I

一

That is no country for old men. The young

   这可不是老年人的国度。青年

In one another’s arms, birds in the trees —

      在彼此的臂弯里，鸟在树上，

Those dying generations — at their song,

   ——那些将死的世代——争鸣啼啭

The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,

      鲑鱼的瀑布，被鲭鱼挤满的海洋，

Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long

   游鱼，走兽，或飞禽，用整个夏天礼赞

Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.

      一切的降生，成长，与死亡。

Caught in that sensual music all neglect

人人迷恋那纵情的音乐，忽略

Monuments of unageing intellect.

不老智慧的丰碑。

II

二

An aged man is but a paltry thing,

   年老的人微不足道，

A tattered coat upon a stick, unless

      吊在枯枝上的破烂衣衫，除非

Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing

   灵魂拍起手来歌唱，大声唱到

For every tatter in its mortal dress,

      它衰朽的外衣破碎，

Nor is there singing school but studying

   没有什么歌唱学校，只好求教

Monuments of its own magnificence;

      兀自壮丽的丰碑。

And therefore I have sailed the seas and come

于是我驶过海洋去追寻

To the holy city of Byzantium.

这神圣的都城拜占庭。

III

三

O sages standing in God’s holy fire

   哦，屹立于上帝圣火的先贤

As in the gold mosaic of a wall，

      宛若置身在墙面的金瓦，

Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,

   从圣火出来，斡进这螺旋

And be the singing-masters of my soul.

      做我灵魂歌唱的导师吧。

Consume my heart away; sick with desire

   消灭我的心；这欲望的病患

And fastened to a dying animal

      绑在一头垂死的动物上

It knows not what it is; and gather me

而不识它面目；将我卷入

Into the artifice of eternity.

到这亘古永恒的艺术。

IV

四

Once out of nature I shall never take

  摆脱了自然的我再也不要

My bodily form from any natural thing,

     由万物化成我的血肉，

But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make

   而由古希腊的金匠所打造

Of hammered gold and gold enamelling

      并锤炼的黄金和金黄的涂釉

To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;

   以免皇帝困倦无聊；

Or set upon a golden bough to sing

      或栖居金色的枝头

To lords and ladies of Byzantium

歌唱给拜占庭的王公与贵妇听

Of what is past, or passing, or to come.

过往，今时，或将来到的事情。