It little profits that an idle king,
这没什么好；当个无作为的国王，
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
在不毛的巉岩间，傍着幽幽炉火，
Match'd with an aged wife, I mete and dole
配着个年老的妻子，对一支蛮族
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
斤斤地施行不公的法律，而百姓
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
只顾贮藏和吃睡，却并不了解我。
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink
我不能歇下来不远行；生命之酒
Life to the lees: All times I have enjoy'd
我可要喝它个点滴不剩。一生中，
Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those
我尝遍欢乐受尽苦；或独自经历，
That loved me, and alone, on shore, and when
或同追随者共尝，在岸上或海上——
Thro' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
当雨淋淋毕宿透过飞渡的乱云
Vext the dim sea: I am become a name;
叫阴沉沉大海澎湃。我已有名声；
For always roaming with a hungry heart
总怀着饥渴的心情浪迹于海外，
Much have I seen and known; cities of men
长多少见识——在人们聚居的城邦、
And manners, climates, councils, governments,
一处处的风土人情和幕府衙署，
Myself not least, but honour'd of them all;
我既非卑微之徒就到处受尊重——
And drunk delight of battle with my peers,
远在风劲刀兵响的特洛伊战场，
Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.
享受过同顽强劲敌交手的酣畅。
I am a part of all that I have met;
现在的我，是我全经历的一部分；
Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'
但全经历是座拱门，门洞里望去，
Gleams that untravell'd world whose margin fades
未游历的世界远远闪烁；随着我
For ever and forever when I move.
不断向前走，其边沿却不断隐退。
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
叫人闷气的是停步不前，是终止，
To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!
是不砥砺任锈烂，而非用得发亮！
As tho' to breathe were life! Life piled on life
仿佛在呼吸就算是活着！即便是
Were all too little, and of one to me
活几世都还嫌太短，何况我一生
Little remains: but every hour is saved
已余日无多。但从永恒的沉寂中
From that eternal silence, something more,
还能够让每一个钟点得救，而且，
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
还能够带来新收获。最讨厌的是
For some three suns to store and hoard myself,
把自己存放、贮藏起三四个年头，
And this gray spirit yearning in desire
叫我这苍老的灵魂苦苦地巴望，
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
巴望到人类思维的地平线之外
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.
去追踪知识，就像追踪沉落的星。
This is my son, mine own Telemachus,
这是我亲生的儿子忒勒玛科斯，
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle,—
我留给他的，是这柄王杖和岛国——
Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil
受我钟爱的他明辨是非，能担当
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
这项重任，谨慎地使粗野的百姓
A rugged people, and thro' soft degrees
慢慢变得温良，能和缓而逐步地
Subdue them to the useful and the good.
把他们驯化为有用而善良的人。
Most blameless is he, centred in the sphere
他无可挑剔，虽处于日常事务中，
Of common duties, decent not to fail
在我离开后，还照样会举措得体，
In offices of tenderness, and pay
决不会对应尽的孝心有所疏忽，
Meet adoration to my household gods,
对我的家神，会恰如其分地供奉。
When I am gone. He works his work, I mine.
他将做他的工作，而我将做我的。
There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail:
那里是港口；我的船已鼓起了帆；
There gloom the dark, broad seas. My mariners,
那里是黑沉沉的大海。我的水手
Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought with me—
都曾经和我同心协力、辛苦与共——
That ever with a frolic welcome took
他们，总是以欢笑迎雷电和阳光，
The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
以开朗的心胸、开朗的额头抗争——
Free hearts, free foreheads—you and I are old;
你们和我都到了老年；但是老年
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
仍有其荣誉和操劳；死了结一切；
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
但在这终点前还可以有所作为，
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
创造些崇高业绩，从而也配得上
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
我们这些同天神也争斗过的人。
The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks:
这里的岩岸上开始闪烁起灯火；
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep
长昼将尽月徐升；大海的呜咽里
Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends,
有种种召唤。来吧，我的朋友们，
'T is not too late to seek a newer world.
去找个新世界，现在为时还不晚。
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
现在离岸，坐齐了，往水声哗哗的
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
桨迹里用力下桨划；因为我决心
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
要驶过日落的地方和西天众星
Of all the western stars, until I die.
沉落到水里的地方，要到死方休。
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
也许我们会被深渊一口吞下去；
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
也许我们会抵达西方的极乐岛，
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
重见我们伟大的朋友阿喀琉斯。
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
已经失去的固然多，剩下还不少；
We are not now that strength which in old days
如今的我们，力量虽比不上往昔，
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
不再能惊天动地；却依然是故我；
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
尽管这性情依旧坚忍的英雄心
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
被时光和命运削弱，意志仍坚强，
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
要奋斗、探索、发现，决不会低头。