【约翰 中国佬】

John Chinaman^①

作者/不详   译制/代伟

中国佬啊，约翰中国佬^②    John Chinaman, John Chinaman

在短短五年前  But five short years ago

我把你从广州迎接来  I welcomed you from Canton, John

但现在，我已没有这种意愿了 But wish I hadn't though

那时，我觉得你很可靠，约翰  For then I thought you honest, John

你不仅能很快实现梦想 Not dreaming but you'd make，

也将会像其他美国人一样，成为一名有益的公民  A citizen as useful, John，As any in the state

我以为你会完全开放你的港口  I thought you'd open wide your ports

让我们的商人们自由进出  And let our merchants in To barter for

用木品和银器，去交换他们需要的绸缎和茶叶  their crapes and teas, Their wares of wood and tin

我以为你将剪掉你的长辫子，约翰  I thought you'd cut your queue off, John

你会换上洋基人^③的上装  And don a Yankee coat

这样，你就可以把领子竖起来，约翰  And a collar high you'd raise, John

遮住你那发黑的喉结  Around your dusky throat

我相信了你宣誓时说的话  I imagined that the truth, John, You'd speak when under oath

但，约翰，我后来发现你既撒谎又偷窃  But I find you'll lie and steal too

是这样的，约翰，你两者都干  Yes, John, you're up to both

我想到了那些老鼠和小狗，约翰  I thought of rats and puppies, John

上一顿饭你刚被你吃过  You'd eaten your last fill

而到了晚餐，约翰  But on such slimy pot-pies, John

你又（把它们）放在粘糊的锅饼上继续吃   I'm told you dinner still.

噢，约翰，过去我一直被你蒙骗  Oh, John, I've been deceived in you

你这帮偷盗的家伙，约翰  And all your thieving clan

你的眼里只有我们的黄金  For our gold is all you're after, John

为了得到它，你不择手段  To get it as you can

【注解】

^① 这是一首诗歌，刊登在1855年的California Songster上。在加州淘金热时期，广为流传

^② 约翰中国佬（John Chinaman），是当时华人的别称

^{③ 洋基（Yankee），美国人的俗称}