肖穎
美國詩人朗費羅在《路畔旅舍的故事》中,曾寫過這樣一首詩:“Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing. Only a signal shown and a distant voice in the darkness;So on the ocean of life, we pass and speak one another. Only a look and a voice, then darkness again and a silence.”詩的大意是:夜色籠罩的海面上,有兩艘小船相向而行,它們在某一刻交匯,擦肩而過,彼此朝著各自的軌道繼續航行,不再相遇。而人生又何嘗不是如此?我們與一些人偶然相遇,大家彼此相識,然后注定成為對方生命中的過客。
在生活中,我們常常用朗費羅這首詩中的“ships that pass in the night”來表示人與人之間短暫的相遇,就像夜色中航行于海面的兩艘小船。雖然僅有一面之交,但是其中的因緣際會能讓彼此回味。下面,我們來看兩個關于它的使用情境:
Last week, a beautiful girl moved in my neighbourhood, and I helped her carry all things into her house. But yesterday she just moved away. So we were like two ships that passed in the night.
上周,我家旁邊搬來了一個大美女,我還幫她把行李搬進了家里。可是,昨天她突然搬走了。我們就好像是萍水相逢一樣。
Jack:“Hi, Tom. Im just in town. Would you like to have a dinner with me?”
Tom:“Oh, Jack, I was just away on my business trip.”
Jack:“Too bad. Its almost that we were two ships that passed in the night.”
杰克:“喂,湯姆,我剛到這兒,我們一起吃晚飯吧?”
湯姆:“哎呀,杰克,我剛出發,在出差的路上。”
杰克:“真不湊巧。我們好像是注定要錯過一樣。”