Because I could not stop for Death. Dwelling in Possibility: 7 Awe-Inspiring Emily Dickinson Verses

為了17日的胡適紀念會。昨天拿出徐進夫翻譯的《禪天禪地》、《禪門公案密傳》。我跟曹永洋先生說，新潮文庫的孟祥森、徐進夫等人翻譯的禪的相關書籍十來本，很有參考價值。
曹先生談起了徐進夫，也說《死的況味》原是徐進夫邊的，曹永洋編本保留其5篇......他談起徐先生.....
我翻《死的況味》中徐先生翻譯一篇 (頁243-45) Because I could not stop for Death ：

Text https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Because_I_could_not_stop_for_Death

Close transcription[2]

First published version[3]

Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. We slowly drove - He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility - We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess - in the Ring - We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain - We passed the Setting Sun - Or rather - He passed Us - The Dews drew quivering and Chill - For only Gossamer, my Gown - My Tippet - only Tulle - We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground - The Roof was scarcely visible - The Cornice - in the Ground - Since then - 'tis Centuries - and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity -

THE CHARIOT Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. We passed the school where children played, Their lessons scarcely done; We passed the fields of gazing grain, We passed the setting sun. We paused before a house that seemed A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. Since then 'tis centuries; but each Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses' heads Were toward eternity.

Dwelling in Possibility: 7 Awe-Inspiring Emily Dickinson Verses

In honor of Emily Dickinson't birthday, we've assembled some her most rousing verses to carry you through the week.

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For consistency's sake, the listing below used Johnson’s numbering system. And since the majority of her poetry was published posthumously, we've included the first known date of publication.

1.

The Brain—is wider than the Sky
For, put them side by side,
The one the other will include
With ease, and you beside—
(623, 1945)

2.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all –
(254, 1891)

3.

Unable are the Loved to die
For Love is Immortality,
Nay, it is Deity
(809, 1945)

4.

The Soul should always stand ajar
That if the Heaven inquire
He will not be obliged to wait
(1055, 1896)

5.

Not knowing when the Dawn will come,
I open every Door.
(1619, 1896)

6.

Luck is not chance—
It’s Toil—
Fortune’s expensive smile
Is earned—
(1350, 1945)

7.

Forever – is composed of Nows –
‘Tis not a different time –
Except for Infiniteness –
(690, 1929)