Auld Robin Gray By Lady Anne Lindsay in 1772 老洛伯（胡適譯 1918）

網路流傳
1918年4月《新青年》4卷4期發表了胡適完全用白話口語體翻譯的蘇格蘭女詩人林德賽(Anne Lindsay)的《老洛伯》(Auld Robin Gray)。胡適在譯詩自序中曾說：“此詩向推為世界情詩之最哀者，全篇作村婦口氣，語語率真，此當日之白話詩也。”在原詩中作者使用了口語體，彷彿一女子正傾訴心思。

老洛伯
【蘇格蘭】安尼·林德賽（胡適譯）
一
羊兒在欄，牛兒在家，
靜悄悄的黑夜，
我的好人兒早在我身邊睡了，
我的心頭冤苦，都迸作淚如雨下。

二
我的吉梅他愛我，要我嫁他，
他那時只有一塊銀圓，別無什麼；
他為了我渡海去做活，要把銀子變成金，好回來娶我。
三
他去了沒半月，便跌壞了我的爹爹，病倒了我的媽媽；
剩了一頭牛，又被人偷去了。
我的吉梅他只是不回家！
那時老洛伯便來纏著我，要我嫁他。
四
我爹爹不能做活，我媽又不能紡紗，
我日夜裏忙著，如何養得活這一家？
多虧的老洛伯時常幫襯我爹媽，
他說，“錦妮，你看他兩口兒分上，嫁了我罷。”
五
我那時回絕了他，我只望吉梅回來討我。
有誰知道海裏起了大風波，——
人都說我的吉梅他翻船死了！
只拋下我這苦命的人兒一個！
六
我爹爹再三勸我嫁；
媽不說話，他只眼睜睜地望著我，
望得我心裏好不難過！
我的心兒早已在那大海裏，
我只得由他們嫁了我的身子！
七
我嫁了還沒多少日子，
那天正孤孤淒淒地坐在大門裏，
抬頭忽看見吉梅的鬼！——
卻原來真是他，他說，“錦妮，我如今回來討你。”
八
我兩人哭著說了許多言語，
我讓他親了一個嘴，便打發他走路。
我恨不得立刻死了，——只是如何死得下去！
天呵！我如何這般命苦！
九
我如今坐也坐不下，那有心腸紡紗？
我又不敢想著他：
想著他須是一樁罪過。
我只得努力做一個好家婆，
我家老洛伯他並不曾待差了我。
1918年3月1日夜譯

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Lady Anne Lindsay. 1750–1825

477. Auld Robin Gray

WHEN the sheep are in the fauld, and the kye at hame,
And a' the warld to rest are gane,
The waes o' my heart fa' in showers frae my e'e,
While my gudeman lies sound by me.
Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and sought me for his bride;	5
But saving a croun he had naething else beside:
To make the croun a pund, young Jamie gaed to sea;
And the croun and the pund were baith for me.
He hadna been awa' a week but only twa,
When my father brak his arm, and the cow was stown awa;	10
My mother she fell sick,—and my Jamie at the sea—
And auld Robin Gray came a-courtin' me.
My father couldna work, and my mother couldna spin;
I toil'd day and night, but their bread I couldna win;
Auld Rob maintain'd them baith, and wi' tears in his e'e	15
Said, 'Jennie, for their sakes, O, marry me!'
My heart it said nay; I look'd for Jamie back;
But the wind it blew high, and the ship it was a wrack;
His ship it was a wrack—Why didna Jamie dee?
Or why do I live to cry, Wae 's me?	20
My father urged me sair: my mother didna speak;
But she look'd in my face till my heart was like to break:
They gi'ed him my hand, tho' my heart was in the sea;
Sae auld Robin Gray he was gudeman to me.
I hadna been a wife a week but only four,	25
When mournfu' as I sat on the stane at the door,
I saw my Jamie's wraith,—for I couldna think it he,
Till he said, 'I'm come hame to marry thee.'
O sair, sair did we greet, and muckle did we say;
We took but ae kiss, and we tore ourselves away:	30
I wish that I were dead, but I'm no like to dee;
And why was I born to say, Wae 's me!
I gang like a ghaist, and I carena to spin;
I daurna think on Jamie, for that wad be a sin;
But I'll do my best a gude wife aye to be,	35
For auld Robin Gray he is kind unto me.

Auld Robin Gray - YouTube

▶ 4:44

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eyix_Y6EuY

Oct 4, 2009 - Uploaded by Michael Sundell

Text: Lady Anne Lindsay (1750-1825); Music: Michael Sundell (original composition); Images: Seascapes of ...

Paul Anderson - "Auld Robin Gray" - YouTube

▶ 4:21

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvGc4kWwPcY

Feb 19, 2009 - Uploaded by tarlandfiddler

Paul Anderson plays "Auld Robin Gray" ... Auld Robin Gray was a particular favorite of Abraham Lincoln ...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Auld Robin Gray is the title of a Scots ballad written by the Scottish poet Lady Anne Lindsay in 1772.

Robin Gray is a good old man who marries a young woman already in love with a man named Jamie. Jamie goes away to sea in order to earn money so that the couple can marry. The woman, who narrates the ballad, tells the story of being compelled by her parents' misfortune to marry Robin Gray while her lover is away. Robin promises to maintain her and her parents in return for her hand. Jamie returns a few weeks after the marriage, looking like a ghost. They have a sad reunion, kiss and tear themselves away from each other. The woman resolves to do her best to be a good wife to Robin, though she is extremely sad at the loss of her true love.

The original tune was composed by the Rev. William Leeves. George Thomson commissioned Joseph Haydn to arrange the ballad for piano and soprano, as well as for piano, violin, cello, and soprano.