣大了。”

Father will think and say, "He can buy his own clothes if he likes, for he is grown up."

爸爸便將想了一想，說道;“他可以隨便去買他自己穿的衣裳，因為他是大人了。”