-------A simple child, 

单纯的孩子，

That lightly draws its breath, 

呼吸得愉快安详，

What should it know of death? 

感到生命充沛在四肢，

怎知道什么是死亡？

I met a little cottage girl: 

She was eight years old, she said; 

我遇到一个农家小姑娘：

Her hair was thick with many a curl 

　　她说，她今年八岁；

That clustered round her head. 

她的头发纷披在头上——

　　一卷卷，一绺绺丝穗。

She had a rustic, woodland air, 

And she was wildly clad: (clad: clothed) 

她带着乡土和林野的气味，

Her eyes were fair, and very fair; 

　　衣服也十分土气；

----Her beauty made me glad. 

她眼睛可美了，非常的美；

　　——她的美使我欣喜。

“Sisters and brothers, little Maid, 

How many may you be?” 

“小姑娘，你们一共有几个——

“How many? Seven in all,” she said, 

　　几个姊妹兄弟？”

And wondering looked at me. 

“几个？一共七个，”她说，

　　看着我，有点儿惊奇。

“And where are they? I pray you tell.” 

She answered, “Seven are we; 

“他们在哪儿？请你告诉我。”

And two of us at Conway dwell, 

　　她回答，“我们七个人；

And two are gone to sea. 

当中有两个在康韦住着，

　　两个在海上航行。

“Two of us in the church-yard lie, 

My sister and my brother; 

“还有我姊姊和哥哥两个人，

And, in the church-yard cottage, I 

　　躺在教堂的墓地；

Dwell near them with my mother.” 

坟场边，小屋里，离他们挺近，

　　我跟妈住在一起。”

“You say that two at Conway dwell, 

And two are gone to sea, 

“你说两个在康韦住着，

Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell, 

　　两个在海上远航，

Sweet Maid, how this may be.” 

可你们总共有七个！——你说说，

　　这怎么可能，好姑娘！”

Then did the little Maid reply, 

“Seven boys and girls are we; 

“我们男孩儿女孩儿共七个；”

Two of us in the church-yard lie; 

小姑娘这样回答，

Beneath the church-yard tree.” 

“有两个在教堂墓地里躺着，

　　在墓地的树荫底下。”

“You run about, my little maid, 

Your limbs they are alive; 

“小姑娘，你会跑会蹦，

If two are in the church-yard laid, 

　　你的手脚多灵活；

Then ye are only five.” 

那两个已经躺在坟墓中，

　　你们只剩下五个。”

“Their graves are green, they may be seen,” 

The little Maid replied, 

“坟头草青青，一眼看得清，”

“Twelve steps or more from my mother’s door, 

　　小姑娘这样开言，

And they are side by side. 

“离我家门前，十二步多一点，

　　两座坟紧紧相连。

“My stockings there often knit, 

My kerchief there I hem; 

“在那儿我时常织我的长袜，

And there upon the ground I sit, 

　　把手帕儿四边缝合；

And sing a song to them. 

在那儿我时常就地坐下，

　　为哥哥姊姊唱歌。

“And often after sunset, Sir, 

When it is light and fair, 

“先生，只等太阳落山后，

I take my little porringer, 

　　在晴朗明亮的黄昏天，

And eat my supper there. 

我总是拿起小粥碗往前走，

　　到他们身边吃晚饭。

“The first that died was sister Jane; 

In bed she moaning lay, 

“琪恩姊姊头一个离去；

Till God released her of her pain; 

　　她躺着哼叫不休，

And then she went away. 

上帝不叫她再受痛苦；

　　她就一去不回头。

“So in the church-yard she was laid; 

And, when the grass was dry, 

“她让人家安放在墓地；

Together round her grave we played, 

　　当青草干枯的时候，

My brother John and I. 

我哥哥约翰跟我游戏，

　　在姊姊坟墓四周。

“And when the ground was white with snow, 

And I could run and slide, 

“等到地上下满了白雪，

My brother John was forced to go, 

　　我可以奔跑溜滑，

And he lies by her side.” 

约翰哥哥也只好离别，

　　在姊姊身旁躺下。”

“How many are you, then,” said I, 

“If they two are in heaven?” 

“两个已经在天国，”我说，

Quick was little Maid’s reply, 

　　“那你们还剩几个？”

“O Master! We are seven.” 

小姑娘回答我不假思索，

　　“先生，我们是七个。”

“But they are dead; those two are dead! 

Their spirits are in heaven!” 

“可他们死了，那两个死了！

’Twas throwing words away; for still (’Twas = It was) 

　　他们的灵魂在天国！”

The little Maid would have her will, 

我的话全是白费唇舌；

And said, “Nay, we are seven!”

小姑娘仍然坚持这样说，

　　“不，我们是七个！”