The Song of the River大河之歌
William S. Maugham威廉姆S.毛姆
You hear it all along the river. You hear it, loud and strong, from the rowers as they urge the junk with its high stern, the mast lashed alongside, down the swift running stream. You hear it from the trackers, a more breathless chant, as they pull desperately against the current, half a dozen of them perhaps if they are taking up wupan, a couple of hundred if they are hauling a splendid junk, its square sail set, over a rapid. 沿河上下你都能听见那歌声 桨夫用翘起的艉驱动帆船，桅杆系在船边，沿着湍急的河流而下时，他们洪亮浑厚的声音。当纤夫拼命逆流而上时，急促的号子。拉小木船只要五六个人，拉扬着横帆的大船过险滩则要两百来人。
On the junk, a man stands amidships beating a drum incessantly to guide their efforts, and they pull with all their strength, like men possessed, bent double; and sometimes in the extremity of their travail they craw on the ground, on all fours, like the beasts of the field. They strain, strain fiercely, against the pitiless might of the stream.在那船中央站着一个汉子,不停地击鼓助兴,纤夫们着魔一般,弓着身子用尽全部力气拉纤绳;有时力气用到极点时，就如田里的牲口一般，匍匐前进。他们拼命拉着,猛力地拉着,与洪流的威力对抗.
The leader goes up and down the line and when he sees one who is not putting all his will into the task he brings down his split bamboo on the naked back. Each one must do his utmost or the labour of all is vain. And still they sing a vehement, eager chant, the chant of the turbulent waters.监工在纤绳边跑前跑后,看见有谁不使出全部力气干活,就拿竹条抽打那人的脊背。每个人必须竭尽全力，否则所有辛苦都会白费。但他们仍唱着那热情高亢的号子，汹涌澎湃的号子。
I do not know words can describe what there is in it of effort. It serves to express the straining heart, the breaking muscles, and at the same time the indomitable spirit of man which overcomes the pitiless force of nature. Though the rope may part and the great junk swing back, in the end the rapid will be passed; and at the close of the weary day there is the hearty meal...我不知该用何种辞藻来形容这种工作的艰辛。它表达了绷紧的心弦，裂开的肌肉,同时还有人类克服自然无情威力时不屈不挠的精神。尽管纤绳或许会挣断,大船或许会倒退,终将经过险滩;但筋疲力尽的一天结束能吃一顿饱饭......
But the most agonizing song is the song of the coolies who bring the great bales from the junk up the steep steps to the town wall. Up and down they go, endlessly, and endless as their toil rises their rhythmic cry. He, aw --ah, oh. They are barefoot and naked to the waist. The sweat pours down their faces and their song is a groan of pain.然而,最痛苦的歌是苦力们的歌,他们扛着船上卸下大包货物，经过陡峭的台阶爬到城墙上。不停地跑上跑下，随着他们辛勤工作而有节奏的呐喊。“嘿呦——嘿呦”。他们赤着脚，光着背。汗水顺着脸颊流淌,歌声像是痛苦的呻吟。
It is a sigh of despair. It is heart-rending. It is hardly human. It is the cry of souls in infinite distress, only just musical, and that last note is the ultimate sob of humanity. Life is too hard, too cruel, and this is the final despairing protest. That is the song of the river.它是绝望的叹息。听着令人心碎。那简直不像是人类的声音。它是灵魂在无尽苦难中的呐喊,只不过听起来有一点节奏感而已，最后一声简直是人性痛苦的呜咽。生活太艰辛，太残忍了。这是他们对生活最后绝望的抗议。那就是大河之歌。
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