海伦娜·伯翰·卡特 | 朗读诗歌《仙女对牧羊人的回答》

The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd

《仙女对牧羊人的回答》

——by Sir Walter Raleigh

If all the world and love were young,

假如整个世界和爱情永驻青春

And truth in every Shepherd’s tongue,

每一个牧羊人的誓言句句真诚，

These pretty pleasures might me move,

这些美妙的欢乐便会打动我的心房，

To live with thee, and be thy love.

来和你一起生活，做你的新娘。

Time drives the flocks from field to fold,

黄昏逐着羊群从田野进了羊栏，

When Rivers rage and Rocks grow cold,

河水开始咆哮，岩石变得冰冷，

AndPhilomel becometh dumb,

夜莺停止歌唱沉默不语，

The rest complains of cares to come.

安宁抱怨起悄然袭来的忧虑。

The flowers do fade, and wanton fields,

花儿会凋落，诱人的田野也一样

To wayward winter reckoning yields,

屈从于冬天，它的变幻无常，

A honey tongue, a heart of gall,

甜蜜的舌头，一颗冷酷的心，

Is fancy’s spring, but sorrow’s fall.

是幻想的喷泉，却把痛苦降临。

Thy gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of Roses,

你的新袍、新鞋和玫瑰花床，

Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies

你的花冠、裙裾和鲜花芬芳

Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten:

瞬息便会消蚀，褪萎，被忘怀，

In folly ripe, in reason rotten.

愚蠢的早熟，注定得早衰。

Thy belt of straw and Ivy buds,

你的草秆腰带，青藤编的束

Thy Coral clasps and amber studs,

珊瑚的别针，琥珀做的扣

All these in me no means can move

这一切都不能打动我的心房

To come to thee and be thy love.

走到你身边去，做你的新娘。

But could youth last, and love still breed,

可只要青春常在，爱能得到滋润，

Had joys no date, nor age no need,

只要愉悦无穷，岁月永恒，

Then these delights my mind might move

这样的欢乐就会打动我的心房，

To live with thee, and be thy love.

来和你一起生活，做你的新娘。

季雨 译