Words Are Not Action   --Red Hawk

語言不是行動

I have known some,

especially in the university,

who thought that if they gave a fine talk

or wrote a long article for the journals,

this made them men of action.

我知道有一些人，

特別是在大學裡面，

他們以為如果它們作了一場好的演講

或為雜誌寫一篇長文，

這就會使他們成為行動的人。

The Indians knew better.

Before a warrior went into battle

he would not speak.

He went into the 'sweat lodge'* with others;

they drummed and sang and prayed.

Then for 3 days he went into solitude,

preparing his heart for his death.

When he came out, ready to ride,

his woman handed him axe and bow.

No words was spoken.

印地安人知道得比較多。

一個戰士在上戰場之前

他一定不會說話。

他和其他人一起進入「汗屋」*；

他們打鼓唱歌並祈禱。

然後獨處三天，

為他的死亡作好心裡準備。

當他出來，以準備好上戰場，

他的女人將戰斧與弓箭遞給他。

一句話也沒說。

Some came back dead or badly wounded.

There was a big fire; all gathered

to hear the tales of battle.

The warriors laughed and laughed,

made jokes to each other,

told true stories that were so and not so.

They knew the wounds would heal,

knew the dead would be fed to the birds.

有些人戰死或重傷而返。

有一堆大營火；集合所有的人

來聆聽戰場上的故事。

戰士們笑了又笑，

互相開著玩笑，

訴說事情始末是這樣不是這樣。

他們知道傷口會痊癒，

知道死者將餵食鳥群。

The Indians had a saying:

words fall down on the ground

like shit from the dog;

deeds rise up in the sky

like the spirit leaving the body.

印地安人有一個說法：

語言掉在地上

就像狗拉的屎；

行為則升上天空

就像精神離開肉體。

*這裡有一點關於「汗屋」的資訊：

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!4ahuWzGdBRSplxLG2nRAlA--/article?mid=577