普段着の幸せを求めて

有名なゴスペル、PRECIOUS LORDを知って
いる方も多いと思いますが、この歌の背景
にはこのような出来事が　あったんですねぇ～(半分だけ訳が下にあります）

THE BIRTH OF THE SONG ''PRECIOUS LORD"

Back in 1932, I was 32 years old and a fairly new husband. My wife,
Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's
Southside. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis , where
I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting. I didn't
want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first
child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis. I kissed
Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh
Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66. However,
outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had
forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back. I found
Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was
strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not
wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly
slipped out of the room with my music.

The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on
me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy
ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope.
Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST
DIED. People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could
hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home.
All I could hear on the other end was "Nettie is dead. Nettie is
dead."

When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I
swung between grief and joy. Yet that night, the baby died. I buried
Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then fell
apart. For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an
injustice. I didn't want to serve Him any more or write gospel songs.
I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But
then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days,
I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept
telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had
paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been
with Nettie when she died.

From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still
I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially a friend,
Professor Fry, who seemed to know what I needed. On the following
Saturday evening he took me up to Malone's Poro College, a
neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept
through the curtained windows. I sat down at the piano, and my hands
began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt
at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found
myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall
into place:

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand!

I am tired, I am weak, I am worn,

Through the storm, through the night lead me on to the light,

Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home.

The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I
learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest
from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to
His restoring power. And so I go on living for God willingly and
joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and
gently lead me home.

-Tommy Dorsey

超簡単に訳すと　

作者がまだ結婚して間もない32歳の時、妻の二ティとシカゴの南にあるアパートに住んでいた。

8月の暑い午後　彼はセントルイスの伝道集会でソロリストとして行かなくてはならなかった。

彼の妻は初めての妊娠で臨月だった為　行きたくなかったが沢山の人々が彼の歌を楽しみしている事を考え家を後にした。

後ろ髪を引かれる思いで、出たためか楽譜を忘れた事を、町外れで思い出した。

家に再び帰ると二ティは　静かに眠っていた。眠りの邪魔をしないようベッド脇に行く事をためらったが、何故かその時強く家に留まる様に言われたような気がした。

翌晩、暑さの中群集は彼にアンコールを何度も叫び、彼はそれに答えていた。

やっと彼が席に戻れた時、電報が彼の手に届いた。

そこには‘貴方様の奥様が　たった今亡くなりました’とあった。

動転しすぐに電話をかけたが　二ティが死んでしまった、と言う声を聞くばかりであった。

家に着くと　二ティは男の子を誕生した事を知らされた。悲しみと喜びが渦巻く中、その子も　その晩に亡くなってしまった。

彼は二ティと赤ん坊を同じ棺に納め埋葬した。

その後、長い間彼は心を閉ざし、主が彼に科した事を恨んだ。主に仕えることもゴスペルを作曲することもしたくなく、ただ、ただ、昔馴染んだジャズに世界に帰りたかった。

しかし、ひとりぼっちでアパートの暗い部屋で　セントルイスへ行った日の事を考えていた時、誰かが二ティの側に留まるように言ったようだった事を思い出した。

主の御言葉だったのだろうか？　あぁ、もし私が主の御言葉に耳を傾け　従っていたならば、二ティの死の床に付き添う事が出来たであろう。

以来、彼は主の御言葉にもっと注意を払う事を誓ったものの、まだ深く悲嘆にくれていた。

ーーーーーーー

長くなってしまったので、後は御希望があれば訳します、、