歐巴馬總統就職典禮頌詩～伊莉莎白‧雅莉珊卓（英文系林文淇老師譯）
Praise song for the day: the Inaugural Poem for Obama
by Elizabeth Alexander
January 20, 2009 (Transcript from New York Times)
Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other,
catching each others' eyes or not,
about to speak or speaking.
日復一日，我們日日如常，
走過彼此的肩膀，有時四目交會
有時不會，有時交談，有時想談。
All about us is noise.
All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din,
each one of our ancestors on our tongues.
四處只有吵雜。
四處只有吵雜和荊棘、尖刺與喧譁，
我們的舌尖上都站著自己的祖先。
Someone is stitching up a hem,
darning a hole in a uniform,patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair.
有人在縫衣擺，
有人在補制服，有人在修輪胎，
修理該修理的一切。
Someone is trying to make music somewhere
with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello,
boom box, harmonica, voice.
有人在附近玩音樂，
一對木湯匙在敲油桶鼓，
還有大提琴，手提音響、口琴、人聲。
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky;
A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."
有個媽媽帶著兒子在等公車。
有個農夫看著將變的天思量。
有個老師說：「拿出鉛筆，開始。」
We encounter each other in words,
words spiny or smooth,
whispered or declaimed;
words to consider, reconsider.
我們在話語中相遇，有的話語刺耳，
有的動聽，有低語，有高聲，
值得考慮的話語，再考慮。
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will
of someone and then others who said,
"I need to see what's on the other side;
I know there's something better down the road."
我們走過泥土路和高速公路，標示
某人的意志，還有更多人
他們說我要看到路的那邊。
我知道路的盡頭一定會更好。
We need to find a place where we are safe;
We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
我們要找到可以安身立命之處。
我們向還無法看清之地走去。
Say it plain, that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges,
picked the cotton and the lettuce,
built brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.
要清楚說，今日是許多人犧牲所成就。
要歌詠那些領我們到此的死者，
他們用性命搭橋樑，鋪鐵路，
他們摘棉花，採生菜，
一磚一瓦蓋起金碧輝煌的建築
然後維持清潔又在裡面工作
Praise song for struggle;
praise song for the day.
Praise song for every hand-lettered sign;
Then figuring it out at kitchen tables.
為抗爭頌歌，為今日頌歌。
為每個手繪的標語頌歌，
那些餐桌上的全民開講
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm,
or take no more than you need.
有人恪遵「要愛鄰居如同自己，」
有人奉行「首先不要害人或貪心。」
但如果最有力的話語是愛？
What if the mightiest word is love,
love beyond marital, filial, national.
Love that casts a widening pool of light.
Love with no need to preempt grievance.
超越婚姻，手足，國家的愛，
照射出愈來愈寬廣的光明的愛，
毋須先排除悲傷的愛。
In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air,
anything can be made, any sentence begun.
在今日耀眼的光芒與冬季的冷空氣裡，
一切都可能，所有句子已經開始。
在邊緣，在帽簷，在分界點
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp --
praise song for walking forward in that light.
為這在光明中大步向前頌歌
Praise song for the day: the Inaugural Poem for Obama
by Elizabeth Alexander
January 20, 2009 (Transcript from New York Times)
Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other,
catching each others' eyes or not,
about to speak or speaking.
日復一日，我們日日如常，
走過彼此的肩膀，有時四目交會
有時不會，有時交談，有時想談。
All about us is noise.
All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din,
each one of our ancestors on our tongues.
四處只有吵雜。
四處只有吵雜和荊棘、尖刺與喧譁，
我們的舌尖上都站著自己的祖先。
Someone is stitching up a hem,
darning a hole in a uniform,patching a tire,
repairing the things in need of repair.
有人在縫衣擺，
有人在補制服，有人在修輪胎，
修理該修理的一切。
Someone is trying to make music somewhere
with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello,
boom box, harmonica, voice.
有人在附近玩音樂，
一對木湯匙在敲油桶鼓，
還有大提琴，手提音響、口琴、人聲。
A woman and her son wait for the bus.
A farmer considers the changing sky;
A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."
有個媽媽帶著兒子在等公車。
有個農夫看著將變的天思量。
有個老師說：「拿出鉛筆，開始。」
We encounter each other in words,
words spiny or smooth,
whispered or declaimed;
words to consider, reconsider.
我們在話語中相遇，有的話語刺耳，
有的動聽，有低語，有高聲，
值得考慮的話語，再考慮。
We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will
of someone and then others who said,
"I need to see what's on the other side;
I know there's something better down the road."
我們走過泥土路和高速公路，標示
某人的意志，還有更多人
他們說我要看到路的那邊。
我知道路的盡頭一定會更好。
We need to find a place where we are safe;
We walk into that which we cannot yet see.
我們要找到可以安身立命之處。
我們向還無法看清之地走去。
Say it plain, that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges,
picked the cotton and the lettuce,
built brick by brick the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean and work inside of.
要清楚說，今日是許多人犧牲所成就。
要歌詠那些領我們到此的死者，
他們用性命搭橋樑，鋪鐵路，
他們摘棉花，採生菜，
一磚一瓦蓋起金碧輝煌的建築
然後維持清潔又在裡面工作
Praise song for struggle;
praise song for the day.
Praise song for every hand-lettered sign;
Then figuring it out at kitchen tables.
為抗爭頌歌，為今日頌歌。
為每個手繪的標語頌歌，
那些餐桌上的全民開講
Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."
Others by first do no harm,
or take no more than you need.
有人恪遵「要愛鄰居如同自己，」
有人奉行「首先不要害人或貪心。」
但如果最有力的話語是愛？
What if the mightiest word is love,
love beyond marital, filial, national.
Love that casts a widening pool of light.
Love with no need to preempt grievance.
超越婚姻，手足，國家的愛，
照射出愈來愈寬廣的光明的愛，
毋須先排除悲傷的愛。
In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air,
anything can be made, any sentence begun.
在今日耀眼的光芒與冬季的冷空氣裡，
一切都可能，所有句子已經開始。
在邊緣，在帽簷，在分界點
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp --
praise song for walking forward in that light.
為這在光明中大步向前頌歌
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