班卓的诗歌(13) ——来自澳洲荒原的劳动号子
江湖侠客志: “班卓的诗歌——来自澳洲荒原的劳动号子”的诗均为中国译协会员、广东译协理事吴仲湛汉语首译。以班卓的Waltzing Matilda（跳华尔兹的玛蒂尔达）为主题曲。关于班卓，请点击本博客首页“我的文章专辑”中的“班卓的诗歌”，参阅。
上个礼拜
吴仲湛 译
噢，新挚友去腹地草场打猎，
但他本该上礼拜就去到那里，
他带杆上膛猎枪跋涉十哩地，
也没能看见一只野鸭或火鸡，
因为他本该上礼拜就去那里，
他们说，
上礼拜那里的禽兽群簇密集。
他径直向前走，到了瀑布地，
而他本该上礼拜就去到那里，
他带着照相机连同脚架一体，
但天气太炎热，溪流又浅细，
因为他本该上礼拜就去那里，
他们说，
上礼拜有个人淹死在河水里。
他驱赶马车上路并已经动身，
而他本该上礼拜就启程前去，
因为那老马得了心病命归西，
他只好走路回家拖着大马车，
但那匹老马上礼拜平安无事，
他们说，
他上礼拜去参加了赛跑竞技。
他便邀请朋友来自远方林地，
上礼拜到镇里观光叙叙情意，
假如要与他进餐他们说好极，
但威士忌酒瓶里已剩无一滴，
“你们本该上礼拜就来这里，
他说，
我上礼拜把酒瓶喝得见了底！”
澳洲塑料纸币上的帕特森．班卓像
Last Week
Banjo Paterson
(Australia)
Oh, the new chum went to the backblock run,
But he should have gone there last week.
He tramped ten miles with a loaded gun,
But of turkey or duck he saw never a one,
For he should have been there last week,
They said,
There were flocks of ‘em there last week.
He wended his way to a waterfall,
And he should have gone there last week.
He carried a camera, legs and all,
But the day was hot, and the stream was small,
For he should have gone there last week.
They said,
They drowned a man there last week.
He went for a drive, and he made a start,
Which should have been made last week,
For the old horse died of a broken heart;
So he footed it home and he dragged the cart __
But the horse was all right last week,
They said,
He trotted a match last week.
So he asked the bushies who came from far
To visit the town last week,
If they’d dine with him, and they said, “Hurrah!”
But there wasn’t a drop in the whisky jar __
“You should have been here last week,”
He said,
“I drank it all up last week!”