“真言蕴含力量 会战胜一切“ ——索杰纳·特鲁斯
In early 1828, Sojourner Truth approached the Grand Jury of Kingston, New York.
1828年初 索杰纳·特鲁斯来到纽约 金斯顿市出席法庭审判
She had no experience with the legal system,
她从未打过官司
no money, and no power in the eyes of the court.
一贫如洗 在陪审团成员们眼里无足轻重
Ignoring the jury’s scorn,
特鲁斯没有理会陪审团的轻蔑态度
Truth said she was there to fight for custody of her five-year-old son Peter,
她说 她来是想争取她五岁儿子彼得的监护权
who’d been illegally sold to an enslaver in Alabama.
此前有人把彼得非法贩卖给了阿拉巴马州的一个奴隶主
As the trial played out over the next several months,
接下来几个月 审判继续进行
Truth raised funds, strategized with lawyers,
她一边筹钱 与律师沟通策略
and held her faith.
一边坚守信仰
Finally in the spring of 1828, Peter was returned to her care—
终于 在1828年春天 彼得回到了特鲁斯的身边
but Truth’s work was far from over.
但她的征程才刚刚开始
She would dedicate the rest of her life to pursuing justice and spiritual understanding.
她把余生都倾注在了追求正义和宗教修行上
Truth was born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree
特鲁斯于18世纪末期出生在纽约的阿尔斯特郡
in the late 18th century in Ulster County, New York.
生而为奴 取名为伊莎贝拉·鲍默福里
Although New York state had announced the abolition of slavery in 1799,
虽然纽约1799年就宣布废除奴隶制
the emancipation act was gradual.
但解放法案并未将其一举废除
Those who were currently enslaved
当前是奴隶身份的人
were forced to serve a period of indentured servitude until their mid-20s.
必须签订契约 继续劳役 到二十五岁左右才能获得自由
Throughout this period, enslavers repeatedly sold Baumfree,
在此期间 鲍默福里一次又一次被转卖
tearing her from her loved ones.
一次又一次与心爱之人分离
Often, she was explicitly prevented from pursuing new relationships.
奴隶主常常明确告诉她不要谈对象
Eventually, she married an enslaved man named Thomas,
终于 她嫁给了一个叫托马斯的奴隶
with whom she had three children.
他们生了三个孩子
She was desperate to keep her new family together—
她拼尽全力 想要让全家人在一起
but the slow progress of abolition threatened this hope.
但废除奴隶制进展缓慢 她希望渺茫
Baumfree’s enslaver, John Dumont, had promised to free her by 1826.
奴隶主约翰·杜蒙曾许诺鲍默福里 1826年还她自由
When he failed to keep his word, Baumfree fled for her safety.
然而他失信了 为了保命 她逃跑了
During the escape, she was only able to rescue her youngest daughter Sophia,
逃跑时 她只救下了小女儿索菲亚
while her other children remained in bondage.
其他几个孩子依旧身陷奴役
It would be two years before she regained custody of Peter.
两年后 她才夺回彼得的抚养权
After that, she would wait another two years
之后 又过了两年的时间
before she saw any of her other children.
她才见到其他的孩子
During this time, Baumfree found solace in her faith
在此期间 她从信仰中获得慰藉
and became increasingly dedicated to religious reflection.
于是倾注更多时间做宗教冥想
After settling in Kingston, New York,
她在纽约州金斯顿市安顿下来以后
she joined a Methodist community that shared her political views.
加入了一个和她政治观念相同的卫理公会团
She continued her practice of speaking aloud to God in private,
她坚持在没有人的时候 大声对上帝说话
and one night, her evening prayers took on even more sacred significance.
一天晚上 她的晚祷有了不同寻常的神圣意义
Baumfree claimed to hear the voice of God, telling her to leave Kingston,
鲍默福里称 她听到上帝说话了 他让她离开金斯顿
and share her holy message with others.
把她听到的神谕告诉别人
Though she never learned to read or write,
鲍默福里虽然从未学过读书写字
Baumfree became known as an electrifying orator,
但她的演讲震撼人心 因而声名远扬
whose speeches drew on Biblical references,
在演讲中 她引用圣经
spiritual ideals, and her experience of slavery.
传播宗教理想 还讲述她做奴隶的经历
Her sermons denounced the oppression of African Americans and women in general,
她布道时谴责压迫非裔美国妇女和其她妇女的行为
and became prominent in campaigns for both abolition and women’s rights.
并成为了废除奴隶制运动和女权运动的领袖
In 1843, she renamed herself Sojourner Truth
1843年 她改名为索杰纳·特鲁斯 意为求索真理的旅人
and embarked on a legendary speaking tour.
并开启了一场空前的演讲之旅
Truth saw her journey as a mission from God.
特鲁斯认为 这场旅行是上帝的安排
Her faith often led her to the nation’s most hostile regions,
她带着信仰 去到美国种族歧视最重的地方
where she spoke to bigoted audiences as the only Black woman in the crowd.
尽管听众冥顽不化 而且没有一个黑人妇女 她依旧坚持演讲
Truth was confident God would protect her,
她相信 上帝会保护她
but some crowds responded to her bravery with violence.
但有时 她的勇敢换回来的却是听众的暴行
During one of her sermons,
有一次布道
a mob of white men threatened to set fire to the tent where she was speaking.
一帮白人男子威胁要点燃她头上方的帐篷
In her memoir, Truth recalled steeling herself to confront them:
后来 特鲁斯在回忆录中写到 她让自己坚强起来 勇敢地与他们对抗
“Have I not faith enough to go out and quell that mob…
“难道我的信仰不够坚定 不足以压制那些暴徒吗？
I felt as if I had three hearts!
我觉得我有一颗十分强大的心
And that they were so large, my body could hardly hold them!”
没有什么可以阻挡它的前进！“
She placated the men with song and prayer, until they had no desire to harm her.
她唱圣歌 念祷告 消除了他们的戾气 终于 他们放弃了伤害她的想法
Truth’s speeches impacted thousands of people in communities across the nation,
特鲁斯的演说影响了美国社区千千万万的人民
but her activism went far beyond public speaking.
但她的活动并不仅限于公共演讲
During the Civil War, she became involved with the Union Army,
内战期间 她支持了北方联邦军
recruiting soldiers and organizing supplies for Black troops.
她招募士兵 为黑人部队提供物资
Her work was so well regarded that she was invited to meet President Lincoln.
她的工作饱受赞誉 连林肯都邀她见面
She took the occasion to argue that all formerly enslaved people
她借着这个机会 告诉林肯
should be granted land by the government.
每一个曾经为奴的人都应该由政府授予土地
Truth continued to travel and speak well into her 80s.
特鲁斯一直坚持巡回演讲 直到八十多岁才走下讲台
Until her death in 1883, she remained an outspoken critic
她死于1883年 一生中始终坦率地批判社会的不公
who fought for her right to be heard in a hostile world.
努力维护自己发声的权利 与种族歧视斗争
As Truth once said, “I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies;
特鲁斯曾说 ”即使身处敌人中间 我也不会胆颤
for the truth is powerful and will prevail.”
因为上帝的真言蕴含力量 真言会战胜一切“
For another account of an enslaved woman,
另外有一位女奴隶 曾为了争取自由和正义险些丧命
who laid her life on the line in the fight for freedom and justice
若想听她的故事
check out this video on the epic feats of Harriet Tubman.
就点击这个视频 了解哈丽雅特·塔布曼的伟大功绩
Or learn more about the Women’s Suffrage March in the 1913,
或点击此处 了解1913年妇女选举权游行
whose organizers were directly influenced by Truth’s work.
游行的组织人都受到了特鲁斯工作的直接影响