乌鸦之死 Death of the Crow

一首莫名其妙的诗，又或许是一封故弄玄虚的邀请函。 A bizarre and incomprehensible poem. Or perhaps, some kind of mysterious invitation.

曾经那个阴郁的子夜，你独自沉思，慵懒疲惫

Once upon a midnight dreary, while you pondered, weak and weary,

沉溺于那些古怪离奇、早已为人所遗忘的旧梦

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten dreams —

当你苶然疲役、睡眼惺忪，却忽而传来敲击声

While you nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

似有人轻轻叩击门扉，轻轻叩击你的门扉

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at your chamber door.

「如此深夜」你轻声呢喃，「何人唐突来访——」

"'Tis some visitor," you muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —

唯此而已，别无他般

Only this and nothing more."

你是否记得那扇朝露浸润的玻璃窗

Ah, do you distinctly remember the dew-doused window pane;

一团垂死的幼鸽，阴影般伏于地面

And a dying baby dove laid like a shadow upon the floor.

你当时真心企盼故事终将美满

Eagerly you had wished the story to meet a happy end

你当时真心企盼鸟儿不曾坠亡

Eagerly you had wished no birds would plummet, their demise to bewail.

有些天生属于天空，璨若星光——

Some soared like shining stars, bound for the sky...

有些却埋葬于尘土，直至永远

While others found only demise, in dust they lie.

凝视着夜色幽幽，你伫立门边惊惧良久

Deep into that darkness peering, long you stood there wondering, fearing,

疑惑中似乎梦见从未有人敢梦见的梦幻

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

虫豸玷污了锦绣、白鸽折羽焚于烈焰

Worms have stained satin, and flames consumed doves with broken wings,

浴火的乌鸦嗓音喑哑，向你致意问候

A flame-bathed raven greeted you, its voice's rasp that sings.

「美梦非我乐园」你轻声呢喃，「举目四望——」

"Sweet dreams are no paradise of mine," you whispered and sighed. "When I cast my eyes around —"

唯有黑夜，别无他般

Darkness there and nothing more.

黑鸟却将你悲伤的幻觉哄骗成微笑

Then this ebony bird beguiling your sad fancy into smiling,

「那幽灵的惑人回声并非救赎」

"The echoes of ghosts bring no salvation to light."

「人们诚心忏悔，只因有利可图」

"People repent, their hearts sincere, only due to them seeking greater gains."

「饮下吧，这是神主恩赐的忘忧药」

"Drink this blessed potion from the Great One, erasing your painful memories."

你听闻谐乐变调、奏起挽歌，你得见灰烬纷纷扬扬——

As Harmony's tune changed, you hear a dirge played amidst the dancing ashes...

乌鸦低吟：「永不复还」

Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

未被打破的寂静缄默不语，嘲弄无声回响

The unbroken stillness remains silently, mocking any reply so aptly spoken,

乌鸦仍用虚假的幸福将你哄骗

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

而你早已窥见世间苦难的源端

This and more I sat divining, scrying the source of the world's pain

你的心也变得坚强，不再犹疑、不再彷徨

Your heart grew resolute, no longer held back by confusion and doubt.

「骗子」你说，「神主不曾知晓世人苦难——」

"Liar," you declared, "the Great One is blind to worldly sorrow —"

唯此而已，别无他般

Merely this and nothing more.

你登上舞台，你窃取权柄，你觊觎神明

You ascended the stage, you stole the authority, you strived for divinity

你拉开暗淡帷幕，自导自演荒唐剧目

You raised the dim curtain, your self-directed farce skillfully honed.

你心中充盈神圣，人偶影子漆黑可怖

Your heart overflew with pureness, while the shadows of the puppets cast grim shadows in their play.

你心怀怜悯，妄图铸就永不倾斜的天平

Your soul embraced compassion, daring to forge a scale that will never sway.

「看吧」你说，「这是绝对幸福的理想乡」

"Behold," you proclaimed, "the utopia of absolute bliss,"

美梦破碎：「永不复还」

Yet the dream shattered, "Nevermore."

天鹅绒的窠巢陨落，金纸的温床干涸

The velvet nest fell, the golden bed withered away,

鸟儿并未飞去，它仍栖息，你仍栖息

But the bird remained perched, as did you, come what may.

你被爱怜你的诸神所抛弃

The gods, who once bestowed upon you love's sweet hue,

你的乐园也沦为空中楼阁

Withdrew their favor, leaving your paradise askew.

而你的灵魂，将从幼鸽尸骸的阴影中解放

Liberated from the shadow of young dove's demise, your soul will take flight,

唯此而已，别无他般

Merely this and nothing more.

你的旧梦如劣土，难以供养希望之种

Your old dreams are as dead soil, barren of hope and bereft,

崇高的灵魂怎能如此枯萎凋败

Yet how can a noble soul wither and fade, left adrift?

我将恭候你的到来

I shall await your arrival, with open arms and boundless hope,

这里有最真实的梦，这里有无限可能

Here lie the truest dreams, where infinite possibilities lope.

您将在此实现您的一切野望

Here, all your ambitions shall be fulfilled and set aflame,

前尘旧事，永不复还

The past forever transformed, and nevermore

向您致以真诚的问候——

Yours, Most Sincerely

西塞尔·西姆斯

Cecil Simmes