2017-08-17

【Vondel's Lucifer • ACT III】

Joost van den Vondel (1587—1679)

        Now the angels are divided: the rebellious demand "justice"; the loyalists speak up for continued obedience to God's will, as whatever He ordains is right.

        Michael, aroused by the "tumult and dispute" of the contending angels, comes to find out what is going on.  He listens to what the rebels have to say but orders them to lay down their weapons.  He goes to report to God, and he leads the loyalists away.

        As Michael leaves, Lucifer arrives and puts his case to his supporters.  He makes the audacious claim that he is "constrained by necessity and compulsion" to take up arms, to defend the status quo.

        The rebel forces move off to war.

—— • —— • —— • —— • —— • —— • —— • ——

【修女的合唱 • 第三幕】

正直•馮德爾(1587生—1679卒)

                聖誕夜啊，美勝於晝!

                你的星，希律怎能忍受?

                怎能忍她在黑暗中閃亮，

                　怎能忍她受到崇拜歡慶?

                　傲慢者什麼理都聽不進，

                隨你怎樣向他耳朵叫嚷。

                他想壓垮平民百姓，

                他要屠殺樸實生靈，

                使號啕哭聲震動城鄉，

                　把伯利恆和四野傳遍，

                　使拉結的精神長醒不眠，

                在田野在牧場到處遊蕩。

                向東向西，宛如遊魂，

                誰能安慰悲傷的母親

                當她失去了親愛的兒女？

                　當她親眼看見孩子

                　剛剛新生就遭慘死，

                而這麼多劍，鮮血淋漓？

                她見已死的嘴唇蒼白

                剛從母親乳頭上扯開，

                嘴角上還沾着奶滴;

                　她見小小的淚珠

                　凝在面頰宛如朝露，

                而面頰已濺滿血跡。

                彎彎眉毛下閉合了

                小眼睛——它們的微笑

                曾給母親的心以祝福;

                　它們曾閃亮如星星，

                　重塑出天國的面容，

                直到如今被迷霧遮住。

                誰能形容這場苦難，

                小小花朵盡遭摧殘——

                千朵萬朵數不勝數，

                　未及把花苞開放，

                　未及散發出芬芳，

                也未及飲到晨的初乳？

                像鐮刀橫掃谷穗，

                像驟雨突襲逞威，

                狂風暴雨打碎了嫩葉。

                　當政者的疑心和怒火

                　攪起多少盲目的災禍！

                而造謠吹風者又何等卑劣！

                憂傷的拉結，別流浪了，

                你的兒女們縱犧牲了，

                但新生族裔沒有斷絕;

                　從你的血脈繼續生長，

                　神奇地，朝向神的榮光，

                任何殘暴也不能撲滅。

【注】奈梅亨“新集市”是公元100年左右由羅馬人建立、荷蘭最古老的城市，距離德國邊境僅10公里/6英里。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2017: Cheese Farm near Kinderdijk, NLD(荷蘭孩童堤防附近的奶酪農場)

St Steven's Church on Market Sq over the Waal

(瓦爾“彎曲”河·集市廣場皇冠教堂)

St Steven's Church (皇冠教堂)

St. Nicolaaskapel in Valkhofpark

(獵鷹球場公園·人民勝利教堂)

Old Dutch Tower (老荷蘭塔)

Control Tower at the Intersection of the Waal & Maaswaal Canal 

(彎曲河與及其運河交匯處的指揮塔)

Grabbing Crane for Sand Barge (抓沙船起重機)

Bunker Vessel (堡船)

Honigcomplex (蜂蜜公司建築群)

Honig Factory (蜂蜜工廠)

Pier (碼頭)

Silhouette of Large Hydro Power Line Tower

(大型輸電塔剪影)

Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group (大冠軍運輸集團)

Wandelbrug Ooijpoort & Hotel Belvoir

(步行橋與美景酒店)

Bodewes Shipyards (勇士造船廠)

Windmill (風車)

Crosslinks(相關博文):

Netherlands(出遊荷蘭)

Europe(歐洲掠影)

8th Grade(初中三年級)