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!”