-------A simple child, 

——天真的孩子，

That lightly draws its breath, 

 呼吸得那样柔和！

What should it know of death? 

只感到生命充沛在四肢，

 对死亡，她懂得什么？

I met a little cottage girl: 

She was eight years old, she said; 

我碰到一个乡下小姑娘，

Her hair was thick with many a curl 

 她说，她今年八岁；

That clustered round her head. 

鬈曲的头发盘绕在头上，

 密密丛丛的一堆。

She had a rustic, woodland air, 

And she was wildly clad: (clad: clothed) 

她一身山林乡野气息，

Her eyes were fair, and very fair; 

 胡乱穿几件衣衫；

----Her beauty made me glad. 

眼睛挺秀气，十分秀气，

 ——那模样叫我喜欢。

“Sisters and brothers, little Maid, 

How many may you be?” 

“你兄弟姐妹一共有几个？

“How many? Seven in all,” she said, 

  说给我听听，小姑娘！”

And wondering looked at me. 

“几个？一共是七个，”她说，

 惊奇地向我张望。

“And where are they? I pray you tell.” 

She answered, “Seven are we; 

“他们在哪儿？说给我听听。”

And two of us at Conway dwell, 

 她说：“我们是七个；

And two are gone to sea. 

两个当水手，在海上航行，

“Two of us in the church-yard lie, 

 两个在康韦住着。 

My sister and my brother; 

And, in the church-yard cottage, I 

“还有两个躺进了坟地——

Dwell near them with my mother.” 

 我姐姐和我哥哥；

靠近他们，教堂边，小屋里，

“You say that two at Conway dwell, 

 住着我妈妈和我。”

And two are gone to sea, 

Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell, 

“你说有两个在康韦住着，

Sweet Maid, how this may be.” 

 有两个到了海上，

却又说你们还有七个！

Then did the little Maid reply, 

 是怎么算的，好姑娘？”

“Seven boys and girls are we; 

Two of us in the church-yard lie; 

这位小姑娘随口回答：

Beneath the church-yard tree.” 

 “我们七兄弟姐妹，

有两个睡在那棵树底下——

“You run about, my little maid, 

 那儿是教堂的坟堆。”

Your limbs they are alive; 

If two are in the church-yard laid, 

“你到处跑来跑去，小姑娘，

Then ye are only five.” 

 你手脚多么活泼；

既然坟堆里睡下了一双，

“Their graves are green, they may be seen,” 

 那你们还剩五个。”

The little Maid replied, 

“Twelve steps or more from my mother’s door, 

“坟堆看得见，青绿一片，”

And they are side by side. 

 这位小姑娘答道，

“离我家门口十二步左右，

“My stockings there often knit, 

 两座坟相挨相靠。 

My kerchief there I hem; 

And there upon the ground I sit, 

“那儿，我常常织我的毛袜，

And sing a song to them. 

 把手绢四边缝好；

我常常靠近坟头坐下，

“And often after sunset, Sir, 

 给他们唱一首小调。

When it is light and fair, 

I take my little porringer, 

“先生，只要碰上了好天气，

And eat my supper there. 

 太阳下了山，还不暗，

我就把我的小粥碗端起，

“The first that died was sister Jane; 

 上那儿吃我的晚饭。

In bed she moaning lay, 

Till God released her of her pain; 

“我姐姐珍妮先走一步：

And then she went away. 

 她躺着，哼哼叫叫，

上帝解除了她的痛苦，

“So in the church-yard she was laid; 

 她便悄悄地走掉。

And, when the grass was dry, 

Together round her grave we played, 

“她被安顿在坟地里睡下；

My brother John and I. 

 等她的墓草一干，

我们便在她坟边玩耍——

“And when the ground was white with snow, 

 我和我哥哥约翰。

And I could run and slide, 

My brother John was forced to go, 

“等到下了雪，地下一片白，

And he lies by her side.” 

 我可以乱跑乱滑，

我哥哥约翰却又离开，

“How many are you, then,” said I, 

 在姐姐身边躺下。”

“If they two are in heaven?” 

Quick was little Maid’s reply, 

“有两个进了天国，”我说，

“O Master! We are seven.” 

 “那你们还剩几个？”

小姑娘回答得又快又利索：

“But they are dead; those two are dead! 

 “先生！我们是七个。”

Their spirits are in heaven!” 

’Twas throwing words away; for still (’Twas = It was) 

“可他们死啦，那两个死啦！

The little Maid would have her will, 

 他们的灵魂在天国！”

And said, “Nay, we are seven!”

这些话说了也是白搭，

小姑娘还是坚持回答：

 “不，我们是七个！”