A visit from St Nicholas by anon. Stephen Darrell Smith- Christmas spirit

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
在聖誕節前夜，整間屋裡
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
沒有一人在吵，就連老鼠也不鬧
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
長襪已被小心地掛到煙囪上
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
我希望聖尼古拉很快就來到
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
孩子們都被舒適地安頓到他們的床上
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
雖然他們腦子裡還跳動著小糖球的幻影；
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
媽媽裹起頭巾，我戴上帽
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap;
我們剛定下神來要睡個冬天的長覺
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
這時外面的草地上有了得得的聲響
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
我從床上跳起來去看個究竟，像一道閃光
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
我撲向窗戶，快得像一道閃光
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
扯開百頁窗拉起窗框
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
只見月光灑在新雪的胸膛上
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
給月下的萬物披上晌午的光芒
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
這時竟出現了使我目瞪口呆的景象
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
那是一輛小雪橇和八隻小小的馴鹿
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
上面坐著一個小小的老車夫，他是這樣生氣勃勃，動作敏捷
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
我馬上知道這一定是聖尼古拉
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
他的駿鹿跑得比鷹還快
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
他吹哨，吆喝，還能叫它們的名字：
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
'嘿，達舍！嘿，丹瑟！嘿，普蘭舍和維剋星！
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
前進，前進，唐德和布利琛！
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
衝到門廊頂，沖向圍牆的頂！
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
嘿，衝呀，衝呀，一起給我衝
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
它們決得就像枯葉隨著瘋狂的颶風
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
遇到障礙就升向天空
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
馴鹿飛到了屋頂
With the sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas too.
拉著裝滿玩具的雪橇，還有聖尼古拉
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
轉眼之間我就听到屋頂
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
有小蹄子騰躍踢踏的響聲
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
當我縮進頭來轉過身
Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound.
就看見聖尼古拉從煙囪上一跳而下
He was dressed all in fur , from his head to his foot,
他全身上下都穿皮裘
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
他的衣服因蓋滿煙灰而失去光華
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
他背上背著一包玩具
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
他看起來就像是小販正在開包
His eyes — how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
他的眼睛閃閃發光，他的酒渦充滿歡樂
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
他的兩頰紅得像玫瑰，他的鼻子像是櫻桃
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
他那滑稽的小嘴就像畫的一把弓
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
他下頜的鬍子像雪一樣白
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
他的牙齒緊咬著一個煙斗
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
白煙就像花圈繞著他的頭
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
他有一副寬寬的臉和小小的圓肚
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
當他笑的時候…… 那小肚震得就像一個碗裝滿果凍
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf ,
他的個子圓圓胖胖，真假是一個快活的老頑童
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
我看到他時情不自禁地笑了
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
他轉過頭向我眨了眨眼睛
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
讓我知道什麼也不用怕
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
他一句話沒說就去幹活
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
他把每一隻長襪都裝滿後就急忙轉身
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
他把手指放在鼻子邊上
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
點點頭又跳上煙囪
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
他躍上雪橇，向他的鹿隊吹聲哨
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
他們就像薊花的冠毛一樣又飛走
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
在他駛開之前，我聽到他大喊
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”
'大家聖誕快樂，諸位晚安！