威廉·布莱克诗20首
Introduction
Piping down the valleys wild,
Piping songs of pleasant glee,
On a cloud I saw a child
And he laughing said to me:
'Pipe a song about a lamb.'
So I piped with merry cheer;
'Piper, pipe that song again.'
So I piped; he wept to hear.
'Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe;
Sing thy songs of happy cheer.'
So I sung the same again,
While he wept with joy to hear.
'Piper, sit thee down and write
In a book that all may read.'
So he vanished from my sight:
And I plucked a hollow reed,
And I made a rural pen,
And I stained the water clear,
“吹一支羔羊的歌曲！”
我就快活地吹了起来。
“吹笛人，再吹吹那支曲，”
我再吹，他听着流下泪来。
“放下那笛子，欢乐的笛子，
把你那快乐的歌儿唱一唱;"
我把那支歌唱上一次，
他听着，快活得泪儿汪汪。
“吹笛人，坐下来写成一本诗，
好让大伙儿都能读到。”
他说完就从我眼前消逝，
我拿起一根空心的芦草，
用它做成土气的笔一支，
把它蘸在清清的水里，
写下那些快乐的歌子，
让个个小孩听得欢喜。
The Shepherd
How sweet is the shepherd's sweet lot—
From the morn to the evening he strays!
He shall follow his sheep all the day,
And his tongue shall be filled with praise.
For he hears the lambs' innocent call,
And he hears the ewes' tender reply;
He is watchful while they are in peace,
For they know when their shepherd is nigh.
嘴里充满了赞赏。
他听见羔羊天真的呼唤，
听见母羊回答得温柔；
他很小心，他们也安分，
他们知道牧童就在背后。
The Echoing Green
The sun does arise,
And make happy the skies;
The merry bells ring
To welcome the spring.
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around,
To the bell's cheerful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Echoing Green.
Old John with white hair
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak,
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say,
'Such, such were the joys,
When we all, girls and boys,
In our youth-time were seen
On the Echoing Green.'
Till the little ones weary
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers,
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest—
欢迎春天来临；
画眉和云雀，
林中的鸟雀，
伴着欢乐的钟响
在四周唱得嘹亮。
歌声荡漾的青草地，
我们在那儿游戏。
老约翰白发满头，
笑得无忧无愁，
他和老人们一道
坐在橡树底下笑。
他们看着我们打闹，
立刻异口同声说道：
“我们少年时期，
不管男男女女，
也有这般的乐趣，
在这歌声荡漾的青草地。”
玩到小东西们累了，
不能再嘻嘻笑笑：
太阳也已经下降，
我们的游戏也就收场。
众多的兄弟姊妹
围着妈妈的膝盖，
好像巢里的小鸟
马上就要睡觉。
暗下来的青青草地
再也看不见谁在游戏。
The Lamb
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee,
Gave thee life and bid thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead—
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly bright,
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little lamb, who made thee,
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little lamb, I'll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb;
He is meek and he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child, and thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
谁给你可喜的衣裳，
柔软，毛茸茸又亮堂堂；
谁给你这般柔和的声音，
使满山满谷欢欣？
小羔羊，谁创造了你？
你知道吗，谁创造了你？
小羔羊，我来告诉你，
小羔羊，我来告诉你:
他的名字跟你一样，
他管自己叫羔羊；
他又温柔，又和蔼，
他变成一个小孩；
我是小孩，你是羔羊，
咱们名字跟他一样。
小羔羊，上帝保佑你。
小羔羊，上帝保佑你。
The Little Black Boy
My mother bore me in the southern wild,
And I am black, but oh, my soul is white;
White as an angel is the English child,
But I am black as if bereaved of light.
My mother taught me underneath a tree,
And sitting down before the heat of day
She took me on her lap and kissed me,
And pointing to the east began to say:
'Look on the rising sun: there God does live
And gives his light, and gives his heat away;
And flowers and trees and beasts and men receive
Comfort in morning joy in the noon day.
'And we are put on earth a little space,
That we may learn to bear the beams of love,
And these black bodies and this sun-burnt face
Is but a cloud, and like a shady grove.
'For when our souls have learned the heat to bear
The cloud will vanish, we shall hear his voice,
Saying: "Come out from the grove, my love and care,
And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice."
Thus did my mother say, and kissed me;
And thus I say to little English boy:
When I from black and he from white cloud free
And round the tent of God like lambs we joy,
I'll shade him from the heat till he can bear
To lean in joy upon our Father's knee;
And then I'll stand and stroke his silver hair,
And be like him and he will then love me.
黑小孩
在荒凉的南方妈妈生下我来，
我黑，可是啊，我却有洁白的心灵；
白得像天使是英国的小孩，
我却黑黑的，仿佛失去了光明。
在炎热白昼的面前坐定，
树底下妈妈把我开导；
她把我抱上膝头吻吻，
然后指着东方说道：
“看那上升的太阳，那儿上帝居住，
散着他的热，发着他的光，
是他使人和畜，花和树，
中午得欢乐，早晨得安康。
“他把我们往小小的地面上一放，
叫我们学会承受爱的光芒；
这黑黑的身子，太阳烧焦的脸庞，
不过像云彩和阴暗的草莽。
“有一天我们学会了承受那热，
那云彩就消散，我们就会听他说道：
‘走出林子来，我的亲亲，我的爱，
围着我金色的帐幕羔羊般欢跳。'"
妈妈这么说着，把我吻吻，
我对英国小孩也这么讲：
等我离了黑云，他离了白云，
我们围着上帝的帐幕欢乐如羔羊；
我给他遮热，等到他能够
快活地倚着天父的膝盖；
那时我站着，抚摸他银色的头，
我像他，他就会和我相爱。
The Blossom
Merry, merry sparrow,
Under leaves so green,
A happy blossom
Sees you, swift as arrow,
Seek your cradle narrow
Near my bosom.
Pretty, pretty robin,
Under leaves so green,
A happy blossom
Hears you sobbing, sobbing,
Pretty, pretty robin,
Near my bosom.
花朵
快快活活的雀儿！
在碧绿的叶子底下，
有一朵鲜花
看见你箭一般飞过，
寻找你的小窠，
捱着我的胸怀。
漂漂亮亮的知更！
在碧绿的叶子底下，
有一朵鲜花
听见你呜呜咽咽，
漂漂亮亮的知更，
捱着我的胸襟。
The Chimney Sweeper
When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry 'weep 'weep, 'weep 'weep!
So your chimneys I sweep, and in soot I sleep.
There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head,
That curled like a lamb's back, was shaved; so I said,
'Hush Tom, never mind it, for when your head's bare,
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.'
And so he was quiet, and that very night,
As Tom was asleeping he had such a sight—
That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack,
Were all of them locked up in coffins of black;
And by came an angel, who had a bright key,
And he opened the coffins and set them all free;
Then down a green plain leaping, laughing they run,
And wash in a river and shine in the sun.
Then naked and white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds and sport in the wind.
And the angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father and never want joy.
And so Tom awoke, and we rose in the dark,
And got with our bags and our brushes to work.
Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm;
So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.
扫烟囱的孩子
我妈妈死时我年纪很小，
爸爸就把我送去卖掉；
我连叫一声“哭啊，哭啊”也不会，
你家烟囱我来扫，煤屑堆里我来睡。
有个小汤姆·代克头发卷曲像羊毛，
一剃头就要哭个哇哇叫；
我说：“汤姆，你别哭，不要紧，头一光，
煤屑就不会再把你的白发弄脏。”
汤姆安静了，就在当天夜间，
他睡着梦见奇迹出现；
阿狗阿猫上万个扫烟囱的小孩
都给锁进了黑漆漆的棺材。
天使来了，手里的钥匙亮晃晃，
他打开棺材，让他们个个解放;
他们奔下绿原，又跳又笑，
下河洗澡，在阳光里闪耀。
赤裸的身子雪白，他们把袋子丢下，
他们升上云端，在风里玩耍；
天使告诉汤姆，要是他乖乖听话，
他就会一生快活，上帝做他爸爸。
汤姆醒来，我们就摸黑起床，
带着袋子刷子把工上；
早晨虽冷，汤姆又快乐又暖和：
大家都尽本分就不怕灾祸。
The Little Boy Lost
'Father, father, where are you going?
Oh, do not walk so fast!
Speak, father, speak to your little boy,
Or else I shall be lost.'
The night was dark, no father was there,
The child was wet with dew;
The mire was deep, and the child did weep,
And away the vapour flew.
小男孩的迷失
“爸爸，爸爸，你上哪儿？
啊，别走那么快吧！
爸爸，说呀，跟你孩子说话，
不然我就要迷路啦！”
漆黑的夜里，不见了爸爸，
露水淋湿了小孩；
泥沼又深，小孩流泪，
夜雾向四处飞散开来。
The Little Boy Found
The little boy lost in the lonely fen,
Led by the wandering light,
Began to cry, but God ever nigh
Appeared like his father in white.
He kissed the child and by the hand led,
And to his mother brought,
Who in sorrow pale through the lonely dale
Her little boy weeping sought.
小男孩的寻获
丢失在荒凉泥地的小孩，
跟在摇晃不定的灯光后面
哭了起来，但上帝永在身边，
他穿着白衣就像爸爸出现。
他亲亲小孩，牵着他的手，
把他领到母亲身边来，
她脸色惨白，穿过荒谷，
哭着寻找她的小男孩。
Laughing Song
When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy,
And the dimpling stream runs laughing by;
When the air does laugh with our merry wit,
And the green hill laughs with the noise of it;
When the meadows laugh with lively green
And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene;
When Mary and Susan and Emily,
With their sweet round mouths, sing Ha, ha, he!
When the painted birds laugh in the shade
Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread,
Come live and be merry and join with me,
To sing the sweet chorus of Ha, ha, he!
欢笑的歌
苍翠的树林笑出快乐的声音，
鳞鳞的水波也流得欢欣，
轻风里我们的笑语相闻，
青山欢笑着发出它嘈杂的声音。
一片片草地笑个绿盈盈，
蚱蜢笑着看这欢乐的光景；
玛丽、苏珊、还有爱茉莉，
又甜又圆的嘴唱道：“哈，哈，嘻！”
树荫里彩色的鸟儿欢笑，
我们桌上放着胡桃和樱桃；
来吧，和我生活欢笑在—起，
齐唱甜美的乐曲：“哈，哈，嘻！”
A Cradle Song
Sweet dreams, form a shade
O'er my lovely infant's head,
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams,
By happy silent moony beams.
Sweet sleep, with soft down
Weave thy brows an infant crown;
Sweet sleep, angel mild,
Hover o'er my happy child.
Sweet smiles in the night
Hover over my delight.
Sweet smiles, mother's smiles,
All the livelong night beguiles.
Sweet moans, dovelike sighs,
Chase not slumber from thy eyes.
Sweet moans, sweeter smiles,
All the dovelike moans beguiles.
Sleep, sleep, happy child:
All creation slept and smiled.
Sleep, sleep, happy sleep,
While o'er thee thy mother weep.
Sweet babe, in thy face
Holy image I can trace;
Sweet babe once like thee
Thy maker lay and wept for me,
Wept for me, for thee, for all,
When he was an infant small.
Thou his image ever see,
Heavenly face that smiles on thee—
Smiles on thee, on me, on all,
Who became an infant small.
Infant smiles are his own smiles,
Heaven and earth to peace beguiles.
摇篮曲
甜蜜的梦，在我爱儿头顶，
你且罩起一方树荫！
甜蜜的梦，幽美的月光之旁
看清泉欢快地流放！
香甜的睡眠，用眉上的柔毛
给幼儿织一顶睡帽！
香甜的睡眠，温柔得像天使一样，
在快活的婴儿头上翱翔！
甜蜜的笑，你晚上且在
我宝贝的头上徘徊！
甜蜜的笑脸，母亲的笑脸，
长夜漫漫，正靠你消遣。
柔和的呻吟，甜蜜的叹息，
别把你眼中的睡意赶去！
柔和的呻吟，更柔和的笑容，
把一切柔声的呻吟消溶。
睡吧，睡吧，快活的小孩，
万物都已微笑着睡下来；
睡吧，睡吧，香甜地睡，
在你头上你妈妈垂泪。
可爱的孩子，从你的脸上，
我能找到那神圣的形象；
可爱的孩子，有一回就像你，
造化躺着为我啜泣；
为我，为你，也为大家，
当他还是个小小的娃娃。
他的形象你永远看见，
那在你头上微笑的神圣的脸！
对我，对你，对大家都笑，
他变成一个婴儿，很小很小；
婴儿的笑就是他的笑；
天地间一片祥和之气笼罩。
The Divine Image
To mercy, pity, peace and love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For mercy, pity, peace and love
Is God our father dear;
And mercy, pity, peace and love
Is man, his child and care.
For mercy has a human heart;
Pity, a human face;
And love, the human form divine;
And peace, the human dress.
Then every man of every clime
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine—
Love, mercy, pity, peace.
And all must love the human form
In heathen, Turk or Jew.
Where mercy, love and pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.
神圣的形象
受难的人个个祈求
爱、仁慈、怜悯、和平，
对这些可喜的美德
报答他们的感激之情。
爱、仁慈、怜悯、和平，
原是上帝，我们亲爱的父亲；
爱、仁慈、怜悯、和平，
又是人，上帝的孩子和亲人。
原来仁慈有一颗人心，
怜悯有一张人的脸蛋，
爱有一副神圣的人形，
和平有一身人的衣衫。
在四面八方祈求的
所有一切受难的人们，
都向那神圣的人形祈求
爱、仁慈、怜悯、和平。
人人都得爱这个人的形象，
不管它是异教徒，回教徒，犹太人；
哪儿有仁慈、爱和怜悯，
哪儿就有上帝和神。
Holy Thursday
'Twas on a Holy Thursday, their innocent faces clean,
The children walking two and two in red and blue and green;
Grey-headed beadles walked before with wands as white as snow,
Till into the high dome of Paul's they like Thames waters flow.
Oh, what a multitude they seemed, these flowers of London town!
Seated in companies they sit, with radiance all their own.
The hum of multitudes was there, but multitudes of lambs,
Thousands of little boys and girls raising their innocent hands.
Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice of song,
Or like harmonious thunderings the seats of Heaven among.
Beneath them sit the aged men, wise guardians of the poor:
Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.
升天节
这是升天节，孩子们一对对走着，
天真的脸儿干净，穿上红蓝绿各色衣着，
白头教士拿着雪白的拐杖前行，
像泰晤士的河水流进圣保罗的圆顶大厅。
好多人呀，这些伦敦城中的花苞！
他们一道坐着，脸上独特的光辉闪耀。
众人的声音嗡嗡，但他们只是一群羔羊而已，
上万个男女小孩把天真的手高高举起。
这时，像一阵大风，他们的歌声上升，
像天庭之间和谐地共鸣的雷声：
下面坐着老年人，穷人贤明的带路人；
要有怜悯之心，免得你把天使赶出大门。
Night
The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon like a flower
In heaven's high bower,
With silent delight,
Sits and smiles on the night.
Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight;
Where lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright.
Unseen they pour blessing,
And joy without ceasing,
On each bud and blossom,
And each sleeping bosom.
They look in every thoughtless nest,
Where birds are covered warm;
They visit caves of every beast
To keep them all from harm;
If they see any weeping,
That should have been sleeping,
They pour sleep on their head
And sit down by their bed.
When wolves and tigers howl for prey
They pitying stand and weep—
Seeking to drive their thirst away,
And keep them from the sheep.
But if they rush dreadful,
The angels most heedful
Receive each mild spirit
New worlds to inherit.
And there the lion's ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold,
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold,
Saying: 'Wrath by his meekness,
And by his health sickness,
Is driven away
From our immortal day.
'And now beside thee, bleating Iamb,
I can lie down and sleep;
Or think on him who bore thy name,
Graze after thee and weep.
For washed in life's river
My bright mane for ever
Shall shine like the gold,
As I guard o'er the fold.'
夜
太阳往西方下沉，
黄昏的星星照耀，
鸟儿在窠里寂静，
我也寻找我的巢。
月亮像一朵花
开在天庭高高的枝桠，
一片欢喜静悄悄，
它坐着对夜微笑。
再见吧，绿野和幽林，
那儿羊群欢欣；
羊儿吃草，一片寂静，
明亮的天使脚步轻盈；
他们暗中把恩情
和无穷的欢欣
给颗颗芽，朵朵花，
和每一颗安睡的心。
他们探看无忧的窠，
那里鸟儿盖得暖和，
他们访问野兽的穴洞，
不让它们受到伤痛：
他们看见有人该睡
然而还在流泪，
就在床边坐下来，
把睡意灌进那人的脑袋。
豺狼虎豹寻食怒叫，
他们站着，又怜悯，又垂泪，
想把它们的饥渴解掉，
又不让把羊群伤害；
要是它们猛力冲击，
天使会小心翼翼,
把每颗柔顺的心灵
接到新的世界住定。
那儿狮子血红的眼睛
流下金色的泪来，
怜悯那柔声的呼唤，
只在羊栏的旁边徘徊；
它说：“在我们的不朽之世，
他的柔和能把愤怒克制，
就像他的健康的身体，
能把疾病赶去。
“咩咩的小羊，捱着你的身，
我如今能躺下来安睡，
想到他和你同名，
我跟着你吃草，流泪；
原来生命之河
把我亮晶晶的鬃毛洗过，
它将永远金光闪闪，
我守护着你的围栏。”
Spring
Sound the flute!
Now it's mute;
Birds delight
Day and night;
Nightingale
In the dale,
Lark in the sky,
Merrily
Merrily merrily, to welcome in the year.
Little boy
Full of joy;
Little girl
Sweet and small;
Cock does crow,
So do you;
Merry voice,
Infant noise,
Merrily, merrily, to welcome in the year.
Little lamb
Here I am;
Come and lick
My white neck.
Let me pull
Your soft wool,
Let me kiss
Your soft face;
Merrily, merrily, we welcome in the year.
春
吹起横笛！
它至今沉默。
白天夜里
鸟儿欢喜;
山谷之上
黄莺歌唱，
天上云雀
欢喜雀跃，
欢欢喜喜迎接新年来临。
小男孩心里
充满了欢喜，
小女孩呢，
又小又甜蜜；
公鸡啼叫；
你们也欢叫；
快活的嗓音，
小孩的闹声，
欢欢喜喜迎接新年来临。
小羔羊儿
我在这儿；
快来亲亲
我雪白的头颈；
让我摸摸
你柔软的羊毛；
让我吻吻
你那脸儿柔润，
欢欢喜喜迎接新年来临。
Nurse's Song
When the voices of children are heard on the green,
And laughing is heard on the hill,
My heart is at rest within my breast,
And everything else is still.
'Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down
And the dews of night arise;
Come, come, leave off play, and let us away
Till the morning appears in the skies.'
'No, no, let us play, for it is yet day,
And we cannot go to sleep;
Besides, in the sky the little birds fly,
And the hills are all covered with sheep.'
'Well, well, go and play till the light fades away,
And then go home to bed.'
The little ones leaped and shouted and laughed,
And all the hills echoed.
保姆之歌
青青的草地上听到孩子们的声音，
山头上他们的欢笑可闻，
我胸中的心灵安宁，
四周的一切也都寂静。
“孩子们，回家吧，太阳已经西下，
夜晚的露水也已出现；
来，来，别玩啦，我们走吧，
且等明日曙光照亮天边。”
“不，不，让我们玩吧，天还亮，
我们还不想上床；
而且天上小鸟还在飞翔，
满山满谷绵羊游荡。”
“好，好，玩到阳光消逝，
然后回家上床。”
小东西们笑着又叫又跳，
满山回声激荡。
Infant Joy
'I have no name—
I am but two days old.'
What shall I call thee?
'I happy am,
Joy is my name.'
Sweet joy befall thee!
Pretty joy!
Sweet joy but two days old—
Sweet joy I call thee.
Thou dost smile,
I sing the while—
Sweet joy befall thee!
婴儿的快乐
“我没有名字；
生下才两天。”
我叫你什么？
“我很快活，
欢乐是我的名字。”
祝你得到欢乐！
美丽的欢乐，
欢乐了才两天，
我叫你欢乐：
你笑笑，
我唱着歌。
祝你得到欢乐。
A Dream
Once a dream did weave a shade,
O'er my angel-guarded bed,
That an emmet lost its way
Where on grass methought I lay.
Troubled, wildered and forlorn,
Dark, benighted, travel-worn,
Over many a tangled spray.
All heart-broke I heard her say:
'Oh, my children, do they cry?
Do they hear their father sigh?
Now they look abroad to see,
Now return and weep for me.'
Pitying, I dropped a tear;
But I saw a glow-worm near,
Who replied, 'What wailing wight
Calls the watchman of the night?
'I am set to light the ground,
While the beetle goes his round.
Follow now the beetle's hum;
Little wanderer, hie thee home.'
梦
有一回幻梦织了一片树荫
罩在我那天使守护的床顶，
我想我准是躺在草地，
看见一只迷路的蚂蚁。
困惑、孤独、又苦恼，
黑夜茫茫，也走得疲劳，
多少纵横交错的草蔓上
我听她哭得真心伤。
“我的孩子啊！他们在哭泣？
他们可听见他们天父叹息？
忽儿他们到外面探望，
忽儿又回去，为我而泪水汪汪。”
我流下一滴泪，替她可怜，
但瞧见萤火虫就在身边，
他答道：“是哪个好哭鬼，
把我这守夜人唤来？
“我就要照亮这块地面，
这儿甲虫要漫游一遍；
你且跟着甲虫的嗡嗡，
小流浪者，快快转回家中。”
On Another's Sorrow
Can I see another's woe,
And not be in sorrow too?
Can I see another's grief,
And not seek for kind relief?
Can I see a falling tear,
And not feel my sorrow's share?
Can a father see his child
Weep, nor be with sorrow filled?
Can a mother sit and hear,
An infant groan, an infant fear?
No, no, never can it be,
Never, never can it be!
And can he, who smiles on all,
Hear the wren with sorrows small,
Hear the small bird's grief and care,
Hear the woes that infants bear,
And not sit beside the nest
Pouring pity in their breast,
And not sit the cradle near
Weeping tear on infant's tear,
And not sit both night and day,
Wiping all our tears away?
Oh, no, never can it be,
Never, never can it be!
He doth give his joy to all,
He becomes an infant small.
He becomes a man of woe,
He doth feel the sorrow too.
Think not thou canst sigh a sigh,
And thy maker is not by;
Think not thou canst weep a tear,
And thy maker is not near.
Oh, he gives to us his joy
That our grief he may destroy;
Till our grief is fled and gone,
He doth sit by us and moan.
别人的痛苦
我能看着别人哀愁
而不觉得心里也难受？
我能看着别人悲哀
而不寻找温存的安慰？
我能看着别人滴下泪来
而不觉得有我一分悲哀？
父亲能看着孩子哭泣
而不觉得满心戚戚？
母亲能坐着倾听
幼儿发出恐惧的呻吟？
不，不，永远不会，
永远，永远不会。
难道他对万物微笑，
听着鹪鹩小小的苦恼，
听着小鸟的哀伤忧愁，
听着婴儿把痛苦忍受，
而不坐到鸟巢边上，
把怜悯倾泻在它们心上，
而不坐到摇篮之旁，
为婴儿的泪而垂泪心伤？
而不日日夜夜坐定，
把我们的眼泪擦个干净？
啊，不，永远不会，
永远，永远不会。
他把快乐赐给一切，
他变成一个小小的婴孩；
他变成一个痛苦的人，
他也感到痛苦和伤心。
别以为你能叹一口气
而造化并不捱着你；
别以为你能流一滴泪
First Trades & Commerce, ships & armed vessels he builded laborious,
To swim the deep; & on the Land children are sold to trades
Of dire necessity' still labouring day & night; till all
Their life extinct, they took the spectre form in dark despair:
......
They forged the sword, the chariot of war, the battle axe,
The trumpet fitted to the battle; & the flute of summer
And all the arts of life they changed into the arts of death,
......
And in their stead intricate wheels invented, wheel without wheel,
To perplex youth in their outgoings, & to bind to labours
Of day & night thy myriads of eternity—that they might file
And polish brass & iron, hour after hour, laborious workmanship,
Kept ignorant of the use, that they might spend the days of wisdom
In sorrowful drudgery to obtain a scanty pittance of bread;
......
'O Lord, wilt thou not look upon our sore afflictions
Among these flames incessant labouring? Our hard masters laugh
At all our sorrow. We are made to turn the wheel for water,
To carry the heavy basket on our scorched shoulders, to sift
The sand & ashes, & to mix the clay with tears & repentance
......
Our beauty is coverd over with clay & ashes, & our backs
Furrowd with whips, & our flesh bruised with the heavy basket.
......
Compell the poor to live upon a crust of bread by soft mild arts.
Smile when they frown, frown when they smile; & when a man looks pale
With labour & abstinence, say he looks healthy & happy—
And when his children sicken, let them die. There are enough
Born, even too many, & our earth will be overrun
Without these arts. If you would make the poor live with temper,
With pomp give every crust of bread you give, with gracious cunning
Magnify small gifts, reduce the man to want a gift, & then give with pomp:
Say he smiles if you hear him sigh; if pale say he is ruddy:
Preach temperance, say he is overgorged & drowns his wit
In strong drink, though you know that bread & water are all
He can afford. Flatter his wife, pity his children, till we can
Reduce all to our will, as spaniels are taught with art.
在深深的绝望中剩下一把皮包骨：
…………
他们铸剑，造战车和打仗用的板斧，
把一切生活的技艺变成死亡的技艺
…………
他们发明复杂的齿轮，齿轮以外又有齿轮，
使青年人一开始就被迷惑，甘心日夜做苦工，
他们不停地擦去铁锈，磨亮黄铜，辛苦做工，
而不明白铜铁做什么用。他们为了赚一片面包
就把青春智慧花在可悲的苦工之中。
…………
啊，天主，你难道不能来瞧瞧我们的切身之苦？
我们在炉火之间不断地劳动，而我们那狠心的工头
却嘲笑我们的痛苦。他们叫我们转动车轮吸水，
要我们灼伤的肩挑起沉甸甸的土筐，
要我们淘沙去灰，用眼泪和悔恨去掺和泥土
…………
泥灰遮住了我们的美，我们的背上
爬满鞭子的印痕，重重的土筐压破了我们的皮肉。
…………
用温和的手腕迫使穷人靠一片面包皮过活。
他们皱眉你笑笑，他们笑时你皱皱眉头。
一个人做苦工，吃不饱，显得脸黄饥瘦，你说他
看来倒还健康愉快；
他的孩子病了，让他死去，生下的人太多太多了，
没有这些死亡的技艺，地球上就要人满为患。
要是你想使穷人俭省过活，那你给他每一片面包时
就得神气十足。用诡计夸大你给他们的些微赐予;
迫使别人需要你赐予，然后神气十足地赐予他们。
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