The Silent Battle无声的战斗

齐云

The Silent Battle

By Sara Tealsdale

He was a soldier in that fight
  Where there is neither flag nor drum,
    And without sound of musketry
  The stealthy foemen come.

Year in, year out, by day and night
  They forced him to a slow retreat,
    And for his gallant fight alone
  No fife was blown, and no drum beat.

In winter fog, in gathering mist
  The gray grim battle had its end--
    And at the very last we knew
  His enemy had turned his friend.

无声的战斗

文/莎拉•蒂斯黛尔  译/齐云

他曾是战场一名士卒
   没有枪声和旌旗号鼓
      他独自一人静静战斗
   敌人也是悄悄地杀出

夜以继日又年复一年
   他在威逼下缓缓退步
      却孤胆英雄坚持作战
   即使不闻号角的鼓舞

冬日的浓霾薄雾之中
   残酷的战斗终于结束
      我们知道了最后结果
   是握手言和不分胜负

译后记：这场战斗肯定发生在心灵中，是肉体向下与心灵向上的斗争，还是道德限制与欲望满足的斗争？战斗结果是化敌为友，“本我”与“超我”握手言和，颇似孔子“七十而从心所欲不逾矩”的境界。我曾经有诗《你静静地战斗》，描绘的战斗庶几相似：

你静静地战斗
  没有人知晓
     除了上帝
  除了皱纹爬上眼角

你一个人战斗
   没有人知道
      除了自己
   除了黑夜变成拂晓

不论输赢
   哭还是笑
      你负有
         终生的遗憾
            也赢得
   神赐的骄傲