因我不能停下等候死神

BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH 因我不能停下等候死神
Emily Dickinson 狄瑾蓀 (1830-1886)


Because I could not stop for Death, 因我不能停下等候死神
He kindly stopped for me; 死神好意地停下等候我
The carriage held but just ourselves 馬車僅乘載祂與我
And Immortality. 外加上 永生

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 馬車緩緩地前行
And I had put away 死神知悉不趕忙
My labor, and my leisure too, 只因祂殷勤好禮
For his civility. 吾將作息置一旁

We passed the school, where children strove 我們經過了學校
At recess, in the ring; 學童下課操場奔
We passed the fields of gazing grain, 我們經過佇立的稻田
We passed the setting sun. 我們經過落日

Or rather, he passed us; 寧說落日趕過我們
The dews drew quivering and chill, 露水帶來了寒意
For only gossamer my gown, 只因吾衣裳單薄
My tippet only tulle. 披巾只是柔絲綢

We paused before a house that seemed 我們停於一屋前
A swelling of the ground; 猶如凸起之地面
The roof was scarcely visible, 屋頂幾乎看不見
The cornice in the ground. 隱藏於地下飛檐

Since then ’tis centuries, and yet 自該程後已數百年
Feels shorter than the day 但感覺不比當日長久
I first surmised the horses’ heads 這才思忖到 馬車頭
Were toward eternity. 朝向永恆


In this poem, Dickinson describes dying and immortality in the dominant metaphor of a carriage on a journey.

I am also reminded of a poem by Joyce Grenfell (1910-1979):
"If I Should Go Before the Rest of You" ＜如果我先走了＞

If I should go before the rest of you 如果我先走了
Break not a flower, nor inscribe a stone 別糟蹋了鮮花也別刻壞了石頭
Nor when I'm gone speak in a Sunday voice 我既然不在了 也不用再說教了
But be the usual selves that I have known 就像我所認得的你們平常一樣
Weep if you must 想哭就哭吧！
Parting is hell 分離總是悲傷
But life goes on 但是生命永不止息
So sing as well 所以盡情歌唱吧！

Alex, I know you who loved singing will be singing in heaven.
May you rest in peace.

A PSALM OF LIFE-- in momory of Alex Lee

A PSALM OF LIFE 生 命 之 讚 美 詩
Henry W. Longfellow 朗非羅 (1807-1882)

Tell me not, in mournful numbers, 勿以哀傷的詩句向我訴說
Life is but an empty dream! 人生只不過是場空虛的夢
For the soul is dead that slumbers 因為怠之靈魂惰無異已死
And things are not what they seem. 事物非外在所顯示之模樣

Life is real! Life is earnest! 人生真實!人生嚴肅!
And the grave is not its goal; 墳墓非其最終目的
Dust thou art, to dust returnest, 你來自塵土，歸至塵土
Was not spoken of the soul. 並非針對靈魂而言

Not enjoyment and not sorrow, 非享樂，亦非傷悲
Is our destined end or way; 我們的目標或前途
But to act, that each tomorrow 要要努力以致每個明日
Finds us farther than today. 發現我們比今日更進步

Art is long, and Time is fleeting, 技藝永恆，光陰易逝
And our hearts, though stout and brave, 我們內心雖堅強，勇敢
Still, like muffled drums, and beating 仍如悶聲鼓敲擊著
Funeral marches to the grave. 送葬行列墳場赴

In the world's broad field of battle, 在世界廣大戰場上，
In the bivouac of Life, 在人生短暫旅途中。
Be not like dumb, driven cattle! 別像沉默被驅之牛群
Be a hero in the strife! 要當奮鬥中之英雄

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! 勿信未來，無論多麼愉快
Let the dead past bury its dead! 過去的就讓它過去
Act, -- act in the living Present! 努力，努力於今朝
Heart within, and God o'erhead! 盡心力，上蒼庇祐

Lives of great men all remind us 偉人生平令我們憶起
We can make our lives sublime, 我們亦可使生命崇高
And, departing, leave behind us 一旦離開這世界時
Footprints on the sands of time; 留下人生歷史的足跡

Footprints, that perhaps another, 或許另一航海者
Sailing o'er life's solemn main, 渡過人生嚴肅大海
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, 孤獨船難之弟兄
Seeing, shall take heart again. 見到足跡重拾勇氣

Let us, then, be up and doing 讓我們起而行
With a heart for any fate; 以面對任何命運之心志
Still achieving, still pursuing, 繼續成就，際續追求
Learn to labor and to wait 學習努力與等待。

This poem taken from Longfellow's Voices of the Night (1839) seems to give us a great deal of good advice. It tells us not to waste our time but to be up and doing; not to be discouraged by sufferings or failures but to have a heart for any fate; not to judge life by temporary standards but to look to eternal reward.
選取自朗非羅(1839出版)的“夜之音”，這首詩提供我們許多忠告。它告訴我們不要浪費我們的光陰而要起而行﹔不要因受苦或失敗感到沮喪，而要擁有面對任何命運之心﹔必要以暫時的標準評判人生，而要期盼永恆的犒賞。

謹以此詩 紀念Alex李遠生
Alex's memorial service was held yesterday afternoon (2009-2-21). Bill, Cindy, Echo, Christine, Ilona, Iris, 姜守芸, 智君等 went too. We felt so sad. A 45-year-old man left his parents, sisters, his wife and 3 kids behind him, with the youngest only 5 year old. Last December Alex was diagnosed with liver cancer and died on Feb. 7. So abrupt that none was prepared to see him leave. Well, the transience of life... "The art of losing's not hard to master..." Bishop's line lingers in my ears but still hurts in my heart. I have lost so many good friends over recent years. Echo said she had a feeling that Alex was present in the service. Maybe he did. I guess he didn't want to leave, either. But we all have our journey to take, and a road we walk on. I hope no matter what road we choose, we are walking with our Lord. With God our guidance, we are not alone.