if|假如——给儿子的临终遗嘱

[英语美文]

赏析
    这是一首箴言体格律诗,以父亲的口吻道出了他以自己毕生的经历换来的人生智慧。它使我想起了《圣经》里的箴言篇,以及一位法国人的名言:“If the young could but know, if the old could but do.” (“如果青年人有老人的智慧,如果老人有青年人的身体”)大家如果能理解并且记住其中的精华,一定可以受益终生(正如以前E.S.所说“Don't rush, don't push, don't ask for too much!” 能使大家经常保持心态平衡一样)。
    由于这是一首格律诗,所以充满了形式美。我们可以从韵脚 (rhyming scheme),头韵(alliteration)和重复(repetition)等方面来欣赏它。
韵脚:全诗分为四节,每节八行,全部隔行押韵。值得注意的是,该诗单行全部押双韵(feminine rhyme),双行全部押单韵(masculine rhyme)。
头韵:该诗在同一行或同一节中大量使用了头韵,如:foes/friends; walk/with等。
同词(同根词)重复:如第一节中的第5/6/7行wait/lie/hate三个词的重复。请读者细细品味。
 

1
If you can keep your head when all about you 
Are losing theirs and blaming1 it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt2 you
But make allowance for3 their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in4 lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to5 hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;


2
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master6;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph7 and Disaster8
And treat those two impostors9 just the same;


If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted10 by knaves11 to make a trap12 for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop13 and build 'em up with worn-out14 tools ;


3
If you can make one heap15 of all your winnings
And risk16 it on one turn of pitch-and-toss17,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe18 a word about your loss;


If you can force your heart and nerve19 and sinew20
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ″Hold on! ″

4
If you can talk with crowds21 and keep your virtue22,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch23;
If neither foes24 nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with25 you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving26 minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And —which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!


 


 

1
假如你能保持头脑清醒,
当世人全都利令智昏,
还对你反唇相讥;
假如你能坚信自己,
当世人全都对你疑虑重重,
你却能心怀大度;

假如你能等待,而且从不失去耐心,
面对谎言,你却仍能以诚处世,
遭人忌恨,你却仍能以仁爱人。
假如你能行善而不图彰显,
假如你很健谈却不呈辩才;

2
假如你能心怀梦想,却不为梦想所主宰,
假如你能慎思明辩,却不以思辨为归宿,
假如你能得而不喜、失而不忧,
面对成功与失败荣辱不惊;

假如你听见自己亲口道出的真理,
被小人歪曲,当作傻瓜的陷阱,
你却能忍气吞声;
假如你看见自己毕生奋斗的事业毁于一旦,
你还能默默地拾起已经磨损的镐头,
重新为你的大厦奠基;

3
假如你能抛开自己所有既得的成就,
只为成败未卜的事业奋力一搏,
而当你失利时,还能从头开始,
对失去的一切只字不提。

假如你能呕心沥血,竭尽全力
鞠躬尽瘁,死而后已,
哪怕你的躯体早已不复存在,
你的意志仍在高呼“坚持到底!”

4
假如你能身居高位而不忘根本,
假如你能入乡随俗却不流于庸俗;
无论敌人还是朋友都不能把你伤害,
假如所有人都信任而非迷信你;

假如你能争分夺秒,惜时如金,
那么,你的人生就如同大地,如同天地万物,
你就是万物的灵长。我的儿子,
请记住父亲的遗嘱。

 

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1.blame [bleim] v.责备;谴责;归咎于
2.doubt [daut] v.怀疑
3.make allowance for  允许,(此处)原谅
4.to deal in sth. 从事,干
5.give way to 放纵于
6.master  n. 男主人
7.triumph  n. 胜利,成功
8.disaster  n. 灾难,天灾
9.impostor  n. 冒名顶替的人,骗子
10.twist [twist] v. 扭曲
11.knave [neiv] n. 恶棍,骗子
12.trap  n. 圈套,陷阱,诡计
13.stoop  v. 弯下上身,弯腰
14.worn-out  adj. 磨损的
15.heap  n. 堆,大量,许多
16.risk [risk] v. 冒......的危险
17.pitch-and-toss  n.一种用硬币玩的赌博游戏
18.breathe  v. 呼吸,低声说
19.nerve  n. 神经,胆量
20.sinew n. 肌肉,精力
21.crowd [kraud] n. 群众,一伙
22.virtue  n. 德行,美德,优点
23.touch  n. 接触
24.foe n. 仇敌
25.count with 信任,相信
26.unforgiving  adj. 不宽恕的,不原谅的