Why should not Old Men be Mad?
《为什么老年人不该癫狂?》
—— by W.B. Yeats
Why should not old men be mad?
为什么老年人不该癫狂?
Some have known a likely lad
有人知道一个好样的少年郎,
That had a sound fly-fisher's wrist
他有好手腕善于捕蝇,
Turn to a drunken journalist;
变成了一个酗酒的暴人;
A girl that knew all Dante once
一个读过但丁全集的姑娘,
Live to bear children to a dunce;
活下来为一个笨伯把儿女养;
A Helen of social welfare dream,
海伦怀着社会福利的梦想,
Climb on a wagonette to scream.
爬上一个小篷车尖声叫嚷。
Some think it a matter of course that chance
有人认为这是理所当然,
Should starve good men and bad advance,
机会使好人饿死,坏人升迁,
That if their neighbours figured plain,
如果他们邻居们扮相平常,
As though upon a lighted screen,
就像在一个明亮的幕布上,
No single story would they find
他们会发现一个完整快乐的心
Of an unbroken happy mind,
并没有什么故事可听,
A finish worthy of the start.
它的结局与开场相称。
Young men know nothing of this sort,
年轻人不了解这些事情,
Observant old men know it well;
留心世事的老年人却很熟谙;
And when they know what old books tell,
当他们知道古籍讲的道理,
And that no better can be had,
没有更好的下场,
Know why an old man should be mad.
就明白老年人为何该癫狂。
袁可嘉 译
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