婚礼颂歌· 英国文学名篇选译
【编者按】：这首婚礼颂歌是艾德蒙特·斯宾塞在庆祝伍斯特勋爵的两个女儿正式订婚所做，诗篇相对爱情小唱较长，不仅用优美地语言对于两位女子赞颂了一番，还对于诗人自己的依附者进行了一番歌颂。其中对于泰晤士河的称颂：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till end my song. 成为传诵至今的佳句。
PROTHALAMIUM
婚礼颂歌
Calm was the day, and through the trembling air
平静的这天，穿过颤抖的空气，
Sweet breathing Zephyrus did softly play,
轻轻的和风微微舞动，
A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay
一个温柔的灵魂，就这样轻轻的暂缓了
Hot Titan's beam, which then did glister fair;
太阳的光芒，随后照旧辉煌地闪耀；
When I (whom sullen care,
当我（这位被阴郁侵染的）
Through discontent of my long fruitless stay
经受了漫长庸碌人生的不得意的人待在
In princes' court, and expectation vain
公主们的堂前，那空怀着那虚无的期待，
Of idle hopes, which still do fly away,
以及终究将要飞走的无谓的希望，
Like empty shadows, did afflict my brain)
就像空洞的阴影，始终啮噬着我的头脑）
Walked forth, to ease my pain.
走上前，去缓和我的苦恼。
Along the shore of silver streaming Thames;
顺着流淌着的银色泰晤士河的河岸；
Whose rutty bank, the which his river hems,
那长满了根须的河岸，镶作河水的金边，
Was painted all with variable flowers,
那上面点染着无数种绚烂的花草，
And all the meads adorned with dainty gems,
所有的草地都装饰着精致的宝石，
Fit to deck their paramours,
正好可以去打扮他们的爱人，
Against the bridal day, which is not long:
在新婚这天，虽然并不漫长：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
甜蜜的泰晤士河呐！请流得慢些，直到我歌章的终结。
There, in a meadow, by the river's side,
这里，在一个草原，就在河边，
A flock of nymphs I chanced to espy,
一群迎接新娘的仙女正努力地在窥视，
All lovely daughters of the flood thereby,
这都是河神可爱的女儿们，
With goodly greenish locks, all loose united,
带着那完好的绿锁，它们都轻轻地相连。
As each had been a bride:
每一个都曾是一位新娘：
And each one had a little wicker basket,
她们每一位手中都拿着柳条编制的篮子，
Made of fine twigs, entrailed curiously.
这些篮子都用完好的小枝编成，制作得细致精良。
In which they gathered flowers to fill their flasket,
她们将花填满他们的篮子，
And with fine fingers cropt full feateously
那精细的手指轻巧地将花摘取
The tender stalks on high.
这些娇柔的人儿悄悄行走在高处。
Of every sort which in that meadow grew
在每一处草地生长的地方
They gathered some; the violet, pallid blue,
她们都会摘取一些，那紫罗兰，带着淡蓝，
The little daisy, that at evening closes,
那小雏菊,在夜晚休眠，
The virgin lily, and the primrose true,
那纯洁的百合，那真诚的樱草，
With store of vermeil roses,
以及满地朱红的玫瑰，
To deck their bridal day, which was not long:
来装点她们婚礼的盛会，虽然这并不漫长：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
但甜蜜的泰晤士河啊！慢慢流淌，直到歌章的终结。
With that, I saw two swans of goodly hue
在那里，我看见两只色彩美丽的天鹅
Come softly swimming dwon along the Lee;
从里河慢慢向我游来；
Two fairer birds I yet never see;
我从未见过更美的两只鸟儿；
The snow which doth the top of Pindus stew
那雪白就仿佛品都斯山脉上的雪
Did never whiter shew,
都难以比她们更加耀眼，
Nor Jove himself. when he a swan would be
就连宙斯他自己，但他可以成为一只天鹅
For love of Leda, whiter did appear;
为了勒达的爱，但是如今更为洁白的出现了；
Yet Leda was, they say, as white as he,
勒达确实是，她们说，像他一样白，
Yet not so white as these, nor nothing near;
但是却没有像这两只那样白，甚至都没有一点接近：
So purely white they were,
所以她们是那么纯净洁白，
That even the gentle stream, the which them bare,
以至于甚至是洁白的河流，都几乎
Seemed foul to them, and bade his billows spare
看上去自惭形秽，嘱咐波浪放过
To wet their silken feathers, lest they might
打湿她们绸质羽毛的机会，唯恐它们
Soil their fair plumes with water not so fair,
可能会用并非十分纯净的水沾湿她们完美的羽毛
And mar their beauties bright,
玷污她们美丽的光芒,
That shone as heaven's light,
那闪烁起来像天堂的光，
Against their bridal day, which was not long:
就在她们婚礼的这天，也并非太长：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
甜蜜的泰晤士河呐！你就慢慢地流淌吧，直到我终结我的歌章。
Eftsoons the nymphs, which now had flowers their fill,
很快那些灵巧快捷的仙女们，她们拿着填满的花蓝，
Ran all in haste to see that silver brood,
飞奔着去见那银色的温床，
As they came floating on the crystal flood;
她们翱翔在水晶般的河面，
Whom when they saw, they stood amazed still,
当她们见到时，他们都惊讶得驻立，
Their wondering eyes to fill;
她们惊奇的双眼被充满：
Them seemed they never saw a sight so fair
她们从未看到这景象如此美丽
Of fowls so lovely, that they sure did deem
当然那么美丽的飞鸟，想必他们肯定见过
Them heavenly born, or to be that same pair
或许她们在天堂出生，恐怕是相同的那一对
Which through the sky draw Venus' silver team;
就是穿过天际牵引着维纳斯银色的队伍的那对；
For sure they did not seem
但是她们可以肯定
To be begot of any earthly seed,
这并非是世上的凡人所生，
But rather angels, or of angels' breed;
必然是天使，或天使的后裔，
Yet were they bred of summer's heat, they say,
必然孕育于温热的夏日，他们说，
In sweetest season, when each flower and weed
在最为甜蜜的季节，当百花和绿草，
The earth did fresh array;
以及这个大地装点一新，
So fresh they seemed as day,
她们看上去就像白天那么清新，
Even as their bridal day, which was not long:
即使在她们婚礼这天，也并不漫长：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
但甜蜜的泰晤士河呐！请缓缓流淌，直到我结束我的歌章。
Then forth they all out of their baskets drew
然后她们上前从篮子里取出
Great store of flowers, the honour of the field,
那装饰完好的花朵，那大地的骄傲，
That to the sense did fragrant odours yield,
那芳香弥漫的味道，
All which upon those goodly birds they threw,
一直飘香高空那些洁白的飞鸟，
And all the waves did stew,
然而那些海浪开始涌动，
That like old Peneus' waters they did seem,
就像它们在佩纽斯河见到的那样，
When down along by pleasant Tempe's shore,
等到顺流而下沿着欢快的谭培谷河岸，
Scattered with flowers, through Thessaly they stream,
被鲜花点缀染红，穿过塞萨利它们继续流淌，
That they appear, through lilies' plenteous store,
最终它们出现了，穿过百合盛开的海岸，
Like a birde's chamber floor.
像新娘婚房的地板，
Two of those numphs, meanwhile, two gralands bound
两位仙女，同时带着花环，
Of freshest flowers which in that mead they found,
用着他们所能找到的草地最为美丽的花朵，
The which presenting all in trim array,
来陈列出最为齐整的模样，
Their snowy foreheads therewithal they crowned,
她们雪似的前额由此被带上花冠，
Whilst one did sing this lay,
同时歌曲就这样开始唱起，
Prepared against that day,
正是为这天而准备，
Against their bridal day, which was not long:
就在她们婚礼的这天，也并非太长：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
甜蜜的泰晤士河呐！你就慢慢地流淌吧，直到我终结我的歌章。
"Ye gentle birds! the world's fair ornament,
“你们这些温柔的鸟儿呐，这世界最美的装点，
And heaven's glory, whom this happy hour
以及这天堂的荣耀，这最欢乐的时光
Doth lead unto your lover's blissful bower
将引领你们直到爱人受福的婚房,
Joy may you have, and gentle hearts' content
你们将拥有欢愉，你们的心将满足
Of your love's couplement;
在你们面对与真爱结合的时候；
And let fair Venus, that is queen of love,
让公正的维纳斯，那爱的女王，
With her heart-quelling son upon you smile,
嘱咐那射心的儿子丘比特在你们身边微笑，
Whose smile, they say, hath virtue to remove
这样的笑容，他们说，有能力将移除
All love's dislike, and friendship's faulty guile
所有爱人的不协，以及友人错误的瞒骗
For ever to assoil;
也将永远被宽恕；
Let endless peace your steadfast hearts accord,
让无尽的平和随着你们坚定的心一起，
And blessed plenty wait upon your board;
让无尽的赐予落在你们的餐桌；
And let your bed with pleasures chaste abound,
让你们的床畔满是纯真的欢愉，
That fruitful issue may to your afford,
甜蜜的果实将得以成形，
Which may your foe confound,
那会致使你们的仇敌阴谋挫败，
And make your joy redound
会让你们的快乐更加欢愉，
Upon your bridal day, which is not long:
就在你们婚礼的这天，这时光匆匆：
Sweet Thames! run softly till I end my song."
甜蜜的泰晤士河那！你缓缓流淌，直到我结束我的篇章。“”
So ended she; and all the rest around
于是她停止了歌唱，而周围围绕的人
To her redoubled that her undersong
却颂起了她的余响,
Which said their bridal day should not be long:
她们唱着婚礼这天光阴匆匆：
And gentle Echo from the neighbour ground
温柔的回音从彼处邻舍传来
Their accents did resound.
她们的声音确实带来了回想。
So forth those joyous birds did pass along,
以至于上前的那些快乐的鸟儿飞过，
Adown the Lee, that to them murmured low,
低处的里河，轻轻对它们低语，
As he would speak, but that he lacked a tongue,
他会说，但他却缺少巧舌，
Yet did by signs his glad affection show,
但是他却用富有感情的展示
Making his stream run slow.
来让它的河水慢慢流淌。
And all the fowl which in his flood did dwell
在他水中聚集的所有的鸟儿
'Gan flock about these twain, that did excel
它们确实开始向这一对聚集，而它们果真出色，
The rest, so far as Cynthia doth shend
就是说的那一对天鹅，就仿佛月神确实
The lesser stars, So they, enranged well,
让众星失色，因此它们整齐的排列，
Did on those two attend,
仅仅在她们两个身边，
And their best service lend,
奉上她们最好的服务，
Against their wedding day, which was not long:
就在她们的婚礼上，这天时光匆匆：
Sweet Thames! run softly, till I end my song.
甜蜜的泰晤士河呐！就请你慢慢流淌，直到我唱完我的歌章。
END