“鼓起勇气！”他说，指着前方的陆地，
"Courage!" he said, and pointed toward the land,
“潮水很快会送我们靠岸登陆。”
"This mounting wave will roll us shoreward soon."
下午．他们果然到达了一块陆地，
In the afternoon they came unto a land
这地方的时辰仿佛永远是下午。
In which it seemed always afternoon.
慵懒昏醉的空气围着海岸飘浮，
All round the coast the languid air did swoon,
像是在困倦的梦里，呼吸微微。
Breathing like one that hath a weary dream.
满月的圆脸升起，映着山谷，
Full-faced above the valley stood the moon;
悬崖边飞落下淙淙的溪水，
And like a downward smoke, the slender stream
像一缕轻烟欲落还停，在半空悬垂。
Along the cliff to fall and pause and fall did seem.
遍地溪涧！有的像悬垂的烟，
A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke,
又像蝉翼轻纱，缓缓地落下，
Slow-dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go;
有的穿过飘动的光和影飞溅，
And some thro' wavering lights and shadows broke,
在下方激起一片催眠的水花。
Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below.
但见闪光的河从内陆奔向海涯，
They saw the gleaming river seaward flow
而内陆深处是三座寂静的山峰，
From the inner land: far off, three mountain-tops,
千年雪封，映着日落的红霞；
Three silent pinnacles of aged snow,
还有沾满雨珠的苍郁的老松
Stood sunset-flush'd: and, dew'd with showery drops,
挺起了身躯，超出那层层交织的树丛。
Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the woven copse.
被魔力拴住的夕阳欲落不落，
The charmed sunset linger'd low adown
在红霞里低回；从山口遥望内陆，
In the red West: thro' mountain clefts the dale
能望见棕榈镶边的黄色山坡，
Was seen far inland, and the yellow down
还有平川和许多迂回的溪谷，
Border'd with palm, and many a winding vale
还有草地，有细细的莎草被覆，——
And meadow, set with slender galingale;
这片土地的一切似乎永不变更！
A land where all things always seem'd the same!
岛上的食莲人来了，把船围住．
And round about the keel with faces pale,
这些忧郁的人长着温柔的眼睛，
Dark faces pale against that rosy flame,
绯红的霞光映衬着他们暗淡的面影。
The mild-eyed melancholy Lotos-eaters came.
他们带来具有魔力的莲花茎枝，
Branches they bore of that enchanted stem,
把花和果实向远方来客分送，
Laden with flower and fruit, whereof they gave
不论是谁，只要尝一尝莲子，
To each, but whoso did receive of them,
在他耳中这海浪的澎湃汹涌
And taste, to him the gushing of the wave
立即远远离去，化为彼岸的嗡嗡；
Far far away did seem to mourn and rave
而伙伴的语声也渐去渐弱，
On alien shores; and if his fellow spake,
变得隐隐约约，有如发自墓中；
His voice was thin, as voices from the grave;
他仿佛深深入睡却又完全醒觉，
And deep-asleep he seem'd, yet all awake,
自己心音的节律在耳中化作了音乐。
And music in his ears his beating heart did make.
岛民请远方来客在黄沙上就坐，
They sat them down upon the yellow sand,
坐在海边，太阳与月亮之间；
Between the sun and moon upon the shore;
他们沉入了甜蜜的梦，梦见祖国，
And sweet it was to dream of Fatherland,
梦死妻子儿女和奴仆．但是永远
Of child, and wife, and slave; but evermore
不再操桨掌舵．大海已令人厌倦，
Most weary seem'd the sea, weary the oar,
他们己厌倦了动荡荒凉的海洋。
Weary the wandering fields of barren foam.
于是有人说道：“我们不再回家园。”
Then some one said, "We will return no more";
于是大家齐声唱道；“岛上的家乡
And all at once they sang, "Our island home
在茫茫大海彼方，我们不愿再流浪。”
Is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam."
译注：食莲人（Lotus-eaters），或吃忘忧树的人，生活在非洲北部海岸的神话人物。他们以莲的果实为食，这种果实会使人满足和健忘。在《奥德赛》中，荷马描述了三名来自奥德赛(奥德修斯)探险队的水手，他们被派到岸上探索食莲人的家园。三名水手就失去了要返回船上的念头，不得不由别人强行将他们带回。