Chapter 88

Deity¹ of the ruined temple! The broken strings² of Vina sing no more your praise. The bells in the evening proclaim not your time of worship. The air is still and silent about you.
 
In your desolate³ dwelling⁴ comes the vagrant⁵ spring breeze. It brings the tidings of flowers---the flowers that for your worship are offered no more.
 
Your worshipper of old wanders ever longing⁶ for favour still refused. In the eventide, when fires and shadows mingle⁷ with the gloom of dust, he wearily comes back to the ruined temple with hunger in his heart.
 
Many a festival day comes to you in silence, deity of the ruined temple. Many a night of worship goes away with lamp unlit.
 
Many new images are built by masters of cunning art and carried to the holy stream of oblivion when their time is come.
 
Only the deity of the ruined temple remains⁸ unworshipped in deathless neglect.
 
破庙里的神呵！七弦琴的断线不再弹唱赞美你的诗歌．晚钟也不再宣告礼拜你的时间．你周围的空气是寂静的．
 
流荡的春风来到你荒凉的居所．它带来了香花的消失――就是那素来供养你的香花，现在却无人来呈献了．
 
你的礼拜者，那些漂泊的惯旅，永远在企望那还未得到的恩典．黄昏来到，灯光明灭于尘影之中，他困乏地带著饥饿的心回到这破庙里来．
 
许多佳节都在静默中来到，破庙的神呵．许多礼拜之夜，也在无火无灯中度过了．
 
精巧的艺术家，造了许多新的神像，当他们的末日来到了，便被抛入遗忘的圣河里．
 
只有破庙的神遗留在无人礼拜的，不死的冷淡之中．

1 deity   

n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物)

参考例句：

• Many animals were seen as the manifestation of a deity.许多动物被看作神的化身。
• The deity was hidden in the deepest recesses of the temple.神藏在庙宇壁龛的最深处。

2 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

3 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

4 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

5 vagrant   

n.流浪者，游民；adj.流浪的，漂泊不定的

参考例句：

• A vagrant is everywhere at home.流浪者四海为家。
• He lived on the street as a vagrant.他以在大街上乞讨为生。

6 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

7 mingle   

vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往

参考例句：

• If we mingle with the crowd,we should not be noticed.如果我们混在人群中，就不会被注意到。
• Oil will not mingle with water.油和水不相融。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。