本帖最后由 家猫战斗力 于 2011-12-23 20:38 编辑
Abide with Me 是一位19世纪的英国乡村牧师亨利.莱特(Henry Francis Lyte,1793-1847)所写的
赞美诗。亨利.莱特1793年生于靠近苏格兰的 West Mains 农场, 11岁时举家移居爱尔兰, 后来担任船
长的父亲不幸罹难,全家陷入极度困境之中,亨利.莱特通过半工半读完成以优异的成绩完成了大学医
学学业,并曾三度获得写诗奖金,等待他的是一片大好前程。但是亨利.莱特却选择了神职,献身于这
项清苦的事业,后来志愿来到英国一个名为Brixham的偏僻穷困的渔村,用爱来感化这些粗暴无知的渔
民,一待就是25年,长期劳累的工作,清贫的生活和潮湿的海洋气候,使他的身体每况日下并染上了当
时无药可治的肺结核,学过医的他也自知将不久于人世。在医生的一再催促下,他在无奈中终于决定遵
照医嘱去意大利休养。启程前一日,54岁的莱特在教堂讲完了最后一堂道,当天傍晚他到海边散步,留
恋万分,直到最后一缕阳光消失后才回家。在跳动的烛光前,感到来日不多的莱特在极大的悲痛中,提
笔写下了这首感人的伟大圣诗和曲谱,。两个星期后,在赴意大利的途中不幸安眠并安葬于法国南部一
个名为Nice的地方。1861年英国一位著名的唱诗班指挥William Henry Monk发现了这首感人的圣诗和曲
谱,重新为圣诗再谱新曲公开发表,引起了极大的反响,并留存至今(莱特的旧谱很少在被应用)。时
至今日,每年还有不少人千里迢迢来到莱特的墓前凭吊以表尊崇。
莱特的圣诗分为8段,原文如下:
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.
Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
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