一天傍晚，当我走出屋外，

As I walked out one evening,

在布里斯托尔大街独自闲荡，

   Walking down Bristol Street,

人行道上聚集的人群，

The crowds upon the pavement

宛若收割的麦田的景象。

   Were fields of harvest wheat.

在涨满了潮水的河岸，

And down by the brimming river

在铁路拱桥的下方，

   I heard a lover sing

我听列一个情郎正在讴歌：

Under an arch of the railway:

“爱情之歌没有终端。

   'Love has no ending.

“我爱你，亲爱的，我爱你，

'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you

一直爱到中国与非洲相撞，

   Till China and Africa meet,

爱到大河跳上了山顶。

And the river jumps over the mountain

鲑鱼来到大街上歌唱。

   And the salmon sing in the street,

“我爱你，直至海洋被关进栅栏，

'I'll love you till the ocean

为了晒干而被人倒挂；

   Is folded and hung up to dry

直至七颗星星粗声喊叫，

And the seven stars go squawking

就像空中出现了鹅鸭。

   Like geese about the sky.

“岁月将像兔子一样奔跑，

'The years shall run like rabbits,

因为我以自己的心坎，

   For in my arms I hold

紧紧搂住时代的花朵

The Flower of the Ages,

以及大干世界的初恋。”

   And the first love of the world.'

这时，城市里所有的大钟

But all the clocks in the city

开始呼呼地敲出声响：

   Began to whirr and chime:

“哦，莫让时间把你欺骗，

'O let not Time deceive you,

你没有法子征服时间。

   You cannot conquer Time.

“在恶梦的洞穴里面

'In the burrows of the Nightmare

住着赤身裸体的正义

   Where Justice naked is,

你一亲吻，时间就咳嗽，

Time watches from the shadow

它从阴影中把你窥视

   And coughs when you would kiss.

“在头痛和焦虑的时刻，

'In headaches and in worry

生活浑噩地渗漏而光

   Vaguely life leaks away,

不是明天就是今日，

And Time will have his fancy

时间会有自己的幻想。

   To-morrow or to-day.

“令人震惊的鹅毛大雪，

'Into many a green valley

向许多绿色的溪谷漂动

   Drifts the appalling snow;

时间打破了交织的舞蹈，

Time breaks the threaded dances

和潜水者的美妙的鞠躬。

   And the diver's brilliant bow.

“唉，把你双手放入水中

'O plunge your hands in water,

一直浸到手的腕部；

   Plunge them in up to the wrist;

凝视吧，紧紧凝视水盆，

Stare, stare in the basin

弄清你失去了何物。

   And wonder what you've missed.

“冰川敲打在食品橱内，

'The glacier knocks in the cupboard,

沙漠叹息在这张床铺，

   The desert sighs in the bed,

茶杯上的裂缝已经打开

And the crack in the tea-cup opens

一条通往死亡之自的狭路。

   A lane to the land of the dead.

“乞丐在那儿出售钞票，

'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes

巨人以魔法迷惑男孩，

   And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,

百合般纯洁的少年是个歹徒，

And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,

少女沉重地走下山来。

   And Jill goes down on her back.

“噢，看吧，看一看镜子，

'O look, look in the mirror,

噢，看一看你的痛苦；

   O look in your distress:

生活成了一种幸事，

Life remains a blessing

尽管你自己不能赐福。

   Although you cannot bless.

“唤，站住，站在镜子旁边，

'O stand, stand at the window

就像眼泪烫痫、受惊；

   As the tears scald and start;

你应以弥那颗扭曲的心，

You shall love your crooked neighbour

去爱你的扭曲的近邻。”

   With your crooked heart.'

夜已经很深，很深，

It was late, late in the evening,

情人们早就无影无踪；

   The lovers they were gone;

大钟也已停止了敲打，

The clocks had ceased their chiming,

深深的河水却继续滚动。

   And the deep river ran on.