The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
晚钟响起来一阵阵给白昼报丧，
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
牛群在草原上迂回，吼声起落，
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
耕地人累了，回家走，脚步踉跄，
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
把整个世界留给了黄昏与我。
Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight,
苍茫的景色逐渐从眼前消退，
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
一片肃穆的寂静盖遍了尘寰，
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
只听见嗡嗡的甲虫转圈子纷飞，
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
昏沉的铃声催眠着远处的羊栏。
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r
只听见常春藤披裹的塔顶底下
The moping owl does to the moon complain
一只阴郁的柢枭向月亮诉苦，
Of such, as wand'ring near her secret bow'r,
怪人家无端走进它秘密的住家，
Molest her ancient solitary reign.
搅扰它这个悠久而僻静的领土。
Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's shade,
峥嵘的榆树底下，扁柏的荫里，
Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap,
草皮鼓起了许多零落的荒堆，
Each in his narrow cell for ever laid,
各自在洞窟里永远放下了身体，
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
小村里粗鄙的父老在那里安睡。
The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,
香气四溢的晨风轻松的呼召，
The swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed,
燕子从茅草棚子里吐出的呢喃，
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
公鸡的尖喇叭，使山鸣谷应的猎号
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.
再不能唤醒他们在地下的长眠。
For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn,
在他们，熊熊的炉火不再会燃烧，
Or busy housewife ply her evening care:
忙碌的管家妇不再会赶她的夜活；
No children run to lisp their sire's return,
孩子们不再会“牙牙”的报父亲来到，
Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
为一个亲吻爬倒他膝上去争夺。
Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
往常是：他们一开镰就所向披靡，
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
顽梗的泥板让他们犁出了垄沟；
How jocund did they drive their team afield!
他们多么欢欣地赶牲口下地！
How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
他们一猛砍，树木就一棵棵低头！
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
“雄心”别嘲讽他们实用的操劳，
Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;
家常的欢乐，默默无闻的命运；
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
“豪华”也不用带着轻蔑的冷笑
The short and simple annals of the poor.
来听讲穷人的又短有简的生平。
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r,
门第的炫耀，有权有势的煊赫，
And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
凡是美和财富所能赋予的好处，
Awaits alike th' inevitable hour.
前头都等待着不可避免的时刻：
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
光荣的道路无非是引导到坟墓。
Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault,
骄傲人，你也不要怪这些人不行，
If Mem'ry o'er their tomb no trophies raise,
“怀念”没有给这些人建立纪念堂，
Where thro' the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault
没有让悠长的廊道、雕花的拱顶
The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.
洋溢着洪亮的赞美歌，进行颂扬。
Can storied urn or animated bust
栩栩的半身像，铭刻了事略的瓮碑，
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
难道能恢复断气，促使还魂？
Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust,
“荣誉”的声音能激发沉默的死灰？
Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?
“献媚”能叫死神听软了耳根？
Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid
也许这一块地方，尽管荒芜，
Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
就埋着曾经充满过灵焰的一颗心；
Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway'd,
一双手，本可以执掌到帝国的王芴
Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.
或者出神入化地拨响了七弦琴。
But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page
可是“知识”从不曾对他们展开
Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll;
它世代积累而琳琅满目的书卷；
Chill Penury repress'd their noble rage,
“贫寒”压制了他们高贵的襟怀，
And froze the genial current of the soul.
冻结了他们从灵府涌出的流泉。
Full many a gem of purest ray serene,
世界上多少晶莹皎洁的珠宝
The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
埋在幽暗而深不可测的海底；
Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,
世界上多少花吐艳而无人知晓，
And waste its sweetness on the desert air.
把芳香白白地散发给荒凉的空气。
Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast
也许有乡村汉普顿在这里埋身，
The little tyrant of his fields withstood;
反抗过当地的小霸王，胆大，坚决；
Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest,
也许有缄口的米尔顿，从没有名声；
Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood.
有一位克伦威尔，并不曾害国家流血。
Th' applause of list'ning senates to command,
要博得满场的元老雷动的鼓掌，
The threats of pain and ruin to despise,
无视威胁，全不顾存亡生死，
To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land,
把富庶，丰饶遍播到四处八方，
And read their hist'ry in a nation's eyes,
打从全国的笑眼里读自己的历史——
Their lot forbade: nor circumscrib'd alone
他们的命运可不许：既不许罪过
Their growing virtues, but their crimes confin'd;
有所放纵，也不许发挥德行；
Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne,
不许从杀戮中间涉登宝座
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind,
从此对人类关上仁慈的大门；
The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide,
不许掩饰天良在内心的发作，
To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,
隐瞒天真的羞愧，恬不红脸；
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride
不许用诗神的金焰点燃了香火
With incense kindled at the Muse's flame.
锦上添花去塞满“骄”“奢”的神龛。
Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,
远离了纷纭人世的勾心斗角，
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
他们有清醒愿望，从不学糊涂，
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life
顺着生活的清凉僻静的山坳，
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.
他们坚持了不声不响的正路。
Yet ev'n these bones from insult to protect,
可是叫这些尸骨免受到糟踏，
Some frail memorial still erected nigh,
还是有脆弱的碑牌树立在近边，
With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck'd,
点缀了拙劣的韵语、凌乱的刻划，
Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.
请求过往人就便献一声婉叹。
Their name, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd muse,
无闻的野诗神注上了姓名、年份，
The place of fame and elegy supply:
另外再加上地址和一篇悼词；
And many a holy text around she strews,
她在周围撒播了一些经文，
That teach the rustic moralist to die.
教训乡土道德家怎样去死。
For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,
要知道谁甘愿舍身哑口的“遗忘”，
This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,
坦然撇下了忧喜交织的此生，
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,
谁离开风和日暖的明媚现场
Nor cast one longing, ling'ring look behind?
而能不依依地回头来顾盼一阵？
On some fond breast the parting soul relies,
辞世的灵魂还依傍钟情的怀抱，
Some pious drops the closing eye requires;
临闭的眼睛需要尽哀的珠泪，
Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,
即使坟冢里也有“自然”的呼号
Ev'n in our ashes live their wonted fires.
他们的旧火还点燃我们的新灰。
For thee, who mindful of th' unhonour'd Dead
至于你，我关心这些默默的陈死人，
Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;
用这些诗句讲他们质朴的故事，
If chance, by lonely contemplation led,
假如在幽思的引导下，偶然有缘分，
Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate,
一位同道来问起你的身世——
Haply some hoary-headed swain may say,
也许会有白头的乡下人对他说，
"Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn
“我们常常看见他，天还刚亮，
Brushing with hasty steps the dews away
就用匆忙的脚步把露水碰落，
To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.
上那边高处的草地去会晤朝阳；
"There at the foot of yonder nodding beech
“那边有一棵婆娑的山毛榉老树，
That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high,
树底下隆起的老根盘错在一起，
His listless length at noontide would he stretch,
他常常在那里懒躺过一个中午，
And pore upon the brook that babbles by.
悉心看旁边一道涓涓的小溪。
"Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn,
“他转游到林边，有时候笑里带嘲，
Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he would rove,
念念有词，发他的奇谈怪议，
Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,
有时候垂头丧气，像无依无靠，
Or craz'd with care, or cross'd in hopeless love.
像忧心忡忡或者像情场失意。
"One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill,
“有一天早上，在他惯去的山头，
Along the heath and near his fav'rite tree;
灌木丛，他那棵爱树下，我不见他出现；
Another came; nor yet beside the rill,
第二天早上，尽管我走下溪流，
Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;
上草地，穿过树林，他还是不见。
"The next with dirges due in sad array
“第三天我们见到了送葬的行列，
Slow thro' the church-way path we saw him borne.
唱着挽歌，抬着他向坟场走去——
Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay,
请上前看那丛老荆棘底下的碑碣，
Grav'd on the stone beneath yon aged thorn."
（你是识字的）请念念这些诗句”：
THE EPITAPH
墓 铭
Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
这里边，高枕地膝，是一位青年，
A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.
生平从不曾受知于“富贵”和“名声”；
Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,
“知识”可没轻视他出身的微贱，
And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.
“清愁”把他标出来认作宠幸。
Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
他生性真挚，最乐于慷慨施惠，
Heav'n did a recompense as largely send:
上苍也给了他同样慷慨的报酬：
He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,
他给了“坎坷”全部的所有，一滴泪；
He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.从上苍全得了所求，一位朋友。
No farther seek his merits to disclose,
别再想法子表彰他的功绩，
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
也别再把他的弱点翻出了暗窖
(There they alike in trembling hope repose)
（他们同样在颤抖的希望中休息）。
The bosom of his Father and his God.
那就是他的天父和上帝的怀抱。