Elizabeth Barret Browning

﹝特別鳴謝Terri提供Sonnets From Portuguese﹞

　Sonnets From Portuguese

I thought once how Theocritus had sung

Of the sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,

Who each one in a gracious hand appears

To bear a gift for mortals, old or young:

And, as I mused it in his antique tongue,

I saw, in gradual vision through my tears,

The sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,

Those of my own life, who by turns had flung

A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware,

So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move

Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair:

And a voice said in mastery, while I strove,--

'Guess now who holds thee ? '--' Death,' I said. But, there,

The silver answer rang,--' Not Death, but Love.'

抒情十四行詩第一首

我想起，當年希臘的詩人曾經歌詠：

年復一年，那良辰在殷切的盼望中

翩然降臨，各自帶一份禮物

分送給世人──年老或是年少。

當我這麼想，感歎著詩人的古調，

穿過我淚眼所逐漸展開的幻覺，

我看見，那歡樂的歲月、哀傷的歲月──

我自己的年華，把一片片黑影接連著

掠過我的身。緊接著，我就覺察

（我哭了）我背後正有個神秘的黑影

在移動，而且一把揪住了我的發，

往後拉，還有一聲吆喝（我只是在掙紮）：

“這回是誰逮住了你？猜！”“死，”我答話。

聽哪，那銀鈴似的回音：“不是死，是愛！”

But only three in all God's universe

Have heard this word thou hast said,--Himself, beside

Thee speaking, and me listening ! and replied

One of us . . . that was God, . . . and laid the curse

So darkly on my eyelids, as to amerce

My sight from seeing thee,--that if I had died,

The deathweights, placed there, would have signified

Less absolute exclusion. 'Nay' is worse

From God than from all others, O my friend !

Men could not part us with their worldly jars,

Nor the seas change us, nor the tempests bend;

Our hands would touch for all the mountain-bars:

And, heaven being rolled between us at the end,

We should but vow the faster for the stars.

抒情十四行詩第二首

可是在上帝的全宇宙裏，總共才只

三個人聽見了你那句話：除了

講話的你、聽話的我，就是他──

上帝自己！我們中間還有一個

出來答話；那昏黑的詛咒落上

我的眼皮，擋了你，不讓我看見，

就算我瞑了目，放上沉沉的“壓眼錢”，

也不至於那麼徹底隔絕。唉，

比誰都厲害，上帝的那一聲“不行！”

要不然，世俗的誹謗離間不了我們，

任風波飛揚，也不能動搖那堅貞；

我們的手要伸過山嶺，互相接觸；

有那麼一天，天空滾到我倆中間，

我倆向星辰起誓，還要更加握緊。

III

Unlike are we, unlike, O princely Heart !

Unlike our uses and our destinies.

Our ministering two angels look surprise

On one another, as they strike athwart

Their wings in passing. Thou, bethink thee, art

A guest for queens to social pageantries,

With gages from a hundred brighter eyes

Than tears even can make mine, to play thy part

Of chief musician. What hast thou to do

With looking from the lattice-lights at me,

A poor, tired, wandering singer, singing through

The dark, and leaning up a cypress tree ?

The chrism is on thine head,--on mine, the dew,--

And Death must dig the level where these agree.

抒情十四行詩第三首

我們原不一樣，尊貴的人兒呀，

原不一樣是我們的職司和前程。

你我頭上的天使，迎面飛來，

翅膀碰上了翅膀，彼此瞪著

驚愕的眼睛。你想，你是華宮裏

後妃的上賓，千百雙殷勤的明眸

（哪怕掛滿了淚珠，也不能教我的眼

有這份光彩）請求你擔任領唱。

那你幹什麼從那燈光輝映的紗窗裏

望向我？──我，一個淒涼、流浪的

歌手，疲乏地靠著柏樹，吟歎在

茫茫的黑暗裏。聖油搽在你頭上──

可憐我，頭上承受著涼透的夜露。

只有死，才能把這樣的一對扯個平。

Thou hast thy calling to some palace-floor,

Most gracious singer of high poems ! where

The dancers will break footing, from the care

Of watching up thy pregnant lips for more.

And dost thou lift this house's latch too poor

For hand of thine ? and canst thou think and bear

To let thy music drop here unaware

In folds of golden fulness at my door ?

Look up and see the casement broken in,

The bats and owlets builders in the roof !

My cricket chirps against thy mandolin.

Hush, call no echo up in further proof

Of desolation ! there 's a voice within

That weeps . . . as thou must sing . . . alone, aloof

抒情十四行詩第四首

你曾經受到邀請，進入了宮廷，

溫雅的歌手！你唱著崇高的詩篇；

貴客們停下舞步，為了好瞻仰你，

期待那豐滿的朱唇再吐出清音；

而你卻抽起我的門閂，你果真

不嫌它褻瀆了你的手？沒誰看見，

你甘讓你那音樂飄落在我門前，

疊作層層金聲的富麗？你忍不忍？

你往上瞧，看這窗戶都被闖破──

是蝙蝠和夜鶯的窠巢盤踞在頂梁，

是啾啾的蟋蟀在跟你的琵琶應和！

住聲，別再激起回聲來加深荒涼！

那裏邊有一個哀音，它必須深躲，

在暗裏哭泣──正象你應該當眾歌唱。

　

I lift my heavy heart up solemnly,

As once Electra her sepulchral urn,

And, looking in thine eyes, I overturn

The ashes at thy feet. Behold and see

What a great heap of grief lay hid in me,

And how the red wild sparkles dimly burn

Through the ashen grayness. If thy foot in scorn

Could tread them out to darkness utterly,

It might be well perhaps. But if instead

Thou wait beside me for the wind to blow

The gray dust up, . . . those laurels on thine head,

O my Beloved, will not shield thee so,

That none of all the fires shall scorch and shred

The hair beneath. Stand farther off then ! go.

抒情十四行詩第五首

我肅穆地端起了我沉重的心，

象當年希臘女兒捧著那壇屍灰；

眼望著你，我把灰撒在你腳下。

請看呀，有多大一堆悲哀埋藏在

我這心坎裏；而在那灰暗的深處，

那慘紅的灰燼又怎樣在隱約燃燒。

要是那點點火星給你鄙夷地

一腳踏滅、還它們一片黑暗，

這樣也好。可是，你偏不，

你要守在我身旁，等風來把塵土

揚起，把死灰吹活；愛呀，那戴在

你頭上的桂冠可不能給你做屏障，

保護你不讓這一片火焰燒壞了

那底下的發絲。快站遠些呀，快走！

Go from me. Yet I feel that I shall stand

Henceforward in thy shadow. Nevermore

Alone upon the threshold of my door

Of individual life, I shall command

The uses of my soul, nor lift my hand

Serenely in the sunshine as before,

Without the sense of that which I forbore--

Thy touch upon the palm. The widest land

Doom takes to part us, leaves thy heart in mine

With pulses that beat double. What I do

And what I dream include thee, as the wine

Must taste of its own grapes. And when I sue

God for myself, He hears that name of thine,

And sees within my eyes the tears of two.

抒情十四行詩第六首

捨下我，走吧。可是我覺得，從此

我就一直徘徊在你的身影裏。

在那孤獨的生命的邊緣，從今再不能

掌握自己的心靈，或是坦然地

把這手伸向日光，象從前那樣，

而能約束自己不感到你的指尖

碰上我的掌心。劫運教天懸地殊

隔離了我們，卻留下了你那顆心，

在我的心房裏搏動著雙重聲響。

正像是酒，總嘗得出原來的葡萄，

我的起居和夢寐裏，都有你的份。

當我向上帝祈禱，為著我自個兒

他卻聽到了一個名字、那是你的；

又在我眼裏，看見有兩個人的眼淚。

　

VII

The face of all the world is changed, I think,

Since first I heard the footsteps of thy soul

Move still, oh, still, beside me, as they stole

Betwixt me and the dreadful outer brink

Of obvious death, where I, who thought to sink,

Was caught up into love, and taught the whole

Of life in a new rhythm. The cup of dole

God gave for baptism, I am fain to drink,

And praise its sweetness, Sweet, with thee anear.

The names of country, heaven, are changed away

For where thou art or shalt be, there or here;

And this . . . this lute and song . . . loved yesterday,

(The singing angels know) are only dear

Because thy name moves right in what they say.

抒情十四行詩第七首

全世界的面目，我想，忽然改變了，

自從我第一次在心靈上聽到你的步子

輕輕、輕輕，來到我身旁──穿過我和

死亡的邊緣：那幽微的間隙。站在

那裏的我，只道這一回該倒下了，

卻不料被愛救起，還教給一曲

生命的新歌。上帝賜我洗禮的

那一杯苦酒，我甘願飲下，讚美它

甜蜜──甜蜜的，如果有你在我身旁。

天國和人間，將因為你的存在

而更改模樣；而這曲歌，這支笛，

昨日裏給愛著，還讓人感到親切，

那歌唱的天使知道，就因為

一聲聲都有你的名字在蕩漾.

VIII

What can I give thee back, O liberal

And princely giver, who hast brought the gold

And purple of thine heart, unstained, untold,

And laid them on the outside of the-wall

For such as I to take or leave withal,

In unexpected largesse ? am I cold,

Ungrateful, that for these most manifold

High gifts, I render nothing back at all ?

Not so; not cold,--but very poor instead.

Ask God who knows. For frequent tears have run

The colors from my life, and left so dead

And pale a stuff, it were not fitly done

To give the same as pillow to thy head.

Go farther ! let it serve to trample on.

抒情十四行詩第八首

你那樣慷慨豪爽的施主呀，你把

你心坎裏金碧輝煌的寶藏、

原封地掏出來，只往我牆外推，

任憑象我這樣的人去揀起，還是

把這罕見的舍施丟下；教我拿什麼

來作為你應得的報答？請不要

說我太冷漠、太寡恩，你那許多

重重疊疊的深情厚意，我卻

沒有一些兒回敬；不，並不是

冷漠無情，實在我太寒傖。你問

上帝就明白。那連綿的淚雨沖盡了

我生命的光彩，只剩一片死沉沉的

蒼白，不配給你當偎依的枕頭。

走吧！盡把它踏在腳下，作墊石。

Can it be right to give what I can give ?

To let thee sit beneath the fall of tears

As salt as mine, and hear the sighing years

Re-sighing on my lips renunciative

Through those infrequent smiles which fail to live

For all thy adjurations ? O my fears,

That this can scarce be right ! We are not peers,

So to be lovers; and I own, and grieve,

That givers of such gifts as mine are, must

Be counted with the ungenerous. Out, alas !

I will not soil thy purple with my dust,

Nor breathe my poison on thy Venice-glass,

Nor give thee any love--which were unjust.

Beloved, I only love thee ! let it pass.

抒情十四行詩第九首

我能不能有什麼、就拿什麼給你？

該不該讓你緊挨著我，承受

我簌簌的苦淚；聽著那傷逝的青春，

在我的唇邊重複著歎息，偶而

浮起一絲微笑，哪怕你連勸帶哄，

也隨即在歎息裏寂滅？啊，我但怕

這並不應該！我倆是不相稱的

一對，哪能匹配作情侶？我承認，

我也傷心，象我這樣的施主

只算得鄙吝。唉，可是我怎能夠讓

我滿身的塵土玷污了你的紫袍，

叫我的毒氣噴向你那威尼斯晶杯！

我什麼愛也不給，因為什麼都不該給。

愛呀，讓我只愛著你，就算數了吧!

Yet, love, mere love, is beautiful indeed

And worthy of acceptation. Fire is bright,

Let temple burn, or flax; an equal light

Leaps in the flame from cedar-plank or weed:

And love is fire. And when I say at need

I love thee . . . mark ! . . . I love thee--in thy sight

I stand transfigured, glorified aright,

With conscience of the new rays that proceed

Out of my face toward thine. There's nothing low

In love, when love the lowest: meanest creatures

Who love God, God accepts while loving so.

And what I feel, across the inferior features

Of what I am, doth flash itself, and show

How that great work of Love enhances Nature's.

抒情十四行詩第十首

不過只要是愛，是愛，可就是美，

就值得你接受。你知道，愛就是火，

火總是光明的，不問著火的是廟堂

或者柴堆──那棟樑還是荊榛在燒，

火焰裏總跳得出同樣的光輝。當我

不由得傾吐出：“我愛你！”在你的眼裏，

那榮耀的瞬息，我忽然成了一尊金身，

感覺到有一道新吐的皓光從我天庭

投向你臉上。是愛，就無所謂卑下，

即使是最微賤的在愛：那微賤的生命

獻愛給上帝，寬宏的上帝受了它、

又回賜給它愛。我那迸發的熱情

就象道光，通過我這陋質，昭示了

愛的大手筆怎樣給造物潤色。

　

And therefore if to love can be desert,

I am not all unworthy. Cheeks as pale

As these you see, and trembling knees that fail

To bear the burden of a heavy heart,--

This weary minstrel-life that once was girt

To climb Aornus, and can scarce avail

To pipe now 'gainst the valley nightingale

A melancholy music,--why advert

To these things ? O Beloved, it is plain

I am not of thy worth nor for thy place !

And yet, because I love thee, I obtain

From that same love this vindicating grace,

To live on still in love, and yet in vain,--

To bless thee, yet renounce thee to thy face.

抒情十四行詩第十一首

這麼說，把愛情作為我的名份，

我還不是完全不配承受。雖然，

你看，兩頰那麼蒼白，那搖晃的

雙膝仿佛負擔不了沉重的心房；

這疲乏的行吟生涯也曾想望過

把奧納斯山峰攀登，卻只落得一片

辛酸的哀吟，怎好去跟穀鶯競奏？──

幹嗎提這些來著？啊，親愛的，

不用講，我高攀不上，不配在你身邊

占一個位置。可是，就因為我愛你，

這片愛情提拔我，讓我抬起了頭、

承受著光明，許我繼續活下去，

哪怕是怎樣枉然，也要愛你到底；

也要祝福你──即使拒絕你在當面。

　

XII

Indeed this very love which is my boast,

And which, when rising up from breast to brow,

Doth crown me with a ruby large enow

To draw men's eyes and prove the inner cost,--

This love even, all my worth, to the uttermost,

I should not love withal, unless that thou

Hadst set me an example, shown me how,

When first thine earnest eyes with mine were crossed,

And love called love. And thus, I cannot speak

Of love even, as a good thing of my own:

Thy soul hath snatched up mine all faint and weak,

And placed it by thee on a golden throne,--

And that I love (O soul, we must be meek !)

Is by thee only, whom I love alone.

抒情十四行詩第十二首

說真的，就是這為我所誇耀的愛吧，

當它從胸房湧上眉梢，給我加上

一頂皇冠──那一顆巨大的紅寶石，

光彩奪目，讓人知道它價值連城……

就算我這全部的、最高成就的愛吧，

我也不懂得怎樣去愛，要不是你

先立下示範，教給我該怎麼辦──

當你懇切的目光第一次對上了

我的目光，而愛呼應了愛。很明白，

即使愛，我也不能誇說是我的美德。

是你，把我從一片昏迷的軟乏中

抱起，高置上黃金的寶座，靠近在

你的身旁。而我懂得了愛，只因為

緊挨著你──我唯一愛慕的人。

　

XIII

And wilt thou have me fashion into speech

The love I bear thee, finding words enough,

And hold the torch out, while the winds are rough,

Between our faces, to cast light on each ?--

I drop it at thy feet. I cannot teach

My hand to hold my spirit so far off

From myself--me--that I should bring thee proof

In words, of love hid in me out of reach.

Nay, let the silence of my womanhood

Commend my woman-love to thy belief,--

Seeing that I stand unwon, however wooed,

And rend the garment of my life, in brief,

By a most dauntless, voiceless fortitude,

Lest one touch of this heart convey its grief

抒情十四行詩第十三首

你可是要我把對你湧起的恩情，

形之於言詞，而且還覺得十分充裕；

不管有多猛的風，高舉起火炬，

讓光輝，從兩張臉兒間，把我倆照明？

我卻把它掉在你腳邊，沒法命令

我的手托著我的心靈，那麼遠距

自己；難道我就能借文字作契據，

掏給你看、那無從抵達的愛情

在我的心坎？不，我寧願表達

女性的愛憑她的貞靜，而換來

你的諒解──看見我終不曾軟化，

任你怎樣地央求，我只是咬緊著嘴，

狠心撕裂著生命的衣裙；生怕

這顆心一經接觸，就洩露了悲哀。

　

XIV

If thou must love me, let it be for nought

Except for love's sake only. Do not say

'I love her for her smile--her look--her way

Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought

That falls in well with mine, and certes brought

A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'--

For these things in themselves, Beloved, may

Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought,

May be unwrought so. Neither love me for

Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,--

A creature might forget to weep, who bore

Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby !

But love me for love's sake, that evermore

Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.

抒情十四行詩第十四首

如果你一心要愛我，那就別為了麼，

只是為了愛才愛我。別這麼講：

“我愛她，為了她的一笑，她的模樣，

她柔語的聲氣；為了她這感觸

正好合我的心意，那天裏，的確

給我帶來滿懷的喜悅和舒暢。”

親愛的，這些好處都不能持常，

會因你而變，而這樣唱出的愛曲

也將這樣啞寂。也別愛我因為你

又憐又惜地給我揩幹了淚腮，

一個人會忘了哭泣，當她久受你

溫柔的慰安──卻因此失了你的愛。

愛我，請只是為了那愛的意念，

那你就能繼續地愛，愛我如深海。

　

Accuse me not, beseech thee, that I wear

Too calm and sad a face in front of thine;

For we two look two ways, and cannot shine

With the same sunlight on our brow and hair.

On me thou lookest with no doubting care,

As on a bee shut in a crystalline;

Since sorrow hath shut me safe in love's divine,

And to spread wing and fly in the outer air

Were most impossible failure, if I strove

To fail so. But I look on thee--on thee--

Beholding, besides love, the end of love,

Hearing oblivion beyond memory;

As one who sits and gazes from above,

Over the rivers to the bitter sea.

抒情十四行詩第十五首

請不要這樣指責我：我在你面前

露出一副太冷靜、憂鬱的面容；

你我原是面朝著兩個不同的方向，

那普照的陽光照不到兩人的前額。

你看著我，心中沒半點兒不踏實，

象看著一隻籠罩在水晶裏的蜜蜂；

哀怨把我密封在聖潔的愛情中，

想張開雙翼，撲向外面的空間、

是絕不可能的失敗──哪怕我狠著心

追求這顛撲和失敗。可是我向你看，

我看見了愛，還看到了愛的結局，

聽到了記憶外層的那一片寂寥！

就象從千層萬丈之上，你向下眺望，

只見滾滾的浪濤盡向大海裏流。

　

XVI

And yet, because thou overcomest so,

Because thou art more noble and like a king,

Thou canst prevail against my fears and fling

Thy purple round me, till my heart shall grow

Too close against thine heart henceforth to know

How it shook when alone. Why, conquering

May prove as lordly and complete a thing

In lifting upward, as in crushing low !

And as a vanquished soldier yields his sword

To one who lifts him from the bloody earth,

Even so, Beloved, I at last record,

Here ends my strife. If thou invite me forth,

I rise above abasement at the word.

Make thy love larger to enlarge my worth.

抒情十四行詩第十六首

然而，因為你完全征服了我，

因為你那樣高貴、象尊嚴的帝皇，

你能消除我的惶恐，把你的

紫袍裹繞住我，直到我的心

跟你的貼得那麼緊，再想不起

當初怎樣獨自在悸動。那宣撫，

就象把人踐踏在腳下，一樣是

威嚴和徹底完滿的征服！就象

投降的兵士捧著戰刀呈交給

把他從血灘裏攙扶起來的主人；

親愛的，我終於認了輸，承認：

我的抗拒到此為止。假如你召喚我，

聽著這話，我要從羞愧中站起。

擴大些你的愛，好提高些我的價值。

　

XVII

My poet, thou canst touch on all the notes

God set between his After and Before,

And strike up and strike off the general roar

Of the rushing worlds a melody that floats

In a serene air purely. Antidotes

Of medicated music, answering for

Mankind's forlornest uses, thou canst pour

From thence into their ears. God's will devotes

Thine to such ends, and mine to wait on thine.

How, Dearest, wilt thou have me for most use ?

A hope, to sing by gladly ? or a fine

Sad memory, with thy songs to interfuse ?

A shade, in which to sing--of palm or pine ?

A grave, on which to rest from singing ? Choose.

抒情十四行詩第十七首

我的詩人，在上帝的宇宙裏，從洪荒

到終極，那參差的音律，無一不能

從你的指尖彈出。你一揮手

就打斷了人世間熙熙攘攘的聲浪，

奏出清音，在空氣裏悠然蕩漾；

那柔和的旋律，象一劑涼藥，把安慰

帶給痛苦的心靈。上帝派給你

這一個職司，而吩咐我伺候你。

親愛的，你打算把我怎樣安排？──

作為一個希望、給歡樂地歌唱？還是

纏綿的回憶、溶化入抑揚的音調？

還是棕櫚，還是松樹──那一樹綠蔭

讓你在底下歌唱；還是一個青塚，

唱倦了，你來這裏躺下？請挑吧。

　

XVIII

I never gave a lock of hair away

To a man, Dearest, except this to thee,

Which now upon my fingers thoughtfully,

I ring out to the full brown length and say

' Take it.' My day of youth went yesterday;

My hair no longer bounds to my foot's glee,

Nor plant I it from rose or myrtle-tree,

As girls do, any more: it only may

Now shade on two pale cheeks the mark of tears,

Taught drooping from the head that hangs aside

Through sorrow's trick. I thought the funeral-shears

Would take this first, but Love is justified,--

Take it thou,--finding pure, from all those years,

The kiss my mother left here when she died.

抒情十四行詩第十八首

我從不曾拿我的捲髮送給誰，

除非是這一束，我最親愛的，給你；

滿懷心事，我把它抽開在指尖，

拉成棕黃色的一長段；我說：“愛，

收下吧。”我的青春已一去不回，

這一頭散發再也不跟著我腳步一起

雀躍，也不再象姑娘們，在鬢髮間

插滿玫瑰和桃金娘，卻讓它披垂，

從一個老是歪著的頭兒──由於

憂鬱的癖性──披下來遮掩著淚痕。

原以為理屍的剪刀會先把它收去，

可不想愛情的名份得到了確認。

收下吧，那上面有慈母在彌留時給兒女

印下的一吻──這些年始終保持著潔淨。

　

XIX

The soul's Rialto hath its merchandise;

I barter curl for curl upon that mart,

And from my poet's forehead to my heart

Receive this lock which outweighs argosies,--

As purply black, as erst to Pindar's eyes

The dim purpureal tresses gloomed athwart

The nine white Muse-brows. For this counterpart, . . .

The bay-crown's shade, Beloved, I surmise,

Still lingers on thy curl, it is so black !

Thus, with a fillet of smooth-kissing breath,

I tie the shadows safe from gliding back,

And lay the gift where nothing hindereth;

Here on my heart, as on thy brow, to lack

No natural heat till mine grows cold in death.

抒情十四行詩第十九首

心靈跟心靈也有市場和貿易，

在那兒我拿捲髮去跟捲髮交換；

從我那詩人的前額，我收下了

這一束，幾根發絲，在我心裏

卻重過了飄洋大船。它那帶紫的烏亮，

在我眼裏，就象當初平達所看見的

斜披在繆斯玉額前暗紫色的秀髮。

為了媲美，我猜想那月桂冠的陰影

依然逗留在發尖──愛，你看它

有多麼黑！我借輕輕的一吻，吐出

溫柔的氣息，綰住了那陰影，不讓它

溜走；又把禮品放在最妥貼的地方──

我的心頭，叫它就象生長在你額上，

感受著體熱，直到那心兒有一天冷卻。

　

Beloved, my Beloved, when I think

That thou wast in the world a year ago,

What time I sat alone here in the snow

And saw no footprint, heard the silence sink

No moment at thy voice, but, link by link,

Went counting all my chains as if that so

They never could fall off at any blow

Struck by thy possible hand,--why, thus I drink

Of life's great cup of wonder ! Wonderful,

Never to feel thee thrill the day or night

With personal act or speech,--nor ever cull

Some prescience of thee with the blossoms white

Thou sawest growing ! Atheists are as dull,

Who cannot guess God's presence out of sight.

抒情十四行詩第二十首

親愛的，我親愛的，我想到從前──

一年之前，當時你正在人海中間，

我卻在這一片雪地中獨坐，

望不見你邁步留下的蹤跡，

也聽不見你的謦咳衝破了這死寂；

我只是一環又一環計數著我周身

沉沉的鐵鏈，怎麼也想不到還有你──

仿佛誰也別想把那鎖鏈打開。

啊，我喝了一大杯美酒：人生的奇妙！

奇怪啊，我從沒感覺到白天和黑夜

都有你的行動、聲音在空中震盪，

也不曾從你看著成長的白花裏，

探知了你的消息──就象無神論者

那樣鄙陋，猜不透神在神的化外！

　

XXI

Say over again, and yet once over again,

That thou dost love me. Though the word repeated

Should seem ' a cuckoo-song,' as thou dost treat it,

Remember, never to the hill or plain,

Valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strain

Comes the fresh Spring in all her green completed.

Beloved, I, amid the darkness greeted

By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt's pain

Cry, ' Speak once more--thou lovest ! ' Who can fear

Too many stars, though each in heaven shall roll,

Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year ?

Say thou dost love me, love me, love me--toll

The silver iterance !--only minding, Dear,

To love me also in silence with thy soul.

抒情十四行詩第二十一首

請說了一遍，再向我說一遍，

說“我愛你！”即使那樣一遍遍重複，

你會把它看成一支“布穀鳥的歌曲”；

可是記著，在那青山和綠林間，

那山谷和田野中，縱使清新的春天

披著全身綠裝降臨、也不算完美無缺，

要是她缺少了那串布穀鳥的音節。

愛，四周那麼黑暗，耳邊只聽見

驚悸的心聲，處於那痛苦的不安中，

我嚷道：“再說一遍：我愛你！”誰嫌

太多的星，即使每顆都在太空轉動；

太多的花，即使每朵洋溢著春意？

說你愛我，你愛我，一聲聲敲著銀鍾！

只是記住，還得用靈魂愛我，在默默裏。

XXII

When our two souls stand up erect and strong,

Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,

Until the lengthening wings break into fire

At either curved point,--what bitter wrong

Can the earth do to us, that we should not long

Be here contented ? Think. In mounting higher,

The angels would press on us and aspire

To drop some golden orb of perfect song

Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay

Rather on earth, Beloved,--where the unfit

Contrarious moods of men recoil away

And isolate pure spirits, and permit

A place to stand and love in for a day,

With darkness and the death-hour rounding it.

抒情十四行詩第二十二首

當我倆的靈魂壯麗地挺立起來，

默默地，面對著面，越來越靠攏，

那伸張的翅膀在各自彎圓的頂端，

迸出了火星。世上還有什麼苦惱，

落到我們頭上，而叫我們不甘心

在這裏長留？你說哪。再往上，就有

天使抵在頭上，為我們那一片

深沉、親密的靜默落下成串

金黃和諧的歌曲。親愛的，讓我倆

就相守在地上吧──人世的爭吵、熙攮

都向後退隱，留給純潔的靈魂

一方隔絕，容許在這裏面立足，

在這裏愛，愛上一天，儘管昏黑的

死亡，不停地在它的四圍打轉。

　

XXIII

Is it indeed so ? If I lay here dead,

Wouldst thou miss any life in losing mine ?

And would the sun for thee more coldly shine

Because of grave-damps falling round my head ?

I marvelled, my Beloved, when I read

Thy thought so in the letter. I am thine--

But . . . so much to thee ? Can I pour thy wine

While my hands tremble ? Then my soul, instead

Of dreams of death, resumes life's lower range.

Then, love me, Love ! look on me--breathe on me !

As brighter ladies do not count it strange,

For love, to give up acres and degree,

I yield the grave for thy sake, and exchange

My near sweet view of Heaven, for earth with thee !

抒情十四行詩第二十三首

真是這樣嗎？如果我死了，你可會

失落一些生趣、由於失去了我？

陽光照著你，你會覺得它帶一絲寒意，

為著潮濕的黃土已蓋沒了我的臉？

真沒想到啊！我體味到你這份情意

在信中。愛，我是你的，可就這樣

給珍重？我能用我那雙發抖的手

為你斟酒？好吧，那我就拋開了

死的夢幻，重新捧起來那生命。

愛我吧，看著我，用暖氣呵我吧！

多少閨秀，為著愛不惜犧牲了

財富和身份；我也要放棄那墳墓──

為了你；把我那迫近而可愛的天國的

景象、來跟載著你的土地交換！

XXIV

Let the world's sharpness, like a clasping knife,

Shut in upon itself and do no harm

In this close hand of Love, now soft and warm,

And let us hear no sound of human strife

After the click of the shutting. Life to life--

I lean upon thee, Dear, without alarm,

And feel as safe as guarded by a charm

Against the stab of worldlings, who if rife

Are weak to injure. Very whitely still

The lilies of our lives may reassure

Their blossoms from their roots, accessible

Alone to heavenly dews that drop not fewer,

Growing straight, out of man's reach, on the hill.

God only, who made us rich, can make us poor.

抒情十四行詩第二十四首

讓世界象一把摺刀，把它的鋒芒

在自身內斂藏，埋進在愛情的

掌握內、溫柔的中心，而不再為害。

讓嗒的一聲，刀子合上之後，

我們就此再聽不見人世的爭吵。

親愛的，我緊挨著你，生命貼戀著

生命，什麼也不怕，我只覺得安全，

象有了神符的保護，世人的刀槍

怎麼稠密也不能傷害毫髮。我們

生命中的素蓮，依然能開出純潔

雪白的花朵；那底下的根，只仰賴

天降的甘露，從山頭往上挺伸，

高出世間的攀折。只有上帝，

他賜我們富有，才能叫我們窮。

XXV

A heavy heart, Beloved, have I borne

From year to year until I saw thy face,

And sorrow after sorrow took the place

Of all those natural joys as lightly worn

As the stringed pearls, each lifted in its turn

By a beating heart at dance-time. Hopes apace

Were changed to long despairs, till God's own grace

Could scarcely lift above the world forlorn

My heavy heart. Then thou didst bid me bring

And let it drop adown thy calmly great

Deep being ! Fast it sinketh, as a thing

Which its own nature doth precipitate,

While thine doth close above it, mediating

Betwixt the stars and the unaccomplished fate.

抒情十四行詩第二十五首

親愛的，年復一年，我懷著一顆

沉重的心，直到我瞧見了你的面影。

一個個憂傷已相繼剝奪了我所有的

歡欣──象一串輕貼在胸前的珍珠，

在跳舞的當兒，給一顆跳動的心兒

逐一地撥弄。希望隨即轉成了

漫長的失望，縱使上帝的厚恩，

也沒法從那淒涼的人世舉起來

我這顆沉甸甸的心。可是你，

你當真命令我捧著它，投到

你偉大深沉的跟前！它立即往下沉，

就象墮落是它的本性；而你的心，

立即緊跟著，貼在它上面，擋在

那照臨的星辰和未完功的命運間。

XXVI

I lived with visions for my company

Instead of men and women, years ago,

And found them gentle mates, nor thought to know

A sweeter music than they played to me.

But soon their trailing purple was not free

Of this world's dust, their lutes did silent grow,

And I myself grew faint and blind below

Their vanishing eyes. Then THOU didst come--to be,

Beloved, what they seemed. Their shining fronts,

Their songs, their splendors (better, yet the same,

As river-water hallowed into fonts),

Met in thee, and from out thee overcame

My soul with satisfaction of all wants:

Because God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.

抒情十四行詩第二十六首

是幻想——並不是男友還是女伴，

多少年來，跟我生活在一起，做我的

親密的知友。它們為我而奏的音樂，

我不想聽到還有比這更美的。

可是幻想的輕飄的紫袍，免不了

沾上人世的塵土，那琴聲終於逐漸

消歇，而我也在那些逐漸隱滅的

眸子下頭暈眼花。於是，親愛的，

你來了——仿佛來接替它們。就象

河水盛入了洗禮盆、水就更聖潔，

它們的輝煌的前額、甜蜜的歌聲，

都聚集在你一身，通過你而征服了我，

給予我最大的滿足。上帝的禮物

叫人間最絢爛的夢幻失落了顏色。

　

XXVII

My own Beloved, who hast lifted me

From this drear flat of earth where I was thrown,

And, in betwixt the languid ringlets, blown

A life-breath, till the forehead hopefully

Shines out again, as all the angels see,

Before thy saving kiss ! My own, my own,

Who camest to me when the world was gone,

And I who looked for only God, found thee !

I find thee; I am safe, and strong, and glad.

As one who stands in dewless asphodel

Looks backward on the tedious time he had

In the upper life,--so I, with bosom-swell,

Make witness, here, between the good and bad,

That Love, as strong as Death, retrieves as well.

抒情十四行詩第二十七首

愛人，我親愛的人，是你把我，

一個跌倒在塵埃的人，扶起來，

又在我披垂的鬢髮間吹入了一股

生氣，好讓我的前額又亮光光地

閃耀著希望——有所有的天使當著

你救難的吻為證！親愛的人呀，

當你來到我跟前，人世已舍我遠去，

而一心仰望上帝的我、卻獲得了你！

我發現了你，我安全了，強壯了，快樂了。

象一個人站立在幹潔的香草地上

回顧他曾捱過來的苦惱的年月；

我抬起了胸脯，拿自己作證：

這裏，在一善和那一惡之間，愛，

象死一樣強烈，帶來了同樣的解脫。

　

XXVIII

My letters ! all dead paper, mute and white !

And yet they seem alive and quivering

Against my tremulous hands which loose the string

And let them drop down on my knee to-night.

This said,--he wished to have me in his sight

Once, as a friend: this fixed a day in spring

To come and touch my hand . . . a simple thing,

Yet I wept for it !--this, . . . the paper's light . . .

Said, Dear, I love thee; and I sank and quailed

As if God's future thundered on my past.

This said, I am thine--and so its ink has paled

With Iying at my heart that beat too fast.

And this . . . O Love, thy words have ill availed

If, what this said, I dared repeat at last !

抒情十四行詩第二十八首

我的信！一堆堆死沉沉的紙，蒼白又無聲，

可是它們又象具有生命、顫動在

我拿不穩的手內——是那發抖的手

解開絲帶，讓它們今晚散滿在

我膝上。這封說：他多盼望有個機會，

能作為朋友，見一見我。這一封又訂了

春天裏一個日子，來見我，跟我

握握手——平常的事，我可哭了！

這封說（不多幾個字）：“親，我愛你！”

而我卻惶恐得象上帝的未來在轟擊

我的過去。這封說：“我屬於你！”那墨蹟，

緊貼在我悸跳的心頭，久了，褪了色。

而這封……愛啊，你的言詞有什麼神妙，

假如這裏吐露的，我敢把它再說！

　

XXIX

I think of thee !--my thoughts do twine and bud

About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,

Put out broad leaves, and soon there 's nought to see

Except the straggling green which hides the wood.

Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood

I will not have my thoughts instead of thee

Who art dearer, better ! Rather, instantly

Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,

Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,

And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee

Drop heavily down,--burst, shattered, everywhere !

Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee

And breathe within thy shadow a new air,

I do not think of thee--I am too near thee.

抒情十四行詩第二十九首

我想你！我的相思圍抱住了你，

繞著你而抽芽，象蔓藤卷纏著樹木、

遍發出肥大的葉瓣，除了那蔓延的

青翠把樹身掩藏，就什麼都看不見。

可是我的棕櫚樹呀，你該明白，

我怎願懷著我的思念而失去了

更親更寶貴的你！我寧可你顯現

你自己的存在；象一株堅強的樹

沙沙地搖撼枝杈，掙出了赤裸的

軀幹來，叫這些重重疊疊的綠葉

都給摔下來狼藉滿地。因為在

看著你、聽著你、在你蔭影裏呼吸著

清新的空氣，洋溢著深深的喜悅時，

我再不想你——我是那麼地貼緊你。

　

XXX

I see thine image through my tears to-night,

And yet to-day I saw thee smiling. How

Refer the cause ?--Beloved, is it thou

Or I, who makes me sad ? The acolyte

Amid the chanted joy and thankful rite

May so fall flat, with pale insensate brow,

On the altar-stair. I hear thy voice and vow,

Perplexed, uncertain, since thou art out of sight,

As he, in his swooning ears, the choir's Amen.

Beloved, dost thou love ? or did I see all

The glory as I dreamed, and fainted when

Too vehement light dilated my ideal,

For my soul's eyes ? Will that light come again,

As now these tears come--falling hot and real ?

抒情十四行詩第三十首

今晚，我淚眼晶瑩，恍惚瞧見了

你的形象；然而不是今朝，我還看到

你在笑？愛人，這是為什麼？是你，

還是我——是誰叫我黯然愁苦？

一個浸沉在歡頌和崇拜中的僧侶

把蒼白無知覺的額頭投在祭壇下，

或許就這樣俯伏。正象他耳內轟響著

“阿門”的歌聲；我聽得你親口的盟誓，

心裏卻一片怔忡不安，因為不見你

在我的眼前。親愛的，你當真愛我？

我當真看見了那恍如夢境的榮光，

並且經不起那強烈的逼射而感到了

眩暈？這光可會照臨，就象那

盈盈的淚，一顆顆滾下來，又熱又真？

　

XXXI

Thou comest ! all is said without a word.

I sit beneath thy looks, as children do

In the noon-sun, with souls that tremble through

Their happy eyelids from an unaverred

Yet prodigal inward joy. Behold, I erred

In that last doubt ! and yet I cannot rue

The sin most, but the occasion--that we two

Should for a moment stand unministered

By a mutual presence. Ah, keep near and close,

Thou dovelike help ! and, when my fears would rise,

With thy broad heart serenely interpose:

Brood down with thy divine sufficiencies

These thoughts which tremble when bereft of those,

Like callow birds left desert to the skies.

抒情十四行詩第三十一首

你來了！還沒開口，心意都表明了。

我坐在你的容光下，象沐浴在陽光中的

嬰孩，那閃爍的眸子無聲地洩露了

顫動在那顆小心裏的無比的喜悅。

看哪，我這最後的疑慮是錯了！

可是我不能只埋怨自己，你想，

這是怎樣的情景，怎樣的時辰？

這一刻，我倆競輕易地並站在一起。

啊，靠近我，讓我挨著你吧；當我

湧起了疑慮，你寬坦的心胸給我

清澈而溫柔的慰撫；用你崇高的

光輝來孵育我那些思念吧；失了

你的庇護，它們就要戰慄──就象

那羽翼未豐的小鳥給撇下在天空裏。

　

XXXII

The first time that the sun rose on thine oath

To love me, I looked forward to the moon

To slacken all those bonds which seemed too soon

And quickly tied to make a lasting troth.

Quick-loving hearts, I thought, may quickly loathe;

And, looking on myself, I seemed not one

For such man's love !--more like an out-of-tune

Worn viol, a good singer would be wroth

To spoil his song with, and which, snatched in haste,

Is laid down at the first ill-sounding note.

I did not wrong myself so, but I placed

A wrong on thee. For perfect strains may float

'Neath master-hands, from instruments defaced,--

And great souls, at one stroke, may do and doat.

抒情十四行詩第三十二首

當金黃的太陽升起來，第一次照上

你愛的盟約，我就預期著明月

來解除那情結、系的太早太急。

我只怕愛的容易、就容易失望，

引起悔心。再回顧我自己，我哪象

讓你愛慕的人！──卻象一具啞澀

破損的弦琴、配不上你那麼清澈

美妙的歌聲！而這琴，匆忙裏給用上，

一發出沙沙的音，就給惱恨地

扔下。我這麼說，並不曾虧待

自己，可是我冤了你。在樂聖的

手裏，一張破琴也可以流出完美

和諧的韻律；而憑一張弓，真誠的

靈魂，可以在勒索、也同時在溺愛。

　

XXXIII

Yes, call me by my pet-name ! let me hear

The name I used to run at, when a child,

From innocent play, and leave the cowslips piled,

To glance up in some face that proved me dear

With the look of its eyes. I miss the clear

Fond voices which, being drawn and reconciled

Into the music of Heaven's undefiled,

Call me no longer. Silence on the bier,

While I call God--call God !--So let thy mouth

Be heir to those who are now exanimate.

Gather the north flowers to complete the south,

And catch the early love up in the late.

Yes, call me by that name,--and I, in truth,

With the same heart, will answer and not wait.

抒情十四行詩第三十三首

對啦，叫我的小名兒呀！讓我再聽見

我一向飛奔著去答應的名字──那時，

還是個小女孩，無憂無慮，沉浸於

嬉戲，偶爾從一大堆野草野花間

抬起頭來，仰望那用和藹的眼

撫愛我的慈顏。我失去了那仁慈

親切的呼喚，那靈襯給我的是

一片寂靜，任憑我高呼著上天，

那慈聲歸入了音樂華嚴的天國。

讓你的嘴來承繼那寂滅的清音。

采得北方的花，好完成南方的花束，

在遲暮的歲月裏趕上早年的愛情。

對啦，叫我的小名兒吧，我，就隨即

答應你，懷著當初一模樣的心情。

　

XXXIV

With the same heart, I said, I'll answer thee

As those, when thou shalt call me by my name--

Lo, the vain promise ! is the same, the same,

Perplexed and ruffled by life's strategy ?

When called before, I told how hastily

I dropped my flowers or brake off from a game,

To run and answer with the smile that came

At play last moment, and went on with me

Through my obedience. When I answer now,

I drop a grave thought, break from solitude;

Yet still my heart goes to thee--ponder how--

Not as to a single good, but all my good !

Lay thy hand on it, best one, and allow

That no child's foot could run fast as this blood.

抒情十四行詩第三十四首

懷著當初一模樣的心情，我說，

我要答應你，當你叫我的小名。

唉，這分明是空的願心！我的心

還能是一模樣──飽受了人生的磨折？

從前，我聽得一聲喊，就扔下花束，

要不，從遊戲裏跳起，奔過去答應，

一路上都是我的笑容笑聲在致敬，

眼星裏還閃爍著方才那一片歡樂。

現在我應你，我捨下一片沉重的

憂思，從孤寂裏驚起。可是，我的心

還是要向你飛奔，你不是我一種的

善，而是百善所鍾！我最可愛的人，

你把手按著我的心口，同意嗎：孩童的

小腳從沒跑得這麼快──象這血輪。

　

XXXV

If I leave all for thee, wilt thou exchange

And be all to me ? Shall I never miss

Home-talk and blessing and the common kiss

That comes to each in turn, nor count it strange,

When I look up, to drop on a new range

Of walls and floors, another home than this ?

Nay, wilt thou fill that place by me which is

Filled by dead eyes too tender to know change ?

That 's hardest. If to conquer love, has tried,

To conquer grief, tries more, as all things prove;

For grief indeed is love and grief beside.

Alas, I have grieved sol am hard to love.

Yet love me--wilt thou ? Open thine heart wide,

And fold within the wet wings of thy dove.

抒情十四行詩第三十五首

要是我把一切都交給你，你可願

把一切都給我，作為交換？

我是否永不會失去禮節上的親吻，

彼此的祝福，家常談天？

我是否不會感到陌生，當我抬起頭

打量新家的牆壁和地板？

不，我還要問，你可願到我身邊，

替代瞑合的雙眼──溫柔

到永遠？這可是難。如果征服愛

不容易，征服怨就更難──無數事實

把這一點證明得明明白白；怨就是愛，

還多個怨。哎，我曾是那樣地怨，

就不會那麼輕易地愛。你還愛我嗎？

敞開你的心扉，讓你那雙翼濕透的鴿子撲進來。

XXXVI

When we met first and loved, I did not build

Upon the event with marble. Could it mean

To last, a love set pendulous between

Sorrow and sorrow ? Nay, I rather thrilled,

Distrusting every light that seemed to gild

The onward path, and feared to overlean

A finger even. And, though I have grown serene

And strong since then, I think that God has willed

A still renewable fear . . . O love, O troth . . .

Lest these enclasped hands should never hold,

This mutual kiss drop down between us both

As an unowned thing, once the lips being cold.

And Love, be false ! if he, to keep one oath,

Must lose one joy, by his life's star foretold.

抒情十四行詩第三十六首

我們第一次相見便傾心相愛，

可我沒在它上面用大理石建宮築院。

這是否說明，那來回搖擺在

憂傷與憂傷間的愛會經久不變？

不，我顫慄不安，信不過那一道道

泛著金光照著前方道路的光線，

甚至不敢伸出指尖。儘管從此我變得

堅強、坦然；可又在想，上帝還會把

恐懼安排在後面……啊，愛呀，

要不然，這時緊握的手將不會

再握到一起；親熱的吻，一旦

嘴唇冷卻，在我倆間便什麼也不存在。

愛，改變吧！如果他為了信守一個諾言，

就必須失去他的快樂，正如他的生命之星做出的諾言。

XXXVII

Pardon, oh, pardon, that my soul should make,

Of all that strong divineness which I know

For thine and thee, an image only so

Formed of the sand, and fit to shift and break.

It is that distant years which did not take

Thy sovranty, recoiling with a blow,

Have forced my swimming brain to undergo

Their doubt and dread, and blindly to forsake

Thy purity of likeness and distort

Thy worthiest love to a worthless counterfeit:

As if a shipwrecked Pagan, safe in port,

His guardian sea-god to commemorate,

Should set a sculptured porpoise, gills a-snort

And vibrant tail, within the temple-gate.

抒情十四行詩第三十七首

請原諒，請原諒吧，並不是

我不懂得你的非凡與神聖，

可你只是個幻影，用流沙構成，

虛幻飄渺，難以久駐。

我那平淡的歲月，流逝的生活，

現在當頭一棒，我退卻向後，

迫使我眩暈的大腦湧出了恐懼和

疑惑，盲目地捨棄了你那

純真的愛情，把崇高的愛

曲解成荒謬的仿照物。好像

一個船沉後的異教徒，脫險上了岸，

為紀念保佑他的海神，獻出一尾

木雕的海豚──兩腮呼呼扇動，

尾巴拍打海浪，在那廟宇的牆內。

XXXVIII

First time he kissed me, he but only kissed

The fingers of this hand wherewith I write;

And ever since, it grew more clean and white,

Slow to world-greetings, quick with its ' Oh, list,'

When the angels speak. A ring of amethyst

I could not wear here, plainer to my sight,

Than that first kiss. The second passed in height

The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,

Half falling on the hair. O beyond meed !

That was the chrism of love, which love's own crown,

With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.

The third upon my lips was folded down

In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,

I have been proud and said, ' My love, my own.'

抒情十四行詩第三十八首

他第一次吻我，吻的只是

我寫詩的手；從此，我的手

越發白，越發靜；它疏於

世俗凡人的招呼，卻敏於

“快來聽，天使在說話哪！”

即使有一枚紫晶鑽戒，我亦不會

戴在這手上，因為紫晶在我眼裏

不如第一個吻明亮。第二次吻的位置

朝上，一半印在前額，一半印在發絲上。

啊，我無以報答！那是愛神的聖油，

勝過愛神華美的皇冠。第三個吻，

無比美妙，恰好壓在我的唇上；

從此，我為它而驕傲，

敢於說：“我的愛，是我的。”

XXXIX

Because thou hast the power and own'st the grace

To look through and behind this mask of me

(Against which years have beat thus blanchingly

With their rains), and behold my soul's true face,

The dim and weary witness of life's race,--

Because thou hast the faith and love to see,

Through that same soul's distracting lethargy,

The patient angel waiting for a place

In the new Heavens,--because nor sin nor woe,

Nor God's infliction, nor death's neighborhood,

Nor all which others viewing, turn to go,

Nor all which makes me tired of all, self-viewed,--

Nothing repels thee, . . . Dearest, teach me so

To pour out gratitude, as thou dost, good !

抒情十四行詩第三十九首

因為你的力量和高尚，

看穿了隱藏在這張面具後面的我，

（它多年來淚雨漣漣顏色灰白），

照徹了我靈魂的真實面目──

人生灰暗疲乏的佐證！

因為你的愛和忠誠，你透過那

麻木的心靈，看到那忍耐的天使，

在等待天堂裏的位置。因為無論是

罪惡、是哀怨、是上帝的指責、

死神的逼迫，這一切讓人們一見

便掉頭而去，我自己想起來都厭惡……

可是卻沒有嚇退你；親愛的，

教教我吧，怎樣傾吐心中的感激之情，

正如你吧美好帶給我。

Oh, yes ! they love through all this world of ours !

I will not gainsay love, called love forsooth.

I have heard love talked in my early youth,

And since, not so long back but that the flowers

Then gathered, smell still. Mussulmans and Giaours

Throw kerchiefs at a smile, and have no ruth

For any weeping. Polypheme's white tooth

Slips on the nut if, after frequent showers,

The shell is over-smooth,--and not so much

Will turn the thing called love, aside to hate

Or else to oblivion. But thou art not such

A lover, my Beloved ! thou canst wait

Through sorrow and sickness, to bring souls to touch,

And think it soon when others cry ' Too late.'

抒情十四行詩第四十首

是啊，我們在這個世界上，人們在談情說愛！

我不想否認愛本身的溫情脈脈。

兒時起，我便常常聽說“愛”，

直到不久前──那時采來的鮮花

香味還未飄散。無論是回教徒，

還是外教徒，把手帕都獻給笑容；

可是一哭，便無人理睬。波利非的白牙

從堅果上滑下來，即使幾場驟雨，

果實變得光滑，這被稱為愛的東西

也不會與“恨”、甚至“淡漠”

並肩列排。可是，親愛的，你不是

那樣的情人！你等待著，經歷了

哀怨和疾病，讓我們的心靈相通。

別人都說：“太晚了，”可你卻心滿意足。

XLI

I thank all who have loved me in their hearts,

With thanks and love from mine. Deep thanks to all

Who paused a little near the prison-wall

To hear my music in its louder parts

Ere they went onward, each one to the mart's

Or temple's occupation, beyond call.

But thou, who, in my voice's sink and fall

When the sob took it, thy divinest Art's

Own instrument didst drop down at thy foot

To hearken what I said between my tears, . . .

Instruct me how to thank thee ! Oh, to shoot

My soul's full meaning into future years,

That they should lend it utterance, and salute

Love that endures, from Life that disappears !

抒情十四行詩第四十一首

我懷著感激和愛，向那些

深愛我的人們致敬。誠摯的

謝意啊，獻給那些善良的人們；

他們每當從牆外經過，便停下腳步

傾聽我音樂中一、兩節高亢的樂聲，

然後再繼續趕路，去市場或者去聖殿，

只是無從把他們召喚。可是你，

當我的聲音低下來，以哭泣相代，

你卻把最尊貴的樂器丟到腳下，

聆聽我泣聲中的哀怨……

告訴我，怎樣報答你吧，如何把

我心中蕩漾的情意獻給未來。

讓歲月替我表白，向綿長的愛情

致意，把短暫的人生奉獻。

XLII

' My future will not copy fair my past'--

I wrote that once; and thinking at my side

My ministering life-angel justified

The word by his appealing look upcast

To the white throne of God, I turned at last,

And there, instead, saw thee, not unallied

To angels in thy soul ! Then I, long tried

By natural ills, received the comfort fast,

While budding, at thy sight, my pilgrim's staff

Gave out green leaves with morning dews impearled.

I seek no copy now of life's first half:

Leave here the pages with long musing curled,

And write me new my future's epigraph,

New angel mine, unhoped for in the world !

抒情十四行詩第四十二首

“我的未來不會臨摹過去，”

我曾這樣寫，以為守護在我身邊的

天使會欣然同意，並把呼籲的

目光投向高高在上的上帝。待我

最終轉過頭，看見的卻是你，

還有你我的天使，它們相伴在一起！

病痛那麼長久地折磨了我，

碰到幸福，我快步向前，將它

擁起。我那朝拜的手杖，

剛剛抽出嫩芽，一見到你，

便綻開綠葉，承受著晨露的沐浴。

如今，我不再追尋生命的過去，

丟下那長久的歎息，把未來

XLIII

How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life !--and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

抒情十四行詩第四十三首

我究竟怎樣愛你？讓我細數端詳。

我愛你直到我靈魂所及的深度、

廣度和高度，我在視力不及之處

摸索著存在的極致和美的理想。

我愛你像最樸素的日常需要一樣，

就像不自覺地需要陽光和蠟燭。

我自由地愛你，像人們選擇正義之路，

我純潔地愛你，像人們躲避稱讚頌揚。

我愛你用的是我在昔日的悲痛裏

用過的那種激情，以及童年的忠誠。

我愛你用的愛，我本以為早已失去

（與我失去的聖徒一同）；我愛你用笑容、

眼淚、呼吸和生命！只要上帝允許，

在死後我愛你將只會更加深情。

　

XLIV

Beloved, thou hast brought me many flowers

Plucked in the garden, all the summer through

And winter, and it seemed as if they grew

In this close room, nor missed the sun and showers.

So, in the like name of that love of ours,

Take back these thoughts which here unfolded too,

And which on warm and cold days I withdrew

From my heart's ground. Indeed, those beds and bowers

Be overgrown with bitter weeds and rue,

And wait thy weeding; yet here's eglantine,

Here 's ivy !--take them, as I used to do

Thy fowers, and keep them where they shall not pine.

Instruct thine eyes to keep their colors true,

And tell thy soul their roots are left in mine.

抒情十四行詩第四十四首

親愛的，你送給我那麼多鮮花，

從夏到冬，從你的花園采下；

在這幽閉的小屋裏，它們繼續開放，

仿佛陽光和雨露始終伴隨著它們。

那麼，同樣借用我們愛的名義，

請收下我敞開的心扉，無論是炎熱

還是寒冷，那兒生長著發自我心田的

愛情花朵。的確，那園圃裏長滿了

野草和苦艾，等待著你去耕除；

可是，園圃裏還長著白玫瑰

和常青藤！請收下吧，就像

我接受你的花朵；請細心照看，

別讓它們把顏色褪下，對你的

心靈講，它們的根紮在我的心中。

How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! –and , if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

我如何愛你,讓我訴訴衷腸

我如何愛你,讓我訴訴衷腸:

我愛你至深至誠,已達我的靈魂

能達的極致,一旦你不在身邊,

我便覺末日來臨,主的恩慈已絕.

我愛你就像對待陽光與燭火,

那是生活的必需,片刻不可分離.

我愛你自由自在,就像人們追求自身權利;

我愛你純潔高尚,一如教徒走出教堂.

我愛你充滿激情和童年的向往,

那激情曾伴隨我往日的憂悒.

我愛你充滿戀情,生怕它轉眼消失,

連同我的天使—我愛你永生永世,

憑我的呼吸,微笑和淚水—如果上帝願意,

等我死後,我還要加倍愛你.

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