当时岁月若流金，

Once in a golden hour

我曾洒种盼花荫。

I cast to earth a seed.

长出一棵人不识，

Up there came a flower,

嘲作野草笑不伦。

The people said, a weed.

人来人往这一群，

To and fro they went

肆意践踏我园林。

Thro' my garden-bower,

低声抱怨我听见，

And muttering discontent

诅我花兮咒我身。

Cursed me and my flower.

不觉此花长太高，

Then it grew so tall

头戴光冠好逍遥。

It wore a crown of light,

谁知墙外来了贼，

But thieves from o'er the wall

偷我种子夜潜逃。

Stole the seed by night;

众贼洒种远且广，

Sow'd it far and wide

传遍千城与万巷。

By every town and tower,

直到天下人皆呼，

Till all the people cried,

此花开时真漂亮！

'Splendid is the flower.'

我有寓言寄逃徒，

Read my little fable:

没准识字能通读。

He that runs may read.

而今人人有种子，

Most can raise the flowers now

任谁都能种几株。

For all have got the seed.

几株还算长得美，

And some are pretty enough,

几株实在太马虎。

And some are poor indeed;

于是众人再一次，

And now again the people

又以野草相称呼。

Call it but a weed.