Pripovijest Fredericka Douglassa

序言

Preface

一八四一年八月，

In the month of August, 1841,

我参加了在楠塔基特举行的一次反奴隶制大会，

I attended an anti-slavery convention in Nantucket,

在会上我有幸结识了

at which it was my happiness to become acquainted with

弗雷德里克·道格拉斯，

Frederick Douglass,

即下面这篇自述的作者。

the writer of the following Narrative.

与会者中几乎无人认识他；

He was a stranger to nearly every member of that body;

然而，

but,

他新近才从南方那座囚禁奴隶的牢狱中逃脱，

having recently made his escape from the southern prison-house of bondage,

心中生出好奇，想弄清废奴主义者的主张与举措——

and feeling his curiosity excited to ascertain the principles and measures of the abolitionists, —

还在为奴时，他曾听到过一些关于他们的模糊说法——

of whom he had heard a somewhat vague description while he was a slave, —

于是他被打动，前来参会，

he was induced to give his attendance,

就是在上面提到的那个场合，

on the occasion alluded to,

尽管那时他住在新贝德福德。

though at that time a resident in New Bedford.

幸运的，

Fortunate,

再幸运不过的事啊！——

most fortunate occurrence! —

这对他那千百万手戴镣铐的兄弟是幸运的，

fortunate for the millions of his manacled brethren,

他们至今仍在可怕的奴役中喘息着渴求解脱！——

yet panting for deliverance from their awful thraldom! —

这对黑人解放的事业是幸运的，

fortunate for the cause of negro emancipation,

对普天下的自由也是幸运的！——

and of universal liberty! —

这对他出生的这片土地是幸运的，

fortunate for the land of his birth,

他已为拯救它、祝福它做了如此之多！——

which he has already done so much to save and bless! —

这对一大群友人与相识是幸运的，

fortunate for a large circle of friends and acquaintances,

他以自己所忍受的种种苦难，

whose sympathy and affection he has strongly secured by the many sufferings he has endured,

以自己品性中的美德，

by his virtuous traits of character,

以他对身陷枷锁者念念不忘、如同自己也与他们同受束缚一般的心怀，

by his ever-abiding remembrance of those who are in bonds,

牢牢赢得了他们的同情与挚爱！——

as being bound with them! —

这对千千万万的人是幸运的，

fortunate for the multitudes,

他们散居于我们共和国的各处，

in various parts of our republic,

是他使这些人在奴隶制一事上开了眼目，

whose minds he has enlightened on the subject of slavery,

他们或被他的悲切之情感动得涕泪横流，

and who have been melted to tears by his pathos,

或被他那讨伐奴役同类者的雄辩激起了义愤！——

or roused to virtuous indignation by his stirring eloquence against the enslavers of men! —

这对他自己也是幸运的，

fortunate for himself,

因为这一下便把他推上了为公众效力的场地，

as it at once brought him into the field of public usefulness,

“向世人昭示了何为一个人”，

“gave the world assurance of a MAN,”

唤醒了他灵魂中沉睡的力量，

quickened the slumbering energies of his soul,

并使他献身于那桩伟大的事业——折断压迫者的棍杖，

and consecrated him to the great work of breaking the rod of the oppressor,

让受压迫的人得自由！

and letting the oppressed go free!