枪炮拼写金钱的终级论证

The guns spell money's ultimate reason

将铅字印满春天的山坡。

In letters of lead on the spring hillside.

但那个躺在橄榄树下死去的小伙

But the boy lying dead under the olive trees

太过年轻又太过愚蠢

Was too young and too silly

不曾为它们的重要目光所留意。

To have been notable to their important eye.

他对于一个吻是更好的靶子。

He was a better target for a kiss.

在他生前，工厂的高音喇叭从未将他召唤。

When he lived, tall factory hooters never summoned him.

餐厅的平板玻璃也没打着转迎他进门。

Nor did restaurant plate-glass doors revolve to wave him in.

他的名字从未出现在报纸上面。

His name never appeared in the papers.

世界保守着它传统的围墙

The world maintained its traditional wall

内中的死者带着他们的黄金深陷如一口井，

Round the dead with their gold sunk deep as a well,

而他的生命，像证券交易谣言般无形，飘零在外。

Whilst his life, intangible as a Stock Exchange rumour, drifted outside.

哦太轻了他扔下了他的帽子

O too lightly he threw down his cap

在微风从树上投掷花瓣的一天。

One day when the breeze threw petals from the trees.

不开花的墙上萌生枪炮，

The unflowering wall sprouted with guns,

机关枪的狂怒迅速割过草地；

Machine-gun anger quickly scythed the grasses;

旗帜和树叶从手和树枝上坠落；

Flags and leaves fell from hands and branches;

粗花呢帽子腐烂在荨麻丛中。

The tweed cap rotted in the nettles.

且思量他的生命，毫无价值

Consider his life which was valueless

在就业率、酒店总账、新闻档案方面。

In terms of employment, hotel ledgers, news files.

且思量。一万发子弹中的一发杀死一人。

Consider.  One bullet in ten thousand kills a man.

且问。如此高昂的花费是否正当

Ask.  Was so much expenditure justified

用于一个人的死，如此年轻，又如此愚蠢

On the death of one so young and so silly

躺在橄榄树下，哦世界，哦死亡？

Lying under the olive tree, O world, O death?

译注：[1] 拉丁语：“国王的终极论证/手段”法国国王路易十四（Louis XIV，1638-1715）曾将此语铸刻在军队的火炮上。