The guns spell money's ultimate reason

枪炮拼写金钱的终级论证

In letters of lead on the spring hillside.

将铅字印满春天的山坡。

But the boy lying dead under the olive trees

但那个躺在橄榄树下死去的小伙

Was too young and too silly

太过年轻又太过愚蠢

To have been notable to their important eye.

不曾为它们的重要目光所留意。

He was a better target for a kiss.

他对于一个吻是更好的靶子。

When he lived, tall factory hooters never summoned him.

在他生前，工厂的高音喇叭从未将他召唤。

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

餐厅的平板玻璃也没打着转迎他进门。

His name never appeared in the papers.

他的名字从未出现在报纸上面。

The world maintained its traditional wall

世界保守着它传统的围墙

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

内中的死者带着他们的黄金深陷如一口井，

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

而他的生命，像证券交易谣言般无形，飘零在外。

O too lightly he threw down his cap

哦太轻了他扔下了他的帽子

One day when the breeze threw petals from the trees.

在微风从树上投掷花瓣的一天。

The unflowering wall sprouted with guns,

不开花的墙上萌生枪炮，

Machine-gun anger quickly scythed the grasses;

机关枪的狂怒迅速割过草地；

Flags and leaves fell from hands and branches;

旗帜和树叶从手和树枝上坠落；

The tweed cap rotted in the nettles.

粗花呢帽子腐烂在荨麻丛中。

Consider his life which was valueless

且思量他的生命，毫无价值

In terms of employment, hotel ledgers, news files.

在就业率、酒店总账、新闻档案方面。

Consider.  One bullet in ten thousand kills a man.

且思量。一万发子弹中的一发杀死一人。

Ask.  Was so much expenditure justified

且问。如此高昂的花费是否正当

On the death of one so young and so silly

用于一个人的死，如此年轻，又如此愚蠢

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

躺在橄榄树下，哦世界，哦死亡？

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。