To drift with every passion till my soul

任那激情漂流，直至吾灵

Is a stringed lute on which all winds can play,

化为诗琴，风在其上奏吹。

Is it for this that I have given away

难道是为此物，吾已弃坠

Mine ancient wisdom, and austere control?

吾之远古智慧，严苛苦行？

Methinks my life is a twice-written scroll

吾思，重书卷轴实乃吾生，

Scrawled over on some boyish holiday

曾于童时假日，胡乱涂绘，

With idle songs for pipe and virelay,

闲散之歌，供于风笛诗会，

Which do but mar the secret of the whole.

徒伤宇宙奥秘，别无深情。

Surely there was a time I might have trod

确有那时，吾曾踏于日光

The sunlit heights, and from life’s dissonance

照耀高处，穿越生之奇异，

Struck one clear chord to reach the ears of God:

击响清脆乐章，达于天堂。

Is that time dead? lo! with a little rod

彼时亡乎？看啊带着微光，

I did but touch the honey of romance—

吾曾触及，那浪漫之甜蜜，

And must I lose a soul’s inheritance?

必也吾将失去，魂之遗迹？

译注：

1. 每行十音步抑扬格，译为十个汉字一行

2. 韵脚为abba，abba，cd，ccdd