美国语文第六册 第88期:快活的老先生(1)
很久以前，他是一位快活的老先生，个子高高又纤瘦，脸色蜡黄又干枯;
His form was bent, and his gait was slow, And his long, thin hair was white as snow, But a wonderful twinkle shone in his eye:
弯腰弓背，步履蹒跚，稀疏的长发白如雪，可他眼睛闪耀奇异的光芒：
And he sang every night as he went to bed,
唱歌到很晚才上床，
"Let us be happy down here below; The living should live, though the dead be dead," Said the jolly old pedagogue, long ago.
“我们就在高高兴兴安眠吧;活着的终究要活着，该死的终究要死，”很久以前，这个欢快的老先生说。
He taught the scholars the Rule of Three, Reading, and writing, and history too;
他教给学生三条法则，读书，写东西和历史;
He took the little ones on his knee, For a kind old heart in his breast had he, And the wants of the littlest child he knew.
他把最小的孩子抱在膝上，他的胸膛里有一颗善良的心，他知道最小的孩子需要什么。
"Learn while you're young," he often said, "There is much to enjoy down here below; Life for the living, and rest for the dead!"
“少壮要读书，”他常说，“死了倒是能享受更多的快乐;生活是给活着人的，其余的才留给死人!”
Said the jolly old pedagogue, long ago.
很久以前，这个欢快的老先生说。
With the stupidest boys, he was kind and cool, Speaking only in gentlest tones;
对最懒惰的孩子，他既和善又严肃，连说话都那么温柔;
The rod was scarcely known in his school— Whipping to him was a barbarous rule, And too hard work for his poor old bones;
在他的学堂没人晓得棍棒——对他来说鞭笞是野蛮人的规则，他那把老骨头也打不了人;
Besides it was painful, he sometimes said:
况且这是痛苦的，他有时说：
"We should make life pleasant down here below— The living need charity more than the dead,"
“我们应该让那里的生活充满欢乐——活人对仁慈的需要更甚于死人，”
Said the jolly old pedagogue, long ago.
很久以前，这个欢快的老先生说。
