威廉·勃特勒·叶芝 William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire,take down this book,
And slowly read,and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once,and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur,a little sadly,how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
当你老了
当你老了,头白了,睡意昏沉,
炉火旁打盹,请取下这部诗歌,
慢慢读,回想你过去眼神的柔和,
回想它们昔日浓重的阴影;
多少人爱你青春欢畅的时辰,
爱慕你的美丽,假意或真心,
只有一个人爱你那朝圣者的灵魂,
爱你衰老了的脸上痛苦的皱纹;
垂下头来,在红光闪耀的炉子旁,
凄然地轻轻诉说那爱情的消逝,
在头顶的山上它缓缓踱着步子,
在一群星星中间隐藏着脸庞.
The Four Ages of Man
He with body waged a fight, But body won; it walks upright.
Then he struggled with the heart; Innocence and peace depart.
Then he struggled with the mind; His proud heart he left behind.
Now his wars on God begin; At stroke of midnight God shall win.
人生的四个时期
他与身体搏斗, 身体获胜;便直立而行。
他与心灵抗衡; 失去了原有的纯真与安宁。
他与思想争辩; 高傲的心被抛在了后面。
他与思想争辩; 高傲的心被抛在了后面。
现在他又把矛头指向上帝;
等到夜半钟响,上帝就会胜利。