先是贸易和商业，辛辛苦苦建造了商船和兵船
First Trades & Commerce, ships & armed vessels he builded laborious,
到海洋上航行；陆地上，生活的必需迫使人们
To swim the deep; & on the Land children are sold to trades
把儿童出卖做童工，他们日夜劳动直到生命熄灭，
Of dire necessity' still labouring day & night; till all
在深深的绝望中剩下一把皮包骨：
Their life extinct, they took the spectre form in dark despair:
…………
......
他们铸剑，造战车和打仗用的板斧，
They forged the sword, the chariot of war, the battle axe,
把一切生活的技艺变成死亡的技艺
The trumpet fitted to the battle; & the flute of summer
…………
And all the arts of life they changed into the arts of death,
他们发明复杂的齿轮，齿轮以外又有齿轮，
......
使青年人一开始就被迷惑，甘心日夜做苦工，
And in their stead intricate wheels invented, wheel without wheel,
他们不停地擦去铁锈，磨亮黄铜，辛苦做工，
To perplex youth in their outgoings, & to bind to labours
而不明白铜铁做什么用。他们为了赚一片面包
Of day & night thy myriads of eternity—that they might file
就把青春智慧花在可悲的苦工之中。
And polish brass & iron, hour after hour, laborious workmanship,
…………
Kept ignorant of the use, that they might spend the days of wisdom
啊，天主，你难道不能来瞧瞧我们的切身之苦？
In sorrowful drudgery to obtain a scanty pittance of bread;
我们在炉火之间不断地劳动，而我们那狠心的工头
......
却嘲笑我们的痛苦。他们叫我们转动车轮吸水，
'O Lord, wilt thou not look upon our sore afflictions
要我们灼伤的肩挑起沉甸甸的土筐，
Among these flames incessant labouring? Our hard masters laugh
要我们淘沙去灰，用眼泪和悔恨去掺和泥土
At all our sorrow. We are made to turn the wheel for water,
…………
To carry the heavy basket on our scorched shoulders, to sift
泥灰遮住了我们的美，我们的背上
The sand & ashes, & to mix the clay with tears & repentance
爬满鞭子的印痕，重重的土筐压破了我们的皮肉。
......
…………
Our beauty is coverd over with clay & ashes, & our backs
用温和的手腕迫使穷人靠一片面包皮过活。
Furrowd with whips, & our flesh bruised with the heavy basket.
他们皱眉你笑笑，他们笑时你皱皱眉头。
......
一个人做苦工，吃不饱，显得脸黄饥瘦，你说他
Compell the poor to live upon a crust of bread by soft mild arts.
看来倒还健康愉快；
Smile when they frown, frown when they smile; & when a man looks pale
他的孩子病了，让他死去，生下的人太多太多了，
With labour & abstinence, say he looks healthy & happy—
没有这些死亡的技艺，地球上就要人满为患。
And when his children sicken, let them die. There are enough
要是你想使穷人俭省过活，那你给他每一片面包时
Born, even too many, & our earth will be overrun
就得神气十足。用诡计夸大你给他们的些微赐予;
Without these arts. If you would make the poor live with temper,
迫使别人需要你赐予，然后神气十足地赐予他们。
With pomp give every crust of bread you give, with gracious cunning
你听见他叹气就说他在笑。他脸色苍白你就说他红润。
Magnify small gifts, reduce the man to want a gift, & then give with pomp:
宣传节约：虽然你明白清水和面包是他唯一的粮食，
Say he smiles if you hear him sigh; if pale say he is ruddy:
你得说他喝饱了烈性酒，糟蹋了他的才华。
Preach temperance, say he is overgorged & drowns his wit
同时恭维他的妻子，怜悯他的孩子，一直到我们
In strong drink, though you know that bread & water are all
将人人制服，使他们像受过训练的猎犬一样驯服。
He can afford. Flatter his wife, pity his children, till we can
Reduce all to our will, as spaniels are taught with art.