And a poet said, Speak to us of Beauty.

一位诗人说，谈谈美吧。

And he answered:

他答道：

Where shall you seek beauty, and shall you find her unless she herself be your way and your guide?

你们到哪里寻求美，若她本身不是你们的道路，指引着你们的话，你们又如何找到她？

And how shall you speak of her except she be the weaver of your speech?

若她不是你言语的编织者，你们又如何谈论她？

The aggrieved and injured say, “Beauty is kind and gentle.
愤恨苦痛之人说：“美仁慈而温柔。

Like a young mother half-shy of her own glory she walks among us.”
她像有些羞赧于自己荣耀的年轻母亲，走在我们中间。”

And the passionate say, “Nay, beauty is a thing of might and dread.
激情四射之人说：“不，美是强大而让人生畏的东西。

Like the tempest she shakes the earth beneath us and the sky above us.”
她像暴风骤雨一样，摇动着我们脚下的大地，震撼着我们头上的天空。”

The tired and the weary say, “Beauty is of soft whisperings. She speaks in our spirit. Her voice yields to our silences like a faint light that quivers in fear of the shadow.”

疲惫困顿之人说：“美是温柔的低语。她在我们的心中说话。她的声音在寂静中传来，如同因害怕影子而颤抖的微光。”

But the restless say, “We have heard her shouting among the mountains. And with her cries came the sound of hoofs, and the beating of wings and the roaring of lions.”

但不息之人说：“我们听到她在山间咆哮，马蹄奔踏声、翅翼拍动声和狂狮怒吼声随她的声音而来。”

At night the watchmen of the city say, “Beauty shall rise with the dawn from the east.” And at noontide the toilers and the wayfarers say, “We have seen her leaning over the earth from the windows of the sunset.”

城里的守夜人说：“美随晓光从东方升起。” 正午时，苦劳者和赶路者说：“我们看到她从日落的窗户中向大地探出身来。”

In winter say the snow-bound, “She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hill.”

冬日里，被雪所困者说：“她将在山丘上跳跃，跟随春天而来。”

And in the summer heat the reapers say, “We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves, and we saw a drift of snow in her hair.”

仲夏天，收割者说：“我们看到她随秋叶起舞，我们在她的发梢望见了积雪。”

All these things have you said of beauty. Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied. And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.

关于美，你们说了这么多，可事实上，你们说的不是她，而是未满足的需要。美不是需要，而是欣喜。

It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth. But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.

它不是干渴的嘴唇，也不是伸出的空手，而是激动的心，和迷幻的灵魂。

It is not the image you would see or the song you would hear.

她不是你们想看到的形象，也不是你们想听到的乐曲。

But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.

而是你们虽闭上眼睛也能看到的形象，虽掩住耳朵也能听到的旋律。

It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw.

它不是褶皱树皮里的汁液，附在寒鸦身上的羽翼

But rather a garden forever in bloom and a flock of angels forever in flight.

而是永远绽放着花朵的花园，和永远翱翔的一群天使。

People of Orphalese, beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.

阿法利斯的人们，当生活揭开面纱，露出她圣洁的面庞时，美便是生活。

But you are life and you are the veil.

但你是生活，你也是面纱。

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.

美是在镜中自视的永恒。

But you are eternity and you are the mirror.

但你是永恒，你也是镜子。