这男孩站在燃烧的甲板上，

THE boy stood on the burning deck

    人们都跑了，他留下；

Whence all but him had fled;

照耀着残破战舰的火光

The flame that lit the battle's wreck

越过尸体，包围他。

Shone round him o'er the dead.

他仍然站站，美丽辉煌，

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,

　　像是风暴的统帅——

As born to rule the storm;

英雄的种呵，傲岸的形象，

A creature of heroic blood,

　　尽管是孩童的体态。

A proud, though childlike form.

烈焰滚滚来——他父亲没下令，

The flames rolled on -- he would not go

　　他不能擅离职守；

Without his father's word;

他父亲倒下了，已经牺牲，

That father, faint in death below,

　　听不见儿子的请求。

His voice no longer heard.

他高叫：“说话呀，爸爸！你说——

He called aloud -- "Say, father, say,

　　我是否尽到了责任？”

If yet my task is done?"

孩子不知道军官僵卧着，

He knew not that the chieftain lay

　　对儿子已毫无感应。

Unconscious of his son.

孩子又叫喊，“说话呀，爸爸！

"Speak, father!" once again he cried,

　　我可不可以离开？”

"If I may yet be gone!"

只有轰响的炮弹在回答，

And but the booming shots replied,

　　火焰迅速地卷来。

And fast the flames rolled on.

他感到烈焰烧到前额，

Upon his brow he felt their breath,

　　烧到飘动的发梢，

And in his waving hair,

单独在死亡岗位上，他看着，

And looked from that lone post of death

　　绝望了，平静而骄傲；

In still, yet brave despair.

孩子再一次高声叫喊，

And shouted but once more aloud,

　　“爸爸！我一定得留下？”

"My father! must I stay?"

火焰正穿过桅索和布帆，

While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud,

绕着他向前进发。

The wreathing fires made way.

疯狂的火彩包围了舰只，

They wrapt the ship in splendor wild,

　　司令旗在高处燃烧，

They caught the flag on high,

烈焰滚过这勇敢的孩子，

And streamed above the gallant child,

　　像旗帜在天空飞飘。

Like banners in the sky.

一声爆炸，雷鸣电闪——

There came a burst of thunder sound--

　　哦，那孩子在哪？

The boy -- oh! where was he?

问风吧——风把船的碎片

Ask of the winds that far around

　　向海面四散抛撒！——

With fragments strewed the sea!--

桅杆，舵轮，美丽的尖旗，

With mast, and helm, and pennon fair

　　都已经各尽责任；

That well had borne their part--

但葬入海中的最高贵的东西

But the noblest thing that perished there

　　是那颗忠诚的童心！

Was that young, faithful heart.

注：卡萨卞卡，科西嘉男孩，1798年随其父路易斯·卡萨卞卡（拿破仑部下，海军军官）出征埃及。在尼罗河之战中，停在阿布基尔湾的法国舰队被纳尔逊率领的英国海军消灭殆尽。卡萨卞卡殉职于岗位上，时年约13岁。此诗创作于1826年。