INVICTUS (1875年)
Out of the night that covers me,
夜幕低垂將我籠罩
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
兩極猶如漆黑地窖
I thank whatever gods may be
我感謝未知的上帝
For my unconquerable soul.
賦予我不敗的心靈
In the fell clutch of circumstance
即使環境險惡危急
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
我不會退縮或哭嚎
Under the bludgeonings of chance
立於時機的脅迫下
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
血流滿面我不屈服
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
超越這般悲憤交集
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
恐怖陰霾獨步逼近
And yet the menace of the years
歲月威脅揮之不去
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
我終究會無所畏懼
It matters not how strait the gate,
縱然通道多麼險狹
How charged with punishments the scroll,
儘管嚴懲綿延不盡
I am the master of my fate:
我是我命運的主人
I am the captain of my soul.
我是我心靈的統帅
──威廉欧内斯特亨利
‘Invictus’ is Latin for ‘unconquerable’.
曼德拉常常背诵的一首诗。
