——天真的孩子，

-------A simple child, 

 呼吸得那样柔和！

That lightly draws its breath, 

只感到生命充沛在四肢，

What should it know of death? 

 对死亡，她懂得什么？

I met a little cottage girl: 

我碰到一个乡下小姑娘，

She was eight years old, she said; 

 她说，她今年八岁；

Her hair was thick with many a curl 

鬈曲的头发盘绕在头上，

That clustered round her head. 

 密密丛丛的一堆。

She had a rustic, woodland air, 

她一身山林乡野气息，

And she was wildly clad: (clad: clothed) 

 胡乱穿几件衣衫；

Her eyes were fair, and very fair; 

眼睛挺秀气，十分秀气，

----Her beauty made me glad. 

 ——那模样叫我喜欢。

“Sisters and brothers, little Maid, 

“你兄弟姐妹一共有几个？

How many may you be?” 

  说给我听听，小姑娘！”

“How many? Seven in all,” she said, 

“几个？一共是七个，”她说，

And wondering looked at me. 

 惊奇地向我张望。

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

“他们在哪儿？说给我听听。”

She answered, “Seven are we; 

 她说：“我们是七个；

And two of us at Conway dwell, 

And two are gone to sea. 

两个当水手，在海上航行，

 两个在康韦住着。 

“Two of us in the church-yard lie, 

My sister and my brother; 

“还有两个躺进了坟地——

And, in the church-yard cottage, I 

 我姐姐和我哥哥；

Dwell near them with my mother.” 

靠近他们，教堂边，小屋里，

 住着我妈妈和我。”

“You say that two at Conway dwell, 

And two are gone to sea, 

“你说有两个在康韦住着，

Yet ye are seven! I pray you tell, 

 有两个到了海上，

Sweet Maid, how this may be.” 

却又说你们还有七个！

 是怎么算的，好姑娘？”

Then did the little Maid reply, 

“Seven boys and girls are we; 

这位小姑娘随口回答：

Two of us in the church-yard lie; 

 “我们七兄弟姐妹，

Beneath the church-yard tree.” 

有两个睡在那棵树底下——

 那儿是教堂的坟堆。”

“You run about, my little maid, 

Your limbs they are alive; 

“你到处跑来跑去，小姑娘，

If two are in the church-yard laid, 

 你手脚多么活泼；

Then ye are only five.” 

既然坟堆里睡下了一双，

 那你们还剩五个。”

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

The little Maid replied, 

“坟堆看得见，青绿一片，”

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

 这位小姑娘答道，

And they are side by side. 

“离我家门口十二步左右，

 两座坟相挨相靠。 

“My stockings there often knit, 

My kerchief there I hem; 

“那儿，我常常织我的毛袜，

And there upon the ground I sit, 

 把手绢四边缝好；

And sing a song to them. 

我常常靠近坟头坐下，

 给他们唱一首小调。

“And often after sunset, Sir, 

When it is light and fair, 

“先生，只要碰上了好天气，

I take my little porringer, 

 太阳下了山，还不暗，

And eat my supper there. 

我就把我的小粥碗端起，

 上那儿吃我的晚饭。

“The first that died was sister Jane; 

In bed she moaning lay, 

“我姐姐珍妮先走一步：

Till God released her of her pain; 

 她躺着，哼哼叫叫，

And then she went away. 

上帝解除了她的痛苦，

 她便悄悄地走掉。

“So in the church-yard she was laid; 

And, when the grass was dry, 

“她被安顿在坟地里睡下；

Together round her grave we played, 

 等她的墓草一干，

My brother John and I. 

我们便在她坟边玩耍——

 我和我哥哥约翰。

“And when the ground was white with snow, 

And I could run and slide, 

“等到下了雪，地下一片白，

My brother John was forced to go, 

 我可以乱跑乱滑，

And he lies by her side.” 

我哥哥约翰却又离开，

 在姐姐身边躺下。”

“How many are you, then,” said I, 

“If they two are in heaven?” 

“有两个进了天国，”我说，

Quick was little Maid’s reply, 

 “那你们还剩几个？”

“O Master! We are seven.” 

小姑娘回答得又快又利索：

 “先生！我们是七个。”

“But they are dead; those two are dead! 

Their spirits are in heaven!” 

“可他们死啦，那两个死啦！

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

 他们的灵魂在天国！”

The little Maid would have her will, 

这些话说了也是白搭，

And said, “Nay, we are seven!”

小姑娘还是坚持回答：

 “不，我们是七个！”