We left behind the painted buoy

我们驶离涂红漆的浮标，

That tosses at the harbor-mouth;

任其在港口颠簸又晃荡，

And madly danced our hearts with joy,

我们狂喜的心儿在欢跳，

As fast we fleeted to the south.

是因为在飞快驶向南方。

How fresh was every sight and sound

开阔的海和蜿蜒的海岸，

On open main or winding shore!

各种景象和声响多清新！

We knew the merry world was round,

既然快活的地球滚滚圆，

And we might sail for evermore.

我们就永远能向前航行。

Warm broke the breeze against the brow,

暖暖的风儿拂碎在脸上，

Dry sang the tackle, sang the sail;

干燥的索具、篷帆在唱歌；

The Lady's-head upon the prow

扎进风中的破浪女神像

Caught the shrill salt, and sheer'd the gale.

洒满了强烈的咸咸浪沫。

The broad seas swell'd to meet the keel,

朝我们涌来的滚滚海涛

And swept behind; so quick the run,

已撂在船后；船儿驶得急，

We felt the good ship shake and reel,

我们感到这好船在晃摇，

We seem'd to sail into the sun!

似乎正在朝太阳里驶去！

How oft we saw the sun retire,

太阳隐退时我们常见到

And burn the threshold of the night,

它总把黑夜的门槛烧红，

Fall from his Ocean-lane of fire,

然后从洋面火巷往下掉，

And sleep beneath his pillar'd light!

掉到那光柱下面去入梦！

How oft the purple-skirted robe

暮色渐降时我们常看见

Of twilight slowly downward drawn,

罩下了紫色边沿的大氅；

As thro' the slumber of the globe

而当整个的地球在安眠，

Again we dash'd into the dawn!

我们又冲向拂晓的曙光！

New stars all night above the brim

星星一整夜涌现在天际，

Of waters lighten'd into view;

在空中映入我们的眼帘；

They climb'd as quickly, for the rim

它们升得快，我们船行急，

Changed every moment as we flew.

四周的海平线刻刻在变。

Far ran the naked moon across

空空荡荡的起伏洋面上，

The houseless ocean's heaving field,

裸露的月亮飞了长距离；

Or flying shone, the silver boss

它边飞边发出银晕辉光，

Of her own halo's dusky shield.

像黑盾中央的圆形突起。

The peaky islet shifted shapes,

小岛上的峰峦变着形状，

High towns on hills were dimly seen;

小山上的村镇隐隐可见，

We past long lines of Northern capes

我们驶过露莹莹的牧场

And dewy Northern meadows green.

又驶过北方海岬的长岸；

We came to warmer waves, and deep

来到了浪温水暖的海域，

Across the boundless east we drove,

远远驶进了东方的汪洋，

Where those long swells of breaker sweep

只见一排排浪冲向岛屿，

The nutmeg rocks and isles of clove.

浇向肉豆蔻，淋洒着丁香。

By peaks that flamed, or, all in shade,

山峰喷烈焰，火山灰如雨——

Gloom'd the low coast and quivering brine

撒得像黑色的巨松一般，

With ashy rains, that spreading made

或是像形状怪异的毛羽，

Fantastic plume or sable pine;

把颤抖的海和海岸遮暗；

By sands and steaming flats, and floods

平沙上热气腾腾，河口处

Of mighty mouth, we scudded fast,

开阔浩荡；我们一掠而过——

And hills and scarlet-mingled woods

掠过时，只见到山峦起伏，

Glow'd for a moment as we past.

只见到树林间红花灼灼。

O hundred shores of happy climes,

和风暖日下的百洲千岛

How swiftly stream'd ye by the bark!

多么快在我们船边流过！

At times the whole sea burn'd, at times

有时海面上磷火在闪耀

With wakes of fire we tore the dark;

或火样的航迹把夜划破；

At times a carven craft would shoot

有时从仙境般的小港口，

From havens hid in fairy bowers,

赤裸的人载着水果和花，

With naked limbs and flowers and fruit,

会射来刻着图案的轻舟；

But we nor paused for fruit nor flowers.

但我们决不为花果停下。

For one fair Vision ever fled

因为日夜在茫茫大海上，

Down the waste waters day and night,

有位美好的神灵朝前飞；

And still we follow'd where she led,

为了把飞行中的她赶上，

In hope to gain upon her flight.

我们就一直跟在后面追。

Her face was evermore unseen,

她的脸始终没有谁见过，

And fixt upon the far sea-line;

却总是浮在远远海面上；

But each man murmur'd, 'O my Queen,

“我的女王啊，”人人低声说，

I follow till I make thee mine.'

“我要追到你做我的新娘。”

And now we lost her, now she gleam'd

她忽而不见，忽而露一露，

Like Fancy made of golden air,

像一个缥缈的金色幻影；

Now nearer to the prow she seem'd

她忽而仿佛在船头，犹如

Like Virtue firm, like Knowledge fair,

坚定又美丽的德智女神；

Now high on waves that idly burst

忽而在浪涛徒涌的海天，

Like Heavenly Hope she crown'd the sea,

她高踞空中像希望天使；

And now, the bloodless point reversed,

忽而她佩挂着自由之剑——

She bore the blade of Liberty.

朝下的剑锋上没有血渍。

And only one among us — him

我们中有这么一位，他呀

We pleased not — he was seldom pleased;

难得满意，对我们很挑剔；

He saw not far, his eyes were dim,

却眼光短浅，看东西昏花，

But ours he swore were all diseased.

还硬说我们眼睛有问题。

'A ship of fools,' he shriek'd in spite,

“一船的傻瓜，”他狠狠吼叫；

'A ship of fools,' he sneer'd and wept.

“一船的傻瓜，”他含泪讥讽。

And overboard one stormy night

暴风雨之夜，他纵身一跳

He cast his body, and on we swept.

投了海，而我们继续航行。

And never sail of ours was furl'd,

我们的篷帆永远不卷起，

Nor anchor dropt at eve or morn;

无论早晨或晚上不下锚；

We loved the glories of the world,

我们爱世上的一切壮丽，

But laws of nature were our scorn.

我们把日常的法则嘲笑。

For blasts would rise and rave and cease,

风暴会突然肆虐突然停，

But whence were those that drove the sail

但什么动力把篷帆推动？

Across the whirlwind's heart of peace,

推它过旋风平静的中心，

And to and thro' the counter gale?

再去穿越反方向的暴风？

Again to colder climes we came,

我们又来到清凉的地带，

For still we follow'd where she led;

因为我们仍跟着她踪影；

Now mate is blind and captain lame,

眼下是大副失明船长瘸，

And half the crew are sick or dead,

有半数的船员非死即病；

But, blind or lame or sick or sound,

但不管盲或瘸、病或康健，

We follow that which flies before;

她飞在前面把我们逗引：

We know the merry world is round,

既然快活的地球滚滚圆，

And we may sail for evermore.

我们就永远能向前航行。