英语听书《白鲸记》 第244期

Terrors upon terrors run shouting through his soul.In all his cringing attitudes, the God-fugitive is nowtoo plainly known. The sailors mark him; more andmore certain grow their suspicions of him, and atlast, fully to test the truth, by referring the wholematter to high Heaven, they all-outward to castinglots, to see for whose cause this great tempest wasupon them. The lot is Jonah's; that discovered, thenhow furiously they mob him with their questions.'What is thine occupation? Whence comest thou?Thy country? What people? But mark now, myshipmates, the behavior of poor Jonah. The eager mariners but ask him who he is, and wherefrom; whereas, they not only receive an answer to those questions, but likewise another answerto a question not put by them, but the unsolicited answer is forced from Jonah by the hardhand of God that is upon him.

他整个心灵真是吓上加吓闹个不停。从他那畏畏缩缩的态度上,这个上帝的逃亡者现在是教人一看就看出来了。水手们都注意着他,对他的怀疑越来越肯定,最后,为了彻底弄清这个真相,他们就把这整个事情都交给上天去解决了,他们掷着签,看看这场降临在他们身上的灾祸是谁惹出来的。结果竟掷中了约拿;这样一来,真相大白,他们可多么气愤呀,大家都用一连串的问题来围攻他,你以何事为业,你从哪里来,你是哪国人,属于哪一族?不过,我的船友呀,现在请你们注意可怜的约拿的行为。那些热切的水手不过是问他是什么人,从哪里来的;可他们不但得到了这些问题的回答,还得到了他们根本没有问他的问题的回答,不过,这些不打自招的回答却是上帝对约拿采取严厉手段迫出来的。

I am a Hebrew,he cries-and then-I fear the Lord the God of Heaven who hath made the sea andthe dry land!Fear him, O Jonah? Aye, well mightest thou fear the Lord God then! Straightway,he now goes on to make a full confession; whereupon the mariners became more and moreappalled, but still are pitiful. For when Jonah, not yet supplicating God for mercy, since he buttoo well knew the darkness of his deserts,when wretched Jonah cries out to them to take himand cast him forth into the sea, for he knew that for his sake this great tempest was uponthem; they mercifully turn from him, and seek by other means to save the ship. But all in vain;the indignant gale howls louder; then, with one hand raised invokingly to God, with the otherthey not unreluctantly lay hold of Jonah.

我是希伯来人,他哭了,接着又说我敬畏耶和华那创造沧海旱地之天上的上帝!约拿呵,你敬畏他吗?哼,这么说来,你倒是很敬畏耶和华的了!于是,他直截了当地说下去,和盘托出了;这时水手们虽然越来越惊吓,却还是可怜他。因为当时约拿虽然已经自知他那逃亡的罪恶,却还没有祈求上帝宽恕之意。等到可怜的约拿知道这场大风是因他而起,他对他们哭哭啼啼,要他们把他抛到海里去的时候,他们这才对他动了恻隐之心,想用别的办法来挽救这只船。但是,一切都是徒劳的;愤怒的大风号啸得更厉害了;于是,他们一方面仰天祈求上帝,一方面不无勉强地抓住约拿。