1

I

那不是老年人的国度。青年人

That is no country for old men. The young

在互相拥抱；那垂死的世代，

In one another’s arms, birds in the trees —

树上的鸟，正从事他们的歌唱；

Those dying generations — at their song,

鱼的瀑布，青花鱼充塞的大海，

The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,

鱼、兽或鸟，一整个夏天在赞扬

Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long

凡是诞生和死亡的一切存在。

Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.

沉溺于那感官的音乐，个个都疏忽

Caught in that sensual music all neglect

万古长青的理性的纪念物。

Monuments of unageing intellect.

2

II

一个衰颓的老人只是个废物，

An aged man is but a paltry thing,

是件破外衣支在一根木棍上，

A tattered coat upon a stick, unless

除非灵魂拍手作歌，为了它的

Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing

皮囊的每个裂绽唱得更响亮；

For every tatter in its mortal dress,

可是没有教唱的学校，而只有

Nor is there singing school but studying

研究纪念物上记载的它的辉煌，

Monuments of its own magnificence;

因此我就远渡重洋而来到

And therefore I have sailed the seas and come

拜占庭的神圣的城堡。

To the holy city of Byzantium.

3

III

哦，智者们！立于上帝的神火中，

O sages standing in God’s holy fire

好像是壁画上嵌金的雕饰，

As in the gold mosaic of a wall，

从神火中走出来吧，旋转当空，

Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,

请为我的灵魂作歌唱的教师。

And be the singing-masters of my soul.

把我的心烧尽，它被绑在一个

Consume my heart away; sick with desire

垂死的肉身上，为欲望所腐蚀，

And fastened to a dying animal

已不知它原来是什么了；请尽快

It knows not what it is; and gather me

把我采集进永恒的艺术安排。

Into the artifice of eternity.

4

IV

一旦脱离自然界，我就不再从

Once out of nature I shall never take

任何自然物体取得我的形状，

My bodily form from any natural thing,

而只要希腊的金匠用金釉

But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make

和锤打的金子所制作的式样，

Of hammered gold and gold enamelling

供给瞌睡的皇帝保持清醒；

To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;

或者就镶在金树枝上歌唱

Or set upon a golden bough to sing

一切过去、现在和未来的事情

To lords and ladies of Byzantium

给拜占庭的贵族和夫人听。

Of what is past, or passing, or to come.