内容导读
美国女诗人艾米莉·狄金森（1830—1886）一生中的大部分时间都足不出户，过着离群索居的隐士生活。可能正因如此，她才会对家庭格外看重。这封信中，狄金森借书写对兄弟的思念，表达了她对家庭的看重以及对生死问题的思索。在狄金森看来，家是港湾，可以给人带来永恒的安宁。
英文正文
I've been trying to think this morning how many weeks it was since you went away—I failed in calculations;It seems so long to me since you went back to school that Iset down days for years,and weeks for ascore of years—not reckoning time by minutes,I don't know what to think of such great discrepancies between the actual hours and those which“seem to be.”It may seem long to you since you returned to Boston—how Iwish you could stay and never go back again.Everything is so still here,and the clouds are cold and gray—I think it will rain soon.Oh,I am so lonely!...You had awindy evening going back to Boston,and we thought of you many times and hoped you would not be cold.Our fire burnt so cheerfully and Icouldn't help thinking of how many were here,and how many were away,and Iwished so many times during that long evening that the door would open and you come walking in.Home is aholy thing—nothing of doubt or distrust can enter its blessed portals.I feel it more and more as the great world goes on,and one and another forsake in whom you place your trust,here seems indeed to be abit of Eden which not the sin of any can utterly destroy,—smaller it is indeed,and it may be less fair,but fairer it is and brighter than all the world beside.
I hope this year in Boston will not impair your health,and Ihope you will be as happy as you used to be before.I don't wonder it makes you sober to leave this blessed air—If it were in my power,I would on every morning transmit its purest breath fragrant and cool to you.How Iwish you could have it—a thousand little winds waft it to me this morning,fragrant with forest leaves and bright autumn berries.I would be willing to give you my portion for today and take the salt sea's breath in its bright,bounding stead…
中文译文
艾米莉·狄金森致威廉·奥斯汀·狄金森
艾米莉·狄金森
今天早上我一直在想你离家已有几周——时间过得是如此之慢，一天就如同一年，一周就如同二十年。不再用分钟计算时间以后，我不知道该怎么区分真实的时间与“虚幻”的时间。对于你来说，或许觉得回到波士顿已过了很长时间，我多么希望你能待在这里，永远别再回去啊！这里的每一件事物仍然如往常般静立，乌云密布，寒气袭人。啊，我是如此孤单！你在一个刮风的晚上回到了波士顿，我们千万次地思念你，并且希望你不要着凉。我们身旁的炉火正旺，我忍不住想起，在这里，我们有多少次相聚，有多少次分离，又有多少次我希望你能在漫长的夜晚把门打开，回到家来。家是一个神圣的地方，任何怀疑或疑虑都无法侵入它神圣的领地。当时间的巨轮向前推进，你信任的人也一个个离你而去，我越来越感到家的神圣和温暖，家里看上去确实有点像伊甸园，没有任何罪恶可以彻底破坏它——事实上，家是小了一些，或许也并不美好，但是比起整个世界来，家却更加美丽，更加温馨。
我希望今年你在波士顿不会损害健康，我也希望你将如同以前那样快乐。我不会怀疑你离开上帝的祝福会非常镇定——如果在我力所能及的范围内，我将每天早晨把这里纯净、芳香、清凉的空气转送给你。我多希望你能拥有它啊——早上的徐徐清风把它吹到我的面前，伴随着森林里的树叶和清新的秋果的芬芳。我将非常愿意把自己今天所得的那份空气送给你，并用它取代海上那苦涩的空气……
词汇速记
calculations n. 估计；预测
reckon v. 计算；数
discrepancy n. 不符；矛盾[复数discrepancies]
portal n. 大门；入口（尤指大建筑物的正门）
forsake v. 放弃；断念
Eden n. 伊甸园（《圣经》中亚当和夏娃最初居住的地方）
impair v. 损害；削弱；减少
fragrant adj. 芳香的；愉快的
waft v. 使飘荡；吹送
美句欣赏
I feel it more and more as the great world goes on,and one and another forsake in whom you place your trust,here seems indeed to be abit of Eden which not the sin of any can utterly destroy,—smaller it is indeed,and it may be less fair,but fairer it is and brighter than all the world beside.当时间的巨轮向前推进，你信任的人也一个个离你而去，我越来越感到家的神圣和温暖，家里看上去确实有点像伊甸园，没有任何罪恶可以彻底破坏它——事实上，家是小了一些，或许也并不美好，但是比起整个世界来，家却更加美丽，更加温馨。
