Two Pub Songs

一直都很喜歡李宗盛的作品，曲風、詞句、唱腔的搭配，彷彿看透人間冷暖的略略嘲弄，加上總帶著一絲的憂愁，一次又一次替我言說了內心的情感，甚至往往成為低谷裡的救贖。今早再次聽了這兩首熟透的歌曲，相疊在一起卻有既拉扯且互補之效，意外地道出生命的常態。是為記。

 〈沒有人知道〉

〈生命中的精靈〉

題外話：在youtube上搜尋時，竟發現我相當喜愛的兩位女歌手張懸和陳綺貞各自有一個詮釋的版本，可惜力道稍嫌不足，有興趣的看官可前往觀之。

片刻與永恆

又是一年的最後一天，理當為過去這一整年做些盤點。但相對於過往幾年的回顧與展望，今年想換個方式……

〈你在煩惱什麼〉，蘇打綠

沒有不會謝的花
沒有不會退的浪
沒有不會暗的光
你在煩惱什麼嗎

沒有不會淡的疤
沒有不會好的傷
沒有不會停下來的絕望
你在憂鬱什麼啊

時間從來不回答
生命從來不喧嘩
就算只有片刻‭ ‬我也不害怕
是片刻組成永恆哪
片刻組成永恆哪

這首〈你在煩惱什麼〉是我相當喜愛的一首歌，加上MV拍攝的十分精巧，兩者加成之下，陳述了一個正視生命片刻的意境。恰巧近來無意間翻出數年前的拙作，有篇名曰〈須臾與永恆〉：

須臾，是你我都能掌握的詞彙，
他代表著短暫、稍縱即逝。
永恆，看似容易理解但細思方覺言語難以描述，
在她之中，究竟是擁有無限的時間？
還是時間暫停靜止，甚或根本沒有時間存在？
永恆太過偉大，而須臾又太過渺小；
人只能活在須臾中，卻總是冀求永恆。

……
永恆太過偉大，而須臾又太過渺小；
人總是冀求永恆，卻只能活在須臾中。
要去學習的是，
從當下須臾的積累瞥見永恆的模樣。
我不知道永恆為何，
但可以努力地在每個當下認識上帝。
或許那幅永恆的拼圖，
須用每塊須臾拼湊而成。

「是片刻組成永恆哪！」一首流行歌、一篇詩作，看似遙相呼應。但永恆，當真就僅是以每塊須臾拼湊而成麼？這學期課堂談到「終末論」（eschatology），論及基督信仰如何看待「最終」之事，陡然發覺上述兩者缺少了一個核心的向度－－永恆上主的「超越性」（transcendence）。基督信仰所宣信的永恆，確然含括每一個片刻、當下、須臾，卻不僅止於此，當那日來臨時，上主會將這一切予以更新，化做永恆。

或許，正如Eric Clapton這首〈淚灑天堂〉（Tears in Heaven）所低喃的：

Would you know my name ?
你還記得我的名字嗎?
If I saw you in heaven
如果我在天堂遇見你
Would it be the same ?
我們還能像從前一樣嗎？
If I saw you in heaven
如果我在天堂遇見你

I must be strong and carry on
我必須堅強 堅持下去
Cause I know I don't belong here in heaven
因為我知道我並不屬於天堂

Would you hold my hand ?
你會握住我的手嗎?
If I saw you in heaven
如果我在天堂遇見你
Would you help me stand ?
你會扶我起來嗎？
If I saw you in heaven
如果我在天堂遇見你

I'll find my way through night and day
我會找到繼續生活的方法
Cause I know I just can't stay here in heaven
因為我知道我不能留在天堂

Time can bring you down
時間使人意志消沈
Time can bend your knees
時間使人屈膝臣服
Time can break your heart
時間使人傷心
Have you begging please, begging please
你是否曾向它求饒？

Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure
跨越那障礙後 我相信便會是一片祥和
And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven
而且我也知道 不會再有人淚灑天堂

翻譯見此：〈[歌詞翻譯] Eric Clapton - Tears in heaven〉

啟示錄廿一章4節（《和合本修訂版》）：

上帝要擦去他們一切的眼淚；

不再有死亡，

也不再有悲哀、哭號、痛苦，

因為先前的事都過去了。

永恆確然由片刻所組成，眼淚、死亡、悲哀、哭號、痛苦都將被紀念，不是忘卻。

然，惟賴上主更新這一切。
Μαρανα θα!

My Soul Is Love Unknown

Samuel Crossman, 1664

My song is love unknown, my Savior's love to me,
love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be.
But who am I that for my sake
my Lord should take frail flesh and die?
    He came from heaven's throne, salvation to bestow;
    but they refused  and none the longed-for Christ would know.
    This is my friend, my friend indeed,
    who at my need his life did spend.
Sometimes they crowd his way and his sweet praises sing,
resounding all the day hosannas to their king.
Then "crucify" is all their breath,
and for his death they thirst and cry.
    With angry shouts they have my dear Lord done away;
    a murderer they save, the Prince of Life they slay!
    Yet willingly he bears the shame
    that through his name all might be free.
Why, what has my Lord done to cause such rage and spite?
He made the lame to run and gave the blind their sight.
What injuries! Yet these are why
the Lord most high so cruelly dies.
    Here might I stay and sing of him my soul adores.
    Never was love, dear King, never was grief like yours!
    This is my friend in whose sweet praise
    I all my days could gladly spend.

Wiki: My Song Is Love Unknown
Listen: MorningStar Music Publishers; Youtube

Also a lovely book: Love Unknown: Meditations on the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Written by John Barton. (yes, THAT Barton!)

I'm Yours

Well youve dawned on me and you bet I felt it　　
I tried to be chill but youre so hot that I melted　
I fell right through the cracks, and now Im trying to get back　
Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest　
And nothings gonna stop me so dont go with convention　
I reckon its again my turn, to win some or learn some　
But I wont hesitate no more, no more　
It cannot wait, Im yours　

Well open up your minds and see like me　
Open up your plans and damn youre free　
Look into your heart and youll find love, love, love, love　
Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing　
We are just one big family　
And its everybodys right to be loved, love, love, love, loved　

Well Ive been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror　
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer　
But my breath fogged up the glass　
So I drew new face and laughed　

I guess what I've been saying is there aint no better reason　
To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons　
It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue　

So I won't hesitate no more, no more　
It cannot wait, I'm sure　
There's no need to complicate our time is short　
This is our fate, I'm yours　

Well open up your minds and see like me　
Open up your plans and man you're free　
Look into your heart and you'll find, the sky is yours　
So please don't, please don't, please don't　
There's no need to complicate　
Cause our time is short, and this will, this will, this is our fate　

Kevin Skinner