某晚当我外出散步，

As I walked out one evening,

在布里斯托尔街头遛弯，

   Walking down Bristol Street,

步行道上人群熙攘

The crowds upon the pavement

恰似那丰收的麦田。

   Were fields of harvest wheat.

沿着涨潮的河道游走，

And down by the brimming river

在铁路拱桥的下面

   I heard a lover sing

我听到恋人正唱着情歌：

Under an arch of the railway:

“爱没有止境终点。

   'Love has no ending.

"我爱你，亲爱的，我将爱你

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

直到中国和非洲彼此会合

   Till China and Africa meet,

直到河流跃过了高山

And the river jumps over the mountain

而鲑鱼跑到街上唱歌，

   And the salmon sing in the street,

"我将永远爱你，直到大海

'I'll love you till the ocean

被收起晾晒，海水也变干涸，

   Is folded and hung up to dry

直到那天上的北斗七星

And the seven stars go squawking

化身为嘎嘎尖叫的鹅。

   Like geese about the sky.

"岁月会像兔子般逃走，

'The years shall run like rabbits,

只因它们常驻我心怀

   For in my arms I hold

那古老世纪的花束，

The Flower of the Ages,

和人世最初的爱。"

   And the first love of the world.'

然而城里所有的座钟

But all the clocks in the city

开始将乐声持续奏响：

   Began to whirr and chime:

“哦，别让时间欺骗你，

'O let not Time deceive you,

你无法征服时光。

   You cannot conquer Time.

“在噩梦的洞穴里

'In the burrows of the Nightmare

正义全然赤身裸体，

   Where Justice naked is,

时间躲在阴影里监视

Time watches from the shadow

你若接吻就咳嗽示意。

   And coughs when you would kiss.

“苦于头痛和焦虑

'In headaches and in worry

生命似乎渐趋黯淡。

   Vaguely life leaks away,

而时间自有其虚妄

And Time will have his fancy

无论明天或今天。

   To-morrow or to-day.

“那极其骇人的雪

'Into many a green valley

飘进了青山翠谷；

   Drifts the appalling snow;

时间打乱了弦歌曼舞

Time breaks the threaded dances

和跳水者美妙的弓步。

   And the diver's brilliant bow.

“哦，把你的手伸进水里，

'O plunge your hands in water,

一直伸到你的腕部，

   Plunge them in up to the wrist;

看着，看着水池子

Stare, stare in the basin

想想你已丢了什么。

   And wonder what you've missed.

“冰川在碗橱里震响，

'The glacier knocks in the cupboard,

荒漠在床头哀叹，

   The desert sighs in the bed,

而茶杯的裂缝，开启了

And the crack in the tea-cup opens

通往死亡之地的航线。

   A lane to the land of the dead.

“在那儿乞丐抽奖得了钱，

'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes

巨人对杰克着了迷，

   And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,

纯洁少年是个哮喘病人，

And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,

吉尔仰面跌倒在地。

   And Jill goes down on her back.

“哦，看哪，看着镜子，

'O look, look in the mirror,

哦，看着你的痛苦烦忧；

   O look in your distress:

生活保留了一点幸运

Life remains a blessing

虽然你无法祈求。

   Although you cannot bless.

“哦，站着，站在窗前

'O stand, stand at the window

当热泪已情难自禁；

   As the tears scald and start;

你该去爱你驼背的邻人

You shall love your crooked neighbour

用你那颗扭曲的心。“

   With your crooked heart.'

天色已晚，夜正深沉，

It was late, late in the evening,

恋人们已走远；

   The lovers they were gone;

时钟停止了它们的奏鸣，

The clocks had ceased their chiming,

而深彻的河水奔涌向前。

   And the deep river ran on.