The unknown citizen

The unknown citizen -------w.h.auden

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be

依照統計局他乃是

One against whom there was no official complaint,

一個官方無可挑剔的人

And all the reports on his conduct agree

而對他行為考察的各項報告一致

That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word,

以老式詞彙的現代意義來說

he was a saint,

他就是聖人

For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.因為他做的每樣事物都為廣大社區服役

Except for the War till the day he retired

大戰期間除外直到他退休之日

He worked in a factory and never got fired,

他在工廠做工而從未遭到遣辭

But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.

況且他讓雇主滿意，他的雇主- 發跡汽車公司。

Yet he wasn‘t a scab or odd in his views,

然而他卻不是工賊，也無偏離的思想

For his Union reports that he paid his dues,

因為他的工會記錄會費他總是如數繳上

(Our report on his Union shows it was sound )

（我們對他工會的匯報顯示前言正確）

And our Social Psychology workers found

還有我們的社會心理學工作人員發掘

That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.

他跟工作伙伴相處融洽並且喜歡偶爾小酌

The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day

報社認為他每天都買一份報紙

And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.

並認為他對廣告的反應跟常人一般無異

Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,

以他名下購買的各種保險單證明他是全保了的，

And his Health-card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured. 而他的健康卡表明他住院過一次並且在出院前是治癒好了的。

Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare

生產者研究、高指標生活指南都明講

He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Instalment Plan

他對分期付款辦法的好處十分留意

And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,

一個現代人必需的物件他都具備無遺，

A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.

留聲機、收音機、汽車和一個冰箱。

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content

我們的公眾意見調查員欣然地發現

That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;

他一年到頭的意見允稱妥當，

When there was peace, he was for peace: when there was war, he went.

和平的日子，他擁護和平；戰爭的時候，他上前線。

He was married and added five children to the population,

他結婚，替全人口添增五個孩子。

Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation.我們的優生學者說他那一代做父母的恰該有此一數字

And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.

而教師們報備說他從不干涉他們的教育措施。

Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:

他自由？他幸福嗎？問題問得愚蠢

Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

假若真有差錯，我們一定早有所聞。