少女！有温柔的褐色眼睛，
Maiden! with the meek, brown eyes,
瞳孔里面潜伏着阴影，
In whose orbs a shadow lies
有如晚空出现的晦冥。
Like the dusk in evening skies!
你的鬈发比阳光明艳，
Thou whose locks outshine the sun,
编成一条金色的发辫，
Golden tresses, wreathed in one,
像是汇合众流的山涧。
As the braided streamlets run!
你两脚不由自主地站在
Standing, with reluctant feet,
小溪与河川相遇的地带，
Where the brook and river meet,
幼年与成年交替的年代。
Womanhood and childhood fleet!
你以畏怯的眼光凝望：
Gazing, with a timid glance,
凝望小溪的急急奔忙，
On the brooklet's swift advance,
凝望河川的茫茫宽广！
On the river's broad expanse!
那流荡的河川，深沉，静默，
Deep and still, that gliding stream
你看来，它似乎美妙不过，
Beautiful to thee must seem,
仿佛是一条梦幻之河。
As the river of a dream.
而当你望见光明的天仙
Then why pause with indecision,
召唤你前往神奇的乐园，
When bright angels in thy vision
为什么你又踌躇不前？
Beckon thee to fields Elysian?
莫非你瞥见了掠过的黑影，
Seest thou shadows sailing by,
犹如鸽子惊恐的眼睛
As the dove, with startled eye,
瞥见苍鹰的影子在飞行？
Sees the falcon's shadow fly?
莫非你听见了河畔的悲声？
Hearest thou voices on the shore,
我们听惯了瀑布的雷鸣，
That our ears perceive no more,
岸上的声音已经听不清。
Deafened by the cataract's roar?
你呵，不断祈祷的孩童！
Oh, thou child of many prayers!
人世有流沙，人生有陷阱！
Life hath quicksand,—Life hath snares!
忧患和衰老冷不防来临！
Care and age come unawares!
像昂扬明快的甜美音乐，
Like the swell of some sweet tune,
清晨转眼掠入了午刻，
Morning rises into noon,
五月转眼滑到了六月。
May glides onward into June.
童年是绿枝，枝上歇息着
Childhood is the bough, where slumbered
成群的鸟雀，繁茂的花朵；
Birds and blossoms many-numbered;—
而老年：枯枝被白雪覆没。
Age, that bough with snows encumbered.
如今，你心头春潮正涨，
Gather, then, each flower that grows,
快采集鲜花，趁它们盛放，
When the young heart overflows,
用来薰香那白雪篷帐。
To embalm that tent of snows.
拈一朵百合在你手上，
Bear a lily in thy hand;
黄铜大门也不能阻挡
Gates of brass cannot withstand
这根轻轻一触的魔杖。
One touch of that magic wand.
经历了酸辛、屈辱和哀怜，
Bear through sorrow, wrong, and ruth,
把青春的甘露留在你心间，
In thy heart the dew of youth,
把真情的微笑留在你唇边。
On thy lips the smile of truth.
哦！那甘露有如香油，
Oh, that dew, like balm, shall steal
会潜入难以愈合的伤口，
Into wounds that cannot heal,
闭拢它，像睡眠闭拢双眸；
Even as sleep our eyes doth seal;
而那微笑如太阳的光明，
And that smile, like sunshine, dart
能照亮无数晦暗的心灵，
Into many a sunless heart,
你就是上帝的一丝笑影。
For a smile of God thou art.