英译叶芝《说辞》

柒 歌

Words

W B Yeats

I had this thought a while ago,

'My darling cannot understand

What I have done, or what would do

In this blind bitter land.'

And I grew weary of the sun

Until my thoughts cleared up again,

Remembering that the best I have done

Was done to make it plain;

That every year I have cried, 'At length

My darling understands it all,

Because I have come into my strength,

And words obey my call';

That had she done so who can say

What would have shaken from the sieve?

I might have thrown poor words away

And been content to live.

说辞

叶芝（爱尔兰）

我曾这样想，

“我的爱人无法理解，

我的所做或计划做的事，

这块土地如此盲目苦涩。”

我对阳光感到厌倦，

直到思绪再次清明，

记起我做过最棒的事，

只是为了使之清晰；

每年我都会说，“终于，

我的爱人可以理解这一切，

因为我已步入成熟，

我不再言不由衷”；

若她真能如此，谁能预料，

何物将从未知的筛中掉落？

我或许会抛弃乏味的话语，

满足于平静的生活。