犁俱吠陀(Rig Veda)（节选节译）之创世颂（译者题）

啊哈，早先年的所谓译作了。拿来献丑，望方家指正。本来准备用韵的，但是实在是功力不够，结果所谓译作也就不能琅琅上口了，十分之抱歉。

Song of Creation

Then there was neither being nor not-being.
The atmosphere was not, nor sky above it.
What covered all? and where? by what protected?
Was there the fathomless abyss of waters?
Then neither death nor deathlessness existed;
Of day and night there was yet no distinction.
Alone that One breathed calmly, self-supported.
Other than It was none, nor aught above It.

Darkness there was at first in darkness hidden;
This universe was undistinguished water.
That which in void and emptiness lay hidden
Alone by power of fervor was developed.

Then for the first time there arose desire,
Which was the primal germ of mind, within it.
And sages, searching in their heart, discovered
In Nothing the connecting bond of Being.

And straight across their cord was then extended:
What then was there above? or what beneath it?
Life giving principle and powers existed;
Below the origin,—the striving upward.

Who is it knows? Who here can tell us surely
From what and how this universe has risen?
And whether not till after it the gods lived?
Who then can know from what it has arisen?

The source from which this universe has risen
And whether it was made, or uncreated?
He only knows, who from the highesr heaven
Rules, the all-seeing lord.—or does not He know?


Sources of World Civilization, by Oliver A.Johnson, James L. Halverson
世界文明的源泉（第3版）第52-53页，北京：北京大学出版社，2004.7（培文书系·人文科学系列）


犁俱吠陀(Rig Veda)（节选节译）之创世颂（译者题）

无物无非物，无气无上之。何覆何处覆，因何持系之？渊水深不测，嗟兮何有乎？
无死无非死，昼夜独无异。斯独翕辟均，自给亦自足；此外无一物，此上亦无存。
寂始隐寂中，宇宙系常水。水空无亦隐，热力独生生。
欲腾始发时，胚心于中肇。圣哲内自觉，有无乃系联。
允直精微衍，上下果何居？生形力亦存，下初上击冲。
知何孰确知，天地之式格？此后诸神享，孰知彼自来？
天地升腾源，造否无化否？通神治九天，悉否无知否？