奴隶贩子把帆船停在
The Slaver in the broad lagoon
宽阔的咸水湖中；
Lay moored with idle sail;
他要等待上升的月亮，
He waited for the rising moon,
等待黄昏的海风。
And for the evening gale.
他的船拴在岸边，那一群
Under the shore his boat was tied,
无精打采的水手
And all her listless crew
注视着一条灰白鳄鱼
Watched the gray alligator slide
游入静静的湖口。
Into the still bayou.
橙花散发的阵阵香气
Odors of orange-flowers, and spice,
飘送到他们身边，
Reached them from time to time,
有如天国的仙风袅袅
Like airs that breathe from Paradise
吹到罪恶的人间。
Upon a world of crime.
棕叶盖顶的屋里，农场主
The Planter, under his roof of thatch,
想着心事，抽着烟；
Smoked thoughtfully and slow;
奴隶贩子，像急着要走，
The Slaver's thumb was on the latch,
大拇指按着门闩。
He seemed in haste to go.
他说：“我的帆船就停在
He said, "My ship at anchor rides
宽阔的咸水湖上；
In yonder broad lagoon;
我只等着晚上的潮水，
I only wait the evening tides,
等着上升的月亮。”
And the rising of the moon."
他们面前，仰脸站着的
Before them, with her face upraised,
是一个混血女郎，
In timid attitude,
有几分好奇，有几分害怕，
Like one half curious, half amazed,
怯生生可怜模样。
A Quadroon maiden stood.
她脖子、胳臂露在外边，
Her eyes were large, and full of light,
一双眼又亮又大；
Her arms and neck were bare;
身上除了那鲜明的袍子，
No garment she wore save a kirtle bright,
只披着长长黑发。
And her own long, raven hair.
一丝笑意浮现在唇边，
And on her lips there played a smile
圣洁，温和，恬淡，
As holy, meek, and faint,
有如教堂廊道的光亮，
As lights in some cathedral aisle
有如圣者的容颜。
The features of a saint.
农场主想着心事，叨咕着：
"The soil is barren,—the farm is old,"
“这农场，地老，田荒；”
The thoughtful planter said;
他看看奴隶贩子的金子，
Then looked upon the Slaver's gold,
又看看身边的女郎。
And then upon the maid.
他心里有斗争，晓得是罪孽：
His heart within him was at strife
只有他，才最了解
With such accursèd gains:
是谁的情欲给了她生命，
For he knew whose passions gave her life,
她血管流着谁的血。
Whose blood ran in her veins.
可是天性的呼声太微弱，
But the voice of nature was too weak;
他抓起亮晶晶的黄金！
He took the glittering gold!
女郎的双颊死一样惨白，
Then pale as death grew the maiden's cheek,
她两手冷得像冰。
Her hands as icy cold.
奴隶贩子拉着她的手，
The Slaver led her from the door,
把她拉出了门口，
He led her by the hand,
带她去隔山隔海的异乡，
To be his slave and paramour
当他的奴隶、姘头！
In a strange and distant land!