Bede sees without any starry-eyed sentimentality what could overcome the deep mistrust of the pagan kings
比德总能理智地思考 如何才能除去异教国王深埋心中的疑虑
when asked to abandon their traditional gods.
让他们能够摒弃传统的神祗
According to the most touching speech in Bede's entire history,
根据比德演讲史上最动人心弦的一场演说
the clinching moment of persuasion for one noble was nothing more than a gambler's bet.
对于一个贵族而言 最脆弱的时刻 莫过于他赌上自己的前身后世之时
It seems to me, my Lord,that the present life of men on earth is as though a sparrow in winter should come to a house and swiftly fly through it,
陛下 在我看来 一个人现世的生活 就好似一只麻雀 在隆冬进入一间暖屋 转瞬之间便穿堂而过
entering at one window and then passing out through another,while you sit at dinner with your captains in a hall made warm with a great fire,
从一扇窗中进入 自另一扇飞出 当你在此和你的部下们围火而坐 尽享美食
while outside are the raging tempests of winter rain and snow.
而外面却值严冬 狂风大作雨雪交加
For that short time it be within the house,the bird feels no smart of the winter storm,
在这房中短促的时间内 鸟对窗外的寒冬毫无预警
but soon passes again from winter back to winter and escapes your sight.
但很快地便会飞出 从严寒中来 往严寒中去 脱离你的视线
So the life of man here appears for a little season,but what follows or has gone before,that surely we do not know.
人的一生也不过转瞬 而我们从哪里来 最终要到哪里去 我们无从得知
Wherefore if this new learning has brought us any certainty,methinks it is worthy to be followed.
因此 若这道理有任何启发作用 在我看来都是值得遵从的
It typical of Bede put these words in the mouth of a nobleman.
比德惯于借由贵族之口说出此番话语
The church in Anglo-Saxon England was just really a branch of the aristocracy.
盎格鲁-撒克逊时期的英格兰 教会不过是贵族统治的一小分支
St Wilfred, the aristocratic Bishop of York,deliberately used part of Hadrian's Wall
约克郡的贵族主教圣威尔弗雷德 特意借用哈德良长城一隅
to build at Hexham a basilica worthy of Roman authority.
在赫克瑟姆 建起了足以匹配罗马权贵的长方形大教堂