我碰见一个乡村小姑娘：
-------A simple child,
她说才八岁开外；
That lightly draws its breath,
浓密的发丝一卷卷从四方
What should it know of death?
包裹着她的小脑袋。
I met a little cottage girl:
她带了山林野地的风味，
She was eight years old, she said;
衣着也带了土气：
Her hair was thick with many a curl
她的眼睛很美，非常美；
That clustered round her head.
她的美叫我欢喜。
She had a rustic, woodland air,
“小姑娘，你们一共是几个，
And she was wildly clad: (clad: clothed)
你们姊妹弟兄？”
Her eyes were fair, and very fair;
“几个？一共是七个，”她说，
----Her beauty made me glad.
看着我象有点不懂。
“Sisters and brothers, little Maid,
“他们在哪儿？请给我讲讲。”
How many may you be?”
“我们是七个，”她回答，
“How many? Seven in all,” she said,
“两个老远的跑去了海上，
And wondering looked at me.
两个在康威住家。
“And where are they? I pray you tell.”
“还有我的小姐姐、小弟弟，
She answered, “Seven are we;
两个都躺在坟园，
And two of us at Conway dwell,
我就位在坟园的小屋里，
And two are gone to sea.
跟母亲，离他们不远。”
“Two of us in the church-yard lie,
“你既说两个跑去了海上，
My sister and my brother;
两个在康威住家，
And, in the church-yard cottage, I
可还说是七个！——请给我讲讲，
Dwell near them with my mother.”
好姑娘，这怎么说法。”
“You say that two at Conway dwell,
“我们一共是七个女和男，”
And two are gone to sea,
小姑娘马上就回答，
Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell,
里头有两个躺在坟园
Sweet Maid, how this may be.”
在那棵坟树底下。”
Then did the little Maid reply,
“你跑来跑去，我的小姑娘，
“Seven boys and girls are we;
你的手脚都灵活；
Two of us in the church-yard lie;
既然有两个埋进了坟坑，
Beneath the church-yard tree.”
你们就只剩了五个。”
“You run about, my little maid,
小姑娘回答说，“他们的坟头
Your limbs they are alive;
看得见一片青青，
If two are in the church-yard laid,
十二步就到母亲的门口，
Then ye are only five.”
他们俩靠得更近。
“Their graves are green, they may be seen,”
“我常到那儿去织我的毛袜，
The little Maid replied,
给我的手绢缝边；
“Twelve steps or more from my mother’s door,
我常到那儿的地上去坐下，
And they are side by side.
唱歌给他们消遣。
“My stockings there often knit,
“到太阳落山了，刚近黄昏，
My kerchief there I hem;
要是天气好，黑得晚，
And there upon the ground I sit,
我常把小汤碗带上一份，
And sing a song to them.
上那儿吃我的晚饭。
“And often after sunset, Sir,
“先走的一个是金妮姐姐，
When it is light and fair,
她躺在床上哭叫，
I take my little porringer,
老天爷把她的痛苦解了结，
And eat my supper there.
她就悄悄的走掉。
“The first that died was sister Jane;
“所以她就在坟园里安顿；
In bed she moaning lay,
我们要出去游戏，
Till God released her of her pain;
草不湿，就绕着她的坟墩——
And then she went away.
我和约翰小弟弟。
“So in the church-yard she was laid;
“地上盖满了白雪的时候，
And, when the grass was dry,
我可以滑溜坡面，
Together round her grave we played,
约翰小弟弟可又得一走，
My brother John and I.
他就躺到了她旁边。”
“And when the ground was white with snow,
我就说，“既然他们俩升了天，
And I could run and slide,
你们剩几个了，那么？”
My brother John was forced to go,
小姑娘马上又回答一遍：
And he lies by her side.”
“先生，我们是七个。”
“How many are you, then,” said I,
“If they two are in heaven?”
Quick was little Maid’s reply,
“O Master! We are seven.”
“But they are dead; those two are dead!
Their spirits are in heaven!”
’Twas throwing words away; for still (’Twas = It was)
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, “Nay, we are seven!”