(此处为莎拉·布莱曼(sarah Brightman)所演唱的版本)
are you going to scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
he once was a true love of mine
Tell him to make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
without no seams nor needle work
Then he'll be a true love of mine
Tell him to find me an acre of land
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the salt water and the sea strand
Then he'll be a true love of mine...
......
Tell him to reap it with a sickle of leather
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
and gather it all in a bunch of heather
Then he'll be a true……
听歌重在听“歌眼”正如文章标题题旨的“文眼”。这一首sacrborough Fair是大家再熟悉不过的老歌了;然而,迄今在国内出版界尚未见过对此歌透彻精当的剖析(但愿我是孤陋寡闻)。译本颇为畅销的流行歌曲书中竟这样写道: “歌中Parsley sage Rosemary Thyme四种芳香类的花草反复插入,将琐碎的问话和旧事重提截断,引向一种弥散着甜蜜气氛的悠远画境中。”牵强得叫人哑然失笑,但也不经意的道破了此歌的歌眼,即Parsley sage Rosemary Thyme 这一句在歌中反复萦绕的衬词。歌者在sage 与 Thyme上的有意延长似乎是在提醒我们注意:sage既指鼠尾草,同时又有“贤哲/圣哲”之意;而Thyme则与Time谐音。为何如此?
带着这样的疑问我们再度回头审视歌名,原本熟悉的歌名似乎也变了面目:scar-Borrow-Fair。scar与Fair昭示了歌者的本意----战争与和平(anti-war)。
歌曲以一位在战火中亡故的士兵的口吻唱出,他再不能回到那朝思暮想的家乡,再不能与心上人一同享受生活的甘甜了。心中的悲愤化作一声声催人泪下的控诉: Parsley sage Rosemary& Thyme。成千上万的普通士兵如野花一般被战火摧毁在沙场上,那些战争的作俑者们最终难逃时间的淘洗。野花自在芳香;然而,唯有时间才能检验出谁是真正的贤明圣哲;或许,更古的时间才是真正的圣哲!Time Is Fair!