The Hill We Climb我们攀登的山

阿曼达?戈尔曼

When day comes we ask ourselves：

Where can we find light in this never-ending shade？

The loss we carry， a sea we must wade.

Weve braved the belly of the beast.

Weve learned that quiet isnt always peace.

And the norms and notions of what just is isnt always justice.

And yet， the dawn is ours before we knew it.

Somehow we do it.

Somehow weve weathered and wit-nessed

A nation that isnt broken， but simply unfinished.

We， the successors of a country and a time

Where a skinny black girl

Descended from slaves and raised by a single mother

Can dream of becoming president

Only to find herself reciting for one.

And yes， we are far from polished， far from pristine，

But that doesnt mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect.

We are striving to forge our union with purpose，

To compose a country committed to all cultures， colors， characters， and conditions of man.

And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us，

But what stands before us.

We close the divide because we know to put our future first.

We must first put our differences aside.

We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another.

We seek harm to none and harmony for all.

Let the globe， if nothing else，

Say this is true

That even as we grieved， we grew;

That even as we hurt， we hoped;

That even as we tired， we tried;

That we will forever be tied together victorious.

Not because we will never again know defeat，

But because we will never again sow division.

Scripture tells us to envision

That everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree

And no one shall make them afraid.

If were to live up to our own time，

Then victory wont lie in the blade，

But in all the bridges weve made.

That is the promise to glade，

The hill we climb if only we dare it

Because being American is more than a pride we inherit;

Its the past we step into and how we repair it.

Weve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it，

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy，

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed，

It can never be permanently defeated.

In this truth， in this faith， we trust

For while we have our eyes on the future，

History has its eyes on us.

This is the era of just redemption

We feared at its inception.

We did not feel prepared to be the heirs

Of such a terrifying hour.

But within it， we found the power

To author a new chapter

To offer hope and laughter to ourselves.

So while once we asked

How could we possibly prevail over catastrophe？

Now we assert

How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us？

We will not march back to what was

But move to what shall be

A country that is bruised but whole，

benevolent， but bold， fierce， and free.

We will not be turned around or inter-rupted by intimidation

Because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation.

Our blunders become their burdens，

But one thing is certain，

If we merge mercy with might and might with right，

Then love becomes our legacy and change our childrens birthright.

So let us leave behind a country

Better than the one we were left

With every breath from my bronze-pounded chest

We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.

We will rise from the gold-limbed hills of the West.

We will rise from the wind-swept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution.

We will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states.

We will rise from the sun-baked South.

We will rebuild， reconcile， and recover

In every known nook of our nation，

In every corner called our country，

Our people， diverse and beautiful，

Will emerge battered and beautiful.

When day comes，

We step out of the shade aflame and unafraid.

The new dawn blooms as we free it，

For there is always light，

If only were brave enough to see it，

If only were brave enough to be it.

天亮時我们问自己：

在无尽的阴影里我们何处寻觅到光？

我们承受失去，蹈海而行。

我们无惧巨大的牢笼。

我们明白平静不总是和平。

所谓正义的标准和概念不总是公正。

但是，不知不觉黎明就属于了我们。

我们好歹做到了这点。

我们历经风雨并亲见

一个民族并未破碎，只是尚待修整。

我们，一个国家和一个时代的传承人，

其中有个瘦小的黑人女孩

奴隶出身，单身母亲养大

如今可以梦想做总统

竟见自己在为总统朗诵。

是的，我们还远未至臻，还远非无瑕，

但那并非说我们在争取组建完美的联盟。

我们是在争取缔造意志坚定的联盟，

打造一个兼容各种文化、肤色、性格和身份的国体。

所以，我们不盯着彼此之间的隔阂

我们放眼前路。

我们弥合分歧，因为我们懂得把我们的未来放在第一。

我们必须先把纷争暂且放下。

放下武器解放双手，我们才能展臂相拥。

我们努力不让任何人受到伤害，而让所有人和睦相处。

让世界，只是让世界，

都说这是真的：

即便我们痛苦着，但我们成长了;

即便我们受了伤，但我们有过希望;

即便我们疲惫不堪，但我们曾经尝试;

我们将会永远团结一致，迎接胜利。

不是因为我们永远不再落败失意

而是因为我们将永远不再播种分歧。

《圣经》告诉我们要想象

人人可以安坐在自己的葡萄树和无花果树下

没有人会使他们担惊受怕。

倘若我们不辜负自己的时代，

胜利不取决于拼争的刀剑，

而依赖于互通的桥梁。

那就是通往林間平地的希望，

只要我们敢挑战，我们就在攀登那座山，

因为身为美国人，不仅意味着承袭一份骄傲，

还须反思过往，弥补遗憾。

我们看见一股势力要让国家分崩离析而非团结共享，

若它旨在延宕民主，就会毁掉我们的国体，

这股势力差点得逞。

然而，尽管民主偶尔会迟来，

它却永远不会被彻底击败。

我们相信这个真理，对这一信念深信不疑，

因为当我们展望未来时，

历史也将目光投向我们。

这正是救赎的时代

我们却曾害怕它的到来。

我们没有准备好去做继承人，

去面对那样一个惊恐的时辰。

然而就在这一时刻，我们找到了力量

来书写崭新的篇章，

给我们自己希望，给我们自己笑声。

所以我们曾经发问，

我们如何能够克服祸乱？

现在我们能有力地回答：

祸乱如何能把我们压垮？

我们将不会重蹈覆辙

而会向既定的目标迈进，

一个国家遭受创伤但尚完整，

仁善而又无畏、勇猛，且自由。

我们不会因遭遇恫吓而调头后退或停步不前，

因为我们知道不作为不行动只会殃及下一代。

我们的种种舛错就是他们的累害。

然而，有件事情确定无疑：

倘若我们把悲悯与力量结合，将力量与正义结合，

爱会为我们所传承并改变我们后代与生俱来的权利。

让我们为后代留下一个美好国度，

比我们所继承的那个更好。

我的胸膛如青铜锻造般坚强，随着胸口呼出的每一口气，

我们将提升这受伤的世界，让它美妙无比。

我们将从西部金灿灿的山峦崛起。

我们将从大风肆虐的东北部崛起，

我们的祖先在那里最早将革命实现。

我们将从中西部各州的水泽城市崛起。

我们将从骄阳似火的南方崛起。

我们将重建、和解并复苏

在每一寸国土上，

在每一个角落里，

我们的人民多彩多姿，英姿勃勃，

将会绽放峥嵘，饱经风霜却靓丽如常。

天亮时，

让我们走出阴影，身披霞光，无畏前往。

我们摆脱阴影时新曙光会格外明亮，

因为光永不会灭，

我们只需鼓足勇气去发现它，

我们只需鼓足勇气去成为它。

【译评】

阿曼达·戈尔曼（1998—  ）来自加利福尼亚州洛杉矶，美国诗人和行动主义者。如诗中所写，阿曼达祖上是奴隶，由单身母亲养大，早年患有语言障碍，从语言练习到写诗是她克服语言障碍的一种方法，因此16岁便成为家乡洛杉矶的青年诗人。她的诗作聚焦于压迫、女权主义、种族、边缘化问题以及非洲移民群体。她于2015年出版诗集《食不果腹的人》（The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough）。19岁的戈尔曼成为首位“美国全国青年桂冠诗人”。（本期下一篇文章即为这位诗人的故事。）

本诗是阿曼达专为民主党人约瑟夫·拜登总统就职典礼而写，并在就职典礼上朗诵。原诗的朗诵版本基本上根据诗人朗诵的节奏排列，每行有内容，但缺乏整体感，显得破碎，诗歌的特点和诗人要强调的东西也没有凸显。经由编辑，句子根据语法重排为90行左右，以突出诗歌中的要旨和写作特色。

翻译过程中，感觉出诗人大约每30行诗句，即三分之一左右，表达一层意思，分别可以提炼为：回顾过往，面对现实，展望未来;调子积极向上，鼓励和加油的内容偏多，用排比的“即便”和成串的“我们”，发出忧国忧民的呐喊。           □