《审判日》，1852 年
on Judgment day, 1852
我们人生中最庄严的日子就是我们死去的那一天。那是审判日，是伟大而神圣的变形之日。你真的认真思考过我们在尘世度过的那严肃而重大的最后时刻吗？
the most solemn of all the days of our life is the day we die. It is judgment day, the great sacred day of transfiguration. have you really seriously given a fleeting thought to that grave and mighty last hour we shall spend on earth?
从前有一个人，正如人们所称，是真理的坚定拥护者，对他来说，上帝的话语就是律法，他是热忱上帝的热心仆人。死神天使带着严峻却超凡的神情站在他的床边。
there was once a man, a stanch upholder of truth, as he was called, to whom the word of his God was law, a zealous servant of his zealous God. with a stern but heavenly look, the Angel of death stood at his bedside.
“时辰到了；你得跟我走！” 死神说道，并用冰冷的手指触碰了那人的双脚，他的双脚立刻变得像冰一样冷。然后死神触碰了他的额头，最后触碰了他的心脏，当心脏破碎时，灵魂便可以自由地跟随死神天使而去了。
“the hour has e; you shall follow me!” said death, and touched the man’s feet with ice-cold fingers, and his feet became like ice. then death touched his forehead, and lastly his heart, and when it burst, the soul was free to follow the Angel of death.
但在那冰冷的触碰从双脚、头部直至心脏传遍全身的短短几秒间，这个垂死之人的脑海中像汹涌的海浪一般，闪过了他一生中所做过的一切和所感受过的一切。就如同惊恐地朝漩涡里瞥上一眼，便能在如闪电般迅速的思绪中洞悉其深不见底的全貌；又如匆匆仰望天空中无数的繁星，便能想象出浩瀚宇宙中无数的世界和天体。
but during those brief seconds while the icy touch shivered through feet and head and heart, there passed through the mind of the dying man, like great ocean waves, the recollection of all he had wrought and felt throughout his life. So does one terrified glance into a whirlpool reveal in thought as swift as lightning the whole unfathomable depth of it; so with one fleeting glance at the countless stars of heaven can one conceive the infinite multitude of worlds and spheres in the great universe.
在这样的时刻，惊恐的罪人会蜷缩起来，无所依傍，他感觉自己正不断地向无尽的空虚中退缩。
In such a moment the terrified sinner shrinks into himself and has nothing to cling to, and he feels himself shrinking further into infinite emptiness.
在这样的时刻，虔诚的灵魂会向全能的上帝低下头，带着孩童般的信任将自己交托于他，祈祷着：“愿你的旨意成就在我身上！”
And at such times the devout soul bows its head to the Almighty and yields itself up to him in childlike trust, praying, “thy will be done with me!”
但这个垂死之人并没有孩童般的心境，他也不是一个惊恐的罪人；他的心思全在自我夸赞上。他知道自己一直遵循着宗教传统。他也知道，数百万人都得面对审判。但他无比坚信自己的道路会径直通往天堂，而且向所有人承诺的慈悲会为他敞开天堂之门。
but this dying man had not the mind of a child, nor was he a terrified sinner; his thoughts were of self-praise. he knew that he had abided by religious traditions. millions, he knew, would have to face judgment. but he believed most confidently that his path would lead straight heavenward, and that mercy, promised to all men, would open the gates to him.
灵魂跟随着死神天使，只是眷恋地回头望了一眼那张床，床上躺着裹着白色裹尸布的、毫无生气的肉身，那肉身仍留存着灵魂个性的印记。
And the soul followed the Angel of death, casting only one wistful glance back at the bed where, in its white shroud, lay the lifeless image of clay, still bearing the print of the soul’s individuality.
此刻他们在空中盘旋，时而又沿着地面滑行。他们是在穿过一座宽敞华丽的大厅，还是或许一片森林呢？很难说清楚。大自然看上去像是特意布置出来以供展示的，就如同在那些庄严、造作的法国老式花园里一样，在其奇特、精心布置的场景中，有许多男女穿梭而过，所有人都穿着好似去参加化装舞会的服装。
Now they hovered through the air, now glided along the ground. were they passing through a vast, decorated hall, or perchance a forest? It was hard to tell. Nature appeared formally set out for show, as in the stiley, artificial, old French gardens, and through its strange, carefully arranged scenes there passed many men and women, all clad as if for a masquerade.
“这就是人类的生活！” 死神天使说道。
“Such is human life!” spoke the Angel of death.
似乎这些人物都试图伪装自己；那些炫耀天鹅绒和黄金华服的人并不总是最高贵和最富有的，同样，那些身着贫苦衣衫的人也不总是最可怜和最粗俗的。
It seemed as if the figure tried to disguise themselves; those who flaunted the glories of velvet and gold were not always the noblest and the richest, neither were all those who wore the garb of poverty the most wretched and vulgar.
这可真是一场奇特的化装舞会啊！而最奇怪的是，能看到每个人都小心翼翼地把某些不愿让别人发现的东西藏在衣服底下。
A strange masquerade indeed! And most strange of all was to see how each one carefully concealed under his clothing something he would not have the others discover.
每个人都决意要探知邻居的秘密，于是他们相互撕扯，直到这儿那儿不同动物的脑袋都露了出来。
Each was determined to learn his neighbor’ secret, and they tore at one another until here and there the heads of different animals were bared.
有的是一只咧着嘴笑的猿猴的脑袋，另一个是山羊的脑袋，还有的是黏糊糊的蛇和虚弱的鱼的脑袋。
one was that of a grinning ape, another the head of a goat, still others a clammy snake and a feeble fish.
所有人身上都有某种深深扎根于人性之中的动物的特征，而在这里，这些特征正挣扎着、跳跃着要显露出来。
In all was some token of the animal which is fast rooted in human nature, and which here was struggling and jumping to burst forth.
而且，不管一个人把衣服裹得多紧来遮掩它，其他人都不会罢休，非要撕开那层面纱不可，所有人都不停地叫嚷着：“看这儿！瞧！就是他！就是她！” 然后每个人都嘲讽地揭露同伴的羞耻之处。
And however closely a person might hold his garment over it to hide it, the others would never rest until they had torn aside the veil, and all kept crying out, “Look here! See! It is he! It is she! and everyone mockingly laid bare his fellow’s shame.
“那么我身上的动物特征是什么呢？” 灵魂问道。
“then what was the animal in me?” inquired the soul.
死神天使默默地指着一个傲慢的身影，其头顶周围闪耀着一圈明亮的光辉，色彩绚烂，但在其内心深处，可以看到半掩着的孔雀的脚潜伏着。
the Angel of death silently pointed to a haughty form around whose head spread a bright glory of rays, with shining colors, but in whose heart could be seen lurking, half hidden, the feet of a peacock.
头顶上方那扩散开来的光辉不过是孔雀那有斑点的尾巴罢了。
the spreading glory above was merely the speckled tail of the peacock.
当他们继续前行时，巨大的鸟儿在树枝上冲着他们发出可怕的尖叫。它们用刺耳但清晰、易懂且像人一样的声音喊道：“与死神同行的你，还记得我吗？”
As they passed on, huge birds shrieked horribly at them from the boughs of trees. In voices harsh but clear, intelligible, and human, they cried, “You who walk with death, do you remember me?”
这个人从生到死潜藏在内心的所有邪恶念头和欲望，现在都用令人生畏的声调在他身后呼喊着：“还记得我吗？”
All the evil thoughts and lusts that had lurked within the man from birth to death now called after him in forbidding tones, “do you remember me?”
一时间，灵魂颤抖起来，因为它听出了那些声音；它无法否认对那些如今作为证人站出来指控它的邪恶念头和欲望的知晓。
For a moment the soul shuddered, for it recognized the voices; it could not deny knowledge of the evil thoughts and desires that were now rising as witnesses against it.
“在我们的肉体里，在我们邪恶的本性中，没有什么善的东西存在！” 灵魂说道。“但至少在我这里，念头从未转化为行动；世人还未曾见到它们结出的恶果！”
“In our flesh, in our evil nature, nothing good lives!” said the soul. “but, at least with me, thoughts never turned into action; the world has not seen their evil fruit!”
灵魂飞奔着想要逃离那些丑陋的尖叫，但那些巨大的黑鸟盘旋着，愈发大声地叫嚷出它们恶毒的话语，仿佛它们希望全世界都能听到。
the soul rushed on to escape the ugly screams, but the huge black birds swept in circles, screaming out their vicious words louder and louder, as though they wished to be heard to the ends of the world.
灵魂像一只被追赶的雄鹿般逃窜，每走一步都被锋利的燧石绊倒，双脚被它们割得疼痛难忍。
the soul fled like a hunted stag, and at every step stumbled against sharp flint stones, painfully cutting his feet on them.
“这些锋利的石头怎么会在这儿？它们看起来就像只是散落在地上的枯叶。”
“how came these sharp stones here? they seem like mere withered leaves lying on the ground.”
“每一块石头都是你不经意说出的某句话，这些话对邻居内心造成的伤害远比此刻割伤你双脚的这些锋利燧石要深得多。”
“Each stone is some careless word you have spoken, which wounded your neighbor’s heart far more deeply than these sharp flints that now hurt your feet.”
“我从来没想过这些！” 灵魂喊道。
“I never thought of that!” cried the soul.
“你们不要论断人，免得你们被论断！” 这句话在空中回响。
“Judge not, that ye be not judged!” rang through the air.
片刻之后，灵魂从自我贬低中恢复过来。“我们都犯过罪。但我一直遵守律法和福音。我已经尽力而为了；我和其他人不一样。”
In a moment the soul recovered from its self-abasement. “we have all sinned. but I have kept the Law and the Gospel. I have done what I could do; I am not like the others.”
然后它就站在了天堂的大门前，守卫入口的天使问道：“你是谁？告诉我你的信仰，并在你的行为中向我展示出来。”
And then he stood at the gates of heaven itself, and the Angel who guarded the entrance asked, “who are you? tell me your faith, and show it to me in your works.”
“我一直忠实地遵守了所有的诫命。” 灵魂骄傲地回答道。
“I have faithfully kept all the mandments,” replied the soul proudly.
“我在世人面前一直保持谦卑。我憎恶并迫害邪恶以及行恶之人，要是我还有能力的话，我仍会用火与剑去这么做。”
“I have humbled myself in the eyes of the world. I have hated and persecuted evil and those who practice it, and I would do so still, with fire and sword, had I yet the power.”
“那么你是穆罕默德的追随者咯？” 天使说道。
“then you are a follower of mohammed?” said the Angel.
“我？绝不是！”
“I? Never!”
“‘动刀的必死于刀下’，圣子是这么说的。你所秉持的并非他的宗教。那你或许是以色列人的后裔，就是那些和摩西一起说‘以眼还眼，以牙还牙’的人吗？”
“ ‘he who strikes with the sword shall perish by the sword,’ thus spoke the Son. his religion you do not have. Are you then perchance one of the children of Israel, who with moses said: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth?’”
“我是一名基督徒。”
“I am a christian.”
“我在你的信仰和行为中都看不到这一点！基督的教义是宽恕、爱与慈悲！”
“I see it neither in your faith nor in your actions! the teaching of christ is forgiveness, love, and mercy!”
“慈悲！” 这声呼喊的回声在无垠的空间中回荡，天堂之门敞开了，灵魂朝着永恒的极乐之境飘去。
“mercy!” the echo of this rang through infinite space, the gates of heaven opened, and the soul hovered toward the realms of eternal bliss.
但从里面流淌而出的光芒是如此耀眼，如此具有穿透力，以至于灵魂像躲避双刃剑一样退缩了。而且那音乐之声是如此轻柔动人，世间凡人的口舌都无法描述。灵魂颤抖着，不断地俯伏得更低更低，那天堂之光穿透它，直到它前所未有地感受到了自身骄傲、残忍与罪恶的重负。
but the flood of light that streamed forth from within was so dazzling, so penetrating, that the soul shrank back as from a double-edged sword. And the sound of music was so soft and touching that no mortal tongue could describe it. the soul trembled and prostrated itself lower and lower, and the celestial light cut through it until it felt, as it had never felt before, the weight of its own pride and cruelty and sin.
“我在世上所做的任何好事，我做是因为我别无选择；但我所做的坏事 —— 那是出于我自己！”
“whatever good I have done in the world, I did because I could not do otherwise; but the evil that I did-that was of myself!”
灵魂愈发被天堂那纯净的光芒晃得眼花缭乱、不知所措；它似乎正坠入一个无底深渊 —— 那是它自身的赤裸与不配得的深渊。
And more and more the soul was dazzled and overwhelmed by the pure light of heaven; it seemed falling into a bottomless abyss-the abyss of its own nakedness and unworthiness.
灵魂蜷缩起来，深感谦卑，被摒弃在外，不配进入天国，一想到公正而神圣的上帝就瑟瑟发抖，几乎不敢喘息着说出：“慈悲！”
Shrunk into itself, humbled, cast out, unfit for the Kingdom of heaven, trembling at the thought of the just and holy God, hardly dared it to gasp, “mercy!”
而慈悲天使来到了他的身边 —— 这是他未曾料到的慈悲；在天堂那无垠的空间里，上帝永恒的爱填满了这个灵魂。
And the Angel of mercy came to him-the mercy he had not expected; and in the infinite space of heaven, God’s everlasting love filled the soul.
“犯错的人类灵魂啊，你将永远圣洁、慈爱、荣耀！” 天使们齐声歌唱道。
“holy, loving, glorious forever shalt thou be, o erring human spirit!” sang the chorus of angels.
就如同这个灵魂所经历的一样，我们所有人在尘世的最后一天，都会在天国那荣耀的景象面前谦卑地颤抖。
And as this soul did, so shall we all, on our last day on earth, humbly tremble in the glorious sight of the Kingdom of heaven.
但我们天父那无尽的爱与慈悲将会引领我们穿越其他领域，这样，经过净化和强化之后，我们便可以升入上帝那永恒的光辉之中。
but the infinite love and mercy of our heavenly Father will carry us through other spheres, so that, purified and strengthened, we may ascend into God’s eternal light.