When God at first made man,

太初之时，上帝造人，

Having a glass of blessings standing by,

将一杯赐福留在自己身旁；

	“Let us,” said he, “pour on him all we can.

让我们（他说）将所有的一切都倾注于他：

Let the world’s riches, which dispersèd lie,

让世界洒落满地的财富，

	Contract into a span.”

聚集起来。

	So strength first made a way;

那，力量是第一个出来的；

Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honour, pleasure.

然后，美流泻而下，随后是智性，荣誉，还有喜悦：

	When almost all was out, God made a stay,

当几乎一切都已经流出，上帝停了下来，

Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure,

察觉到，在他其他所有珍宝之外，

	Rest in the bottom lay.

安宁躺在杯底。

	“For if I should,” said he,

如果我把（他说）

“Bestow this jewel also on my creature,

这一珍宝也赐予我的造物，

	He would adore my gifts instead of me,

他会崇拜我的赠予，而不是我，

And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;

他会在自然中获得安宁，而不是在万物之主中：

	So both should losers be.

于是我们都将失掉彼此。

	“Yet let him keep the rest,

所以，让他拥有其他一切，

But keep them with repining restlessness;

但是，让他们劳碌不安：

	Let him be rich and weary, that at least,

让他富足，而且疲倦，至少，

If goodness lead him not, yet weariness

如果美德不会把他指引，疲倦

	May toss him to my breast.”

也会使他投向我的怀抱。