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卷八 五、世界會十周紀念,詩以祝之


  (十二月廿二日)

  此間世界學生會(Cornell Cosmopolitan Club,余去年為其會長)成立十年矣(1904—1915),今將於正月九,十,十一,三日行十周祝典。一夜不寐,作詩以祝之:

  A SONNET

  ON THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THECORNELL COSMOPOLITAN CLUB.

  "Let here begin a Brotherhood of Man,

  Wherein the West shall freely meet the East,

  And man greet man as man—greatest as least.

  To know and love each other is our plan".

  So thought our Founders: so our work began.

  This is no place to solely dance and feast!

  No! It expects us all to be the yeast

  To leaven this our world and lead the van!

  "What have you done in these ten years?" you say.

  Little: 'tis no single grain that salts the sea.

  But we have faith that come it will—that day—

  When what are dreams now dreams no more shall be,

  And to this tune the Muses shall all play:

  "ABOVE ALL NATIONS IS HUMANITY!"

  〔中譯〕

  桑納體

  為紀念世界學生會十周年而作

  「且讓人類博愛從此開始,

  西方東方在此自由相會,

  人人一樣尊敬無分尊卑,

  我們的安排是相互理解和友誼。」

  締造者說——於是工作開始,

  這裡不安排飲宴和歡舞。

  不!我們要做麵包的酵母,

  將世界發酵,作人類先驅。

  若問我十年來有何成就?

  很少,不如大海中一粒鹽。

  我們深信定將迎來那一天——

  今日之夢將會化為現實,

  所有的繆斯將擊節歡唱:

  「人類定將淩駕萬邦之上!」

  詩成以示相知數人及英文文學教員羅刹先生(C. S. Northup),乞其削改,皆無大去取。今晨以示文學教長散僕生先生(M. W. Sampson),先生為言第七句之「Yeast」與第八句之「Leaven」意既複遝,字亦雅俗懸殊,不宜並立。餘極以為是。惟「-east」韻不易得,故歸而易之以「-est」韻。末二節亦稍有變易,似較勝矣。

  "Let here begin a Brotherhood of Man,

  Wherein the East shall freely meet the West,

  And man greet man as man—blest or opprest.

  To know and love each other is our plan."

  So spoke our Founders: so our work began.

  'Tis no mere place for us to feast and jest!

  No! It prepares us for the knightly quest

  To leaven this our world and lead the van!

  Little we did, and ten years passed away:

  No single grain it is that salts the sea,

  But we have faith that come it will—that day—

  When these our dreams no longer dreams shall be,

  And ev'ry people on the earth shall say:

  "ABOVE ALL NATIONS IS HUMANITY!"

  〔中譯〕

  「且讓人類博愛從此開始,

  東方西方在此自由相會,

  人人尊敬無分貴賤尊卑,

  我們的安排是相互理解和友誼。」

  締造者說。於是開始工作,

  這裡不是盛筵和玩笑的場所。

  不!我們要到世界行俠仗義,

  當人民先鋒,將人民激勵。

  十年已逝,我們所為少矣,

  不及弄成大海的一顆鹽粒。

  我們深信定將迎來那一天——

  今日的夢想將化為現實,

  地球上的人們將一起呼喊:

  「人類定將淩駕萬邦之上!」

  此體名「桑納」體(Sonnet),英文之「律詩」也。「律」也者,為體裁所限制之謂也。

  此體之限制有數端:

  (一)共十四行。

  (二)行十音五「尺」(尺者〔foot〕,詩中音節之單位。吾國之「平平仄仄平平仄」,平平為一尺,仄仄為一尺,此七音凡三尺有半,其第四尺不完也。)

  (三)每「尺」為「平仄」調(Iambic),如:

  胡適留學日記

  (四)十四行分段法有兩種:

  胡適留學日記

  (五)用韻法有數種:

  胡適留學日記

  吾所用者為(乙)式(寅)調也。吾此詩為第三次用此體,前二次皆用(甲)式,以其用韻少稍易為也。

  廿四日去水牛城,車中念及前詩,複以書與散僕生先生商榷。先生來書以為第二稿所用west韻不如east韻之佳,第三句尤不如前稿,因言何不用Priest韻,遂成下稿。其第六七句乃先生所為也。

  "Let here begin a Brotherhood of Man,

  Wherein the West shall freely meet the East,

  And man greet man as man—greatest as least.

  To know and love each other is our plan."

  So spoke our Founders; so our work began:

  We made no place for pleasant dance and feast,

  But each man of us vowed to serve as priest

  In Mankind's holy war and lead the van.

  What have we done in ten years passed away?

  Little, perhaps; no one grain salts the sea.

  But we have faith that come it will—that Day—

  When these our dreams no longer dreams shall be,

  And every nation on the earth shall say:

  "ABOVE ALL NATIONS IS HUMANITY!"

  〔中譯〕

  「且讓人類博愛從此開始,

  西方東方在此自由相會,

  人人一樣尊敬,無分尊卑,

  我們的安排是相互理解和友誼。」

  締造者說。於是開始工作,

  這裡不是飲宴狂歡的場所。

  每個人都立誓教士般奉獻,

  作開路先鋒,為人類聖戰。

  若問我十年我有何成就?

  很少,但決不只是海中的一粒鹽。

  我們深信定將迎來那一天——

  今日的夢想將化為現實,

  地球上的人們將一起呼喊:

  「人類定將淩駕萬邦之上!」


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