一支歌，一幅画，一首诗
平安夜发生了一件大事，异星崛起（《马太》2:1-12），几个伯利恒牧羊人、一个加利利女子、三个东土君王、一群长着翅膀的外星物种联合起来，组建
星际联盟
，在小城伯利恒触发了一件大事，庄严稳定的
托勒密天球秩序
由此遭遇震荡、破裂、贬谪，与之配合的
古典文教制度
被暂停或废止，有光从天外照下来，与世界的黑暗争战，平安夜不平安。
——弥尔顿这首天文诗，意象奇绝险兀，他必定看到了某种异象才特来传报，正如伯利恒城外的
牧羊人
（《路加》2: 8-20）。《清晨圣诞歌》交织着暗与光，是我
每年平安夜最好的陪伴。冬夜的路绵长未知，
但
阿提卡
仍然是一处围炉
野话
的安全区
，惟愿路过荒野小站的羁旅客和异乡人圣诞平安，新年有所思，深思有所得。——
et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes et custodientes vigilias noctis supra gregem suum et ecce angelus Domini stetit iuxta illos et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos et timuerunt timore magno. (Lc 2: 8-9)
——阿刻隆河学者
▲伦勃朗1647年绘制的《暂歇在亡命埃及的路上》，这是画家仅有的一副夜风景（nightscape）。同一主题，Adam Alsheimer（1605）清亮静谧，Cloude Lorrain（1647）古典崇高，伦勃朗则毫无节制地刻画了圣经图景中世界的暗黑势力。——夜色正浓，
天界的光在上面开始涌动，但尚不能透照尘世的昏昧
，圣家族依偎在暗弱篝火旁，暂时安歇在亡命路上，这堆篝火，曾经在
但丁
《地狱篇》
的“灵泊”中燃起异教时代暗弱的光，也曾在柏拉图
《理想国》
的洞穴深处，把模糊的影像投射到世界监狱的石壁上，给可怜的囚徒们带来最高的诱惑和慰藉。今年是伦勃朗去世350周年，阿提卡野话以这段解说文字以志纪念。
圣诞清晨歌
序 歌·The Prelude
一
T
his is the Month, and this the happy morn
Wherein the Son of Heav'ns eternal King,
Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born,
Our great redemption from above did bring;
For so the holy sages once did sing, [ 5 ]
That he our deadly forfeit should release,
And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.
就在这一月，这幸福的黎明，
天上永生王的儿子降诞尘境，
为初嫁的处女，童贞的母亲所生，
给我们从天上带来伟大的救拯；
神圣的先哲们曾经这样歌咏，
说他必将我们救出可怕的深渊，
同他父亲为我们创造持久的和平。
二
T
hat glorious Form, that Light unsufferable,
And that far-beaming blaze of Majesty,
Wherwith he wont at Heav'ns high Councel-Table, [ 10 ]
To sit the midst of Trinal Unity,
He laid aside; and here with us to be,
Forsook the Courts of everlasting Day,
And chose with us a darksom House of mortal Clay.
他容光焕发，灿烂辉煌，
光轮放射的火焰，万丈光芒，
他本来在高天上的议案之旁，
坐在一体而三位的中央；
如今舍去，来和我们同住一个地方，
离弃那长明不夜的殿堂，
甘以必朽的肉体作为在人间的蓬帐。
三
S
ay Heav'nly Muse, shall not thy sacred vein [ 15 ]
Afford a present to the Infant God?
Hast thou no vers, no hymn, or solemn strein,
To welcom him to this his new abode,
Now while the Heav'n by the Suns team untrod,
Hath took no print of the approching light, [ 20 ]
And all the spangled host keep watch in squadrons bright?
天上的诗神呀，你那神妙的天才，
何不献上贡品给这神圣的婴孩？
难道没有诗歌、颂辞或庄严的天籁，
用以欢迎他初次到这新居里来？
现在正当高空澄碧，未经日轮的践踹，
不见阳光扫射，留痕迹于九陔，
单见闪烁的群星分队了望，警戒。
四
S
ee how from far upon the Eastern rode
The Star-led Wisards haste with odours sweet:
O run, prevent them with thy humble ode,
And lay it lowly at his blessed feet; [ 25 ]
Have thou the honour first, thy Lord to greet,
And joyn thy voice unto the Angel Quire,
From out his secret Altar toucht with hallow'd fire.
看哪，从东方遥远的路途上，
明星引领的术士赶来贡献馨香！
快些，要尽先把你卑微的歌辞献上，
谦谦虚虚地在他的脚下安放；
你要抢先，争取最初迎主的荣光，
放开你的歌喉，加入天使的合唱，
接触神坛的圣火发为热烈的篇章。
圣诞清晨歌
颂 歌· The Hymn
一
I
t was the Winter wilde,
While the Heav'n-born-childe, [ 30 ]
All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies;
Nature in aw to him
Had doff't her gawdy trim,
With her great Master so to sympathize:
It was no season then for her [ 35 ]
To wanton with the Sun her lusty Paramour.
荒芜而零落的冬天，
天生的婴儿降诞人间，
全身裹上粗布，躺在粗糙的马槽中间；
大自然对他分外恭敬，
把浓妆艳服脱落干净，
为了对她伟大的主宰表示同情；
这时节，不是她跟日头－－
她强健的情夫，放肆逸乐的季候。
二
O
nely with speeches fair
She woo's the gentle Air
To hide her guilty front with innocent Snow,
And on her naked shame, [ 40 ]
Pollute with sinfull blame,
The Saintly Vail of Maiden white to throw,
Confounded, that her Makers eyes
Should look so neer upon her foul deformities.
她只能用委婉的语言，
请求温厚的高天，
撒下纯洁的雪片，来遮盖她的丑脸；
在她赤裸的羞耻上面，
在她可咒诅的罪污上面，
抛撒洁白如处女的罗纱，把她遮掩；
因为创造者的眼光逼近，
使她自惭形秽，觉得恐惧惶惑万分。
三
B
ut he her fears to cease, [ 45 ]
Sent down the meek-eyd Peace,
She crown'd with Olive green, came softly sliding
Down through the turning sphear,
His ready Harbinger,
With Turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing, [ 50 ]
And waving wide her mirtle wand,
She strikes a universall Peace through Sea and Land.
但创造者不愿使她惧怕，
先派下和平之神的法驾；
她头戴棕榄叶的翠冠，轻轻飞下；
飞过转动着的群星，
负着先驱者底使命，
插了鸠鸽的羽翼，拨开缤纷的云层；
她挥动桃金的短梃，
遍击山海陆地，击出普世的和平。
四
N
o War, or Battails sound
Was heard the World around:
The idle spear and shield were high up hung; [ 55 ]
The hooked Chariot stood
Unstain'd with hostile blood,
The Trumpet spake not to the armed throng,
And Kings sate still with awfull eye,
As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by. [ 60 ]
普天之下不见战云，
杀声消弭，金革不闻；
高高地挂起无聊的长矛和巨盾；
驾就的车马停住不跑，
仇恨的献血不染战袍，
喇叭，军角，也不向武装的群众呼号。
各国君王们围坐怅望，
觉得他们威严的主就在身旁。
五
B
ut peacefull was the night
Wherin the Prince of light
His raign of peace upon the earth began:
The Windes, with wonder whist,
Smoothly the waters kist, [ 65 ]
Whispering new joyes to the milde Ocean,
Who now hath quite forgot to rave,
While Birds of Calm sit brooding on the charmed wave.
寒夜深沉，万籁静止，
这时候光明的王子，
开始在地上作和平的统治。
风儿带着异样的静寂，
频频向众水接吻细细，
向温厚的海洋私语快乐的消息；
海洋也忘记了怒号，
和平的鸟翼孵复着驯服的波涛。
六
T
he Stars with deep amaze
Stand fixt in stedfast gaze, [ 70 ]
Bending one way their pretious influence,
And will not take their flight,
For all the morning light,
Or Lucifer that often warn'd them thence;
But in their glimmering Orbs did glow, [ 75 ]
Untill their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go.
群星们都深深惊奇，
凝眸注视，长时伫立，
他们的眼光都向一个目标看齐；
虽然清晨全部的光辉
和太白晨星，都命令他们引退，
他们仍徘徊依恋，不忍离弃岗位；
依然循着轨道，放出光明，
直等救主亲来指示，下了散队的命令。
七
A
nd though the shady gloom
Had given day her room,
The Sun himself with-held his wonted speed,
And hid his head for shame, [ 80 ]
As his inferiour flame,
The new-enlightn'd world no more should need;
He saw a greater Sun appear
Then his bright Throne, or burning Axletree could bear.
黑夜的荫翳已开，
让路给白昼进来，
太阳自己却姗姗地不敢冒昧上台；
他为羞惭而遮面，
因他较弱的火焰，
不如这世界新点着的光辉那样鲜艳；
这是个更大的太阳，
不是他原来的光座和火轴所能承当。
八
T
he Shepherds on the Lawn, [ 85 ]
Or ere the point of dawn,
Sate simply chatting in a rustick row;
Full little thought they than,
That the mighty Pan
Was kindly com to live with them below; [ 90 ]
Perhaps their loves, or els their sheep,
Was all that did their silly thoughts so busie keep.
东方还未见晨曦，
牧羊人在草地里，
三五成群，并坐着谈天说地；
他们连做梦都未曾梦过
大能的牧神会惠然降落
到他们中间跟他们同过牧羊的生活；
他们简单的脑筋，
所忙碌思索的只是爱人和羊群。
九
W
hen such musick sweet
Their hearts and ears did greet,
As never was by mortall finger strook, [ 95 ]
Divinely-warbled voice
Answering the stringed noise,
As all their souls in blisfull rapture took:
The Air such pleasure loth to lose,
With thousand echo's still prolongs each heav'nly close. [ 100 ]
他们受于耳，感于心：
这样酣美的乐音，
绝不象人手所能奏弹的鸣琴；
神奇婉转的歌吟，
伴着弦乐的高音，
使他们的灵魂，深觉幸福、欢欣；
天空愿这欢欣长保，
使万千山谷鸣应，响彻云霄。
一O
N
ature that heard such sound
Beneath the hollow round
Of Cynthia's seat, the Airy region thrilling,
Now was almost won
To think her part was don, [ 105 ]
And that her raign had here its last fulfilling;
She knew such harmony alone
Could hold all Heav'n and Earth in happier union.
大自然听了这悠扬的音韵，
仰见一轮皓月，流光如银，
在玉兔银座下的空界，莫不振奋；
她于是完全承认，
自己的责任已尽，
她的统治任务从此已告完竣；
只有这样和谐的乐音，
才能使天和地团结更紧，契合更深。
一一
A
t last surrounds their sight
A Globe of circular light, [ 110 ]
That with long beams the shame-fac't night array'd,
The helmed Cherubim
And sworded Seraphim
Are seen in glittering ranks with wings displaid,
Harping in loud and solemn quire, [ 115 ]
With unexpressive notes to Heav'ns new-born Heir.
蓦地里火光出现，
环绕牧人的视线，
照彻黝黑的深夜，灿烂而明艳。
基路伯头盔遮掩，
撒拉弗腰佩火剑，
都张开翅膀在辉煌的队伍中显现。
弦琴上谱出嘹亮、庄严的调子，
不可言传的妙音，祝颂新生的神嗣。
一二
S
uch Musick (as 'tis said)
Before was never made,
But when of old the sons of morning sung,
While the Creator Great [ 120 ]
His constellations set,
And the well-balanc't world on hinges hung,
And cast the dark foundations deep,
And bid the weltring waves their oozy channel keep.
据说这样的乐歌，
从未有人演唱过，
只在远昔，清晨之子曾一度放歌，
创造者就在那时节，
把众星在太空罗列，
把地球装上枢纽，平衡而妥贴；
布置黑暗的渊底在深处，
吩咐蜿蜒的河流，依从软泥的水路。
一三
R
ing out ye Crystall sphears, [ 125 ]
Once bless our human ears,
(If ye have power to touch our senses so)
And let your silver chime
Move in melodious time;
And let the Base of Heav'ns deep Organ blow, [ 130 ]
And with your ninefold harmony
Make up full consort to th' Angelike symphony.
晶莹的天体呀，请响动萧鼓，
好使我们人类也一享耳福，
（如果你有法子叫我们领悟；）
演奏你白银般的新声，
节拍铿锵，透彻太清，
鼓动霄汉间的风琴，形成中天的和鸣。
让你回环九叠的乐歌，
与天使们所弹唱的交响曲子相调和。
一四
F
or if such holy Song
Enwrap our fancy long,
Time will run back, and fetch the age of gold, [ 135 ]
And speckl'd vanity
Will sicken soon and die,
And leprous sin will melt from earthly mould,
And Hell itself will pass away,
And leave her dolorous mansions to the peering day. [ 140 ]
如果这神圣的天籁，
永远包围我们想象的心怀，
时间便能倒溯，回到原始快乐的时代；
尘世间污秽的豪奢，
马上就枯萎，死绝，
丑陋的罪恶也将从尘土中消灭；
地狱也会自行取消，
把悲哀的邸宅，留交天光化日的明朝。
一五
Y
ea Truth, and Justice then
Will down return to men,
Th' enameld Arras of the Rainbow wearing,
And Mercy set between,
Thron'd in Celestiall sheen, [ 145 ]
With radiant feet the tissued clouds down stearing,
And Heav'n as at som festivall,
Will open wide the Gates of her high Palace Hall.
从此真理和正义比肩
飘然下来，回到人间，
全身披上虹彩；让“慈爱”坐在中间，
衣锦还乡，丰姿翩翩，
敷座于夺目的光辉里面，
驾着薄纱似的云霞，策天马而凯旋。
帝乡如遇佳节良辰，
巍峨的殿堂，将广开重重的天门。
一六
B
ut wisest Fate sayes no,
This must not yet be so, [ 150 ]
The Babe lies yet in smiling Infancy,
That on the bitter cross
Must redeem our loss;
So both himself and us to glorifie:
Yet first to those ychain'd in sleep, [ 155 ]
The wakefull trump of doom must thunder through the deep.
但最智慧的命运之神却说，不，
现在时机还未成熟，
神圣的婴孩还在天真的微笑中哺乳；
他必须在痛苦的十字架上，
拯救我们的失丧，
这样才能使他自己和我们同得荣光；
先要唤起沉睡中的死人，
让审判的号筒，象霹雳震憾死寂的地狱之门
一七
W
ith such a horrid clang
As on mount Sinai rang
While the red fire, and smouldring clouds out brake:
The aged Earth agast [ 160 ]
With terrour of that blast,
Shall from the surface to the center shake,
When at the worlds last session,
The dreadfull Judge in middle Air shall spread his throne.
这样可怕的响声，
好比西乃山上的雷鸣，
那时血红的火焰和浓黑的烟雾喷迸。
恐惧侵袭了年老的地球，
它经不起这号筒的怒吼，
从地面直到地心，它将浑身发抖。
那时最后的审判到来，
威严的审判者要在半空把座位展开。
一八
A
nd then at last our bliss [ 165 ]
Full and perfect is,
But now begins; for from this happy day
Th' old Dragon under ground,
In straiter limits bound,
Not half so far casts his usurped sway, [ 170 ]
And wrath to see his Kingdom fail,
Swindges the scaly Horrour of his foulded tail.
到那时，我们的幸福，
可以开始得到满足，
可以得到完全；那时我们开始舒服，
但地下的老龙却要吃苦，
他必须受重重的束缚，
他所僭取的权力，只能截断于中途；
他含恨看他的帝国垮台，
竖起战栗的鳞甲，把拳曲的尾巴乱摔。
一九
T
he Oracles are dumm,
No voice or hideous humm
Runs through the arched roof in words deceiving. [ 175 ]
Apollo from his shrine
Can no more divine,
With hollow shreik the steep of Delphos leaving.
No nightly trance, or breathed spell,
Inspire's the pale-ey'd Priest from the prophetic cell. [ 180 ]
一切占卜巫术哑了口，
半句清楚的话都没有，
苍穹之下，一切含糊的谎言都得罢休。
阿波罗在他的庙里，
顿失说预言的神力，
只带凄凉的悲鸣，长辞“特尔斐”的绝壁。
不再有托梦或灵忏，
祭司们黯然神伤，不能再从斗室发出预言。
二O
T
he lonely mountains o're,
And the resounding shore,
A voice of weeping heard, and loud lament;
From haunted spring and dale
Edg'd with poplar pale, [ 185 ]
The parting Genius is with sighing sent,
With flowre-inwov'n tresses torn
The Nimphs in twilight shade of tangled thickets mourn.
越过几重寂寞的峰峦，
在怒潮澎湃的海滩，
可以听见低声的啜泣和高声的哭喊；
从他住惯了的泉边谷里，
四边满是白杨萧萧的墓地，
守护神叹息着作临去的依依；
山鬼搔着满织花朵的鬈发，
在繁枝密叶的丛林荫中，心如刀扎。
二一
I
n consecrated Earth,
And on the holy Hearth, [ 190 ]
The Lars, and Lemures moan with midnight plaint,
In Urns, and Altars round,
A drear, and dying sound
Affrights the Flamins at their service quaint;
And the chill Marble seems to sweat, [ 195 ]
While each peculiar power forgoes his wonted seat.
在他们圣地的里面，
在神秘的炉灶半上边，
冤魂和灶神在半夜里泣诉，呜咽；
在墓地和祭坛四近，
有阴森的临死呻吟，
惊动那些举行古怪仪式的祭司们；
寒冷的大理石也汗流浃背，
因为特权者一个个离开原来的地位。
二二
P
eor, and Baalim,
Forsake their Temples dim,
With that twise-batter'd god of Palestine,
And mooned Ashtaroth, [ 200 ]
Heav'ns Queen and Mother both,
Now sits not girt with Tapers holy shine,
The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn,
In vain the Tyrian Maids their wounded Thamuz mourn.
匹欧和巴力他们
出了暗淡的殿门，
带走了两次被打倒的巴勒斯坦之神；
戴月的亚斯他錄，
兼为天界之后与母，
再也不能在烛光环绕之中端坐如故；
“里比克哈蒙”的尖角也收缩，
推罗的处女徒然痛哭她们受伤的塔牧。
二三
A
nd sullen Moloch fled, [ 205 ]
Hath left in shadows dred.
His burning Idol all of blackest hue,
In vain with Cymbals ring,
They call the grisly king,
In dismall dance about the furnace blue; [ 210 ]
The brutish gods of Nile as fast,
Isis and Orus, and the Dog Anubis hast.
忧郁的“摩洛”也逃奔，
在可怕、阴森的地窖，
丢下他可憎的偶像，面目漆黑而狰狞；
他们鸣锣响钹象发狂，
徒然喊叫那可怕的王，
恐怖的舞蹈，演出在纯青的炉火之旁。
“尼罗河”畔的野神也这样，
“爱西”、“阿罗”和神犬“阿努比”都赶快逃亡。
二四
N
or is Osiris seen
In Memphian Grove, or Green,
Trampling the unshowr'd Grasse with lowings loud: [ 215 ]
Nor can he be at rest
Within his sacred chest,
Naught but profoundest Hell can be his shroud:
In vain with Timbrel'd Anthems dark
The sable-stoled Sorcerers bear his worshipt Ark. [ 220 ]
在“孟非安”林中或草原里的
“奥西里”也赶快逃避，
牛鸣声嚣，践踏着久旱的枯干草地；
他神秘的心境，
不得些儿安静，
除了地狱深渊，他简直无处遁形。
徒有用手鼓配合的颂赞，
使那穿丧服、抬神舆的魔术师更形惨淡。
二五
H
e feels from Juda's land
The dredded Infants hand,
The rayes of Bethlehem blind his dusky eyn;
Nor all the gods beside,
Longer dare abide, [ 225 ]
Nor Typhon huge ending in snaky twine:
Our Babe, to shew his Godhead true,
Can in his swadling bands controul the damned crew.
他觉得“犹太”地方
有可畏的婴儿巨掌，
“伯利恒”的曙光逼人，使他眯眼成盲。
此外所有的各种神祗
也都不敢再事栖迟，
“台封”巨人也不能系住缱绻的发丝。
我们的圣婴大显神性，
能用襁褓的衣带，控制地狱的精灵。
二六
S
o when the Sun in bed,
Curtain'd with cloudy red, [ 230 ]
Pillows his chin upon an Orient wave.
The flocking shadows pale
Troop to th' infernall jail,
Each fetter'd Ghost slips to his severall grave,
And the yellow-skirted Fayes [ 235 ]
Fly after the Night-steeds, leaving their Moon-lov'd maze.
太阳还未起床洗脸，
云霞帐子，红如火焰，
他的脸颊枕在东海的波涛上面。
阵阵夜影，脸色发青，
成队开入地狱的关境，
每一个带足镣的幽魂都躲进坟茔。
身穿黄裳的嫦娥仙侣，
追随夜马，辞去月宫，高处的琼楼玉宇。
二七
B
ut see the Virgin blest,
Hath laid her Babe to rest.
Time is our tedious Song should here have ending,
Heav'ns youngest-teemed Star [ 240 ]
Hath fixt her polisht Car,
Her sleeping Lord with Handmaid Lamp attending.
And all about the Courtly Stable,
Bright-harnest Angels sit in order serviceable.
看哪，圣母的胸前，
圣婴在躺着安眠，
现在我们必须结束这冗长的诗篇。
天上最年青的星族，
已准备雪亮的辇毂，
有如使女擎灯，护侍睡眠中的救主；
高贵的马厩四周，
坐着盛装的天使们——轮流伺候。
Hymn on the Morning of Christ's Nativity
Compos'd on Christmas
1629
John Milton
诗 | 弥尔顿
（1629年圣诞）
译 | 朱维之
（1950年12月）
图文点睛 | 阿刻隆河学者
（
祝
小
美
生
日
快
乐
！
）
平安夜不平安，伯利恒古城外，几个牧羊人、一个加利利女子、三个东土君王、一群有翼飞翔的外星物种，他们联合起来，组建星际联盟，天球震动。
