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