当四月的甘霖渗透了三月枯竭的根须，沐灌了丝丝茎络，触动了生机，使枝头涌现出花蕾，当和风 吹香，使得山林莽原遍吐着嫩条新芽，青春的太阳已转过半边白羊宫座，② 小鸟唱起曲调，通宵睁开睡眼，是自然拨弄着它们的心弦：这时，人们渴想着朝拜四方名坛，游僧们也立愿跋涉异乡。尤其在英格兰地方，他们从每一州的角落，向着坎特伯雷出发，去朝谢他们的救病恩主、福泽无边的殉难圣徒。


夏雨给大地带来了喜悦
送走了土壤干裂的三月，
沐浴着草木的丝丝经络，
顿时百花盛开，生机勃勃。
西风轻吹留下清香缕缕，
田野复苏吐出芳草绿绿；
碧蓝的天空腾起一轮红日，
青春的太阳洒下万道金辉。
小鸟的歌喉多么清脆优美，
迷人的夏夜怎好安然入睡——
美丽的自然撩拨万物的心弦，
多情的鸟儿歌唱爱情的欣欢。
香客盼望膜拜圣徒的灵台，
僧侣立愿云游陌生的滨海。

信徒来自全国东西南北，
众人结伴奔向坎特伯雷，
去朝谢医病救世的恩主，
以缅怀大恩大德的圣徒。

那是个初夏方临的日子，
我到泰巴旅店投宿歇息；
怀着一颗虔诚的赤子心，
我准备翌日出发去朝圣。
黄昏前后华灯初上时分，
旅店院里涌入很多客人；
二十九人来自各行各业，
不期而遇都到旅店过夜。
这些香客人人虔心诚意，
次日要骑马去坎特伯雷。
客房与马厩宽敞又洁净，
店主的招待周到而殷勤。
夕阳刚从地平线上消失，
众人同我已经相互结识；
大家约好不等鸡鸣就起床，
迎着熹微晨光干燥把路上。

When April with his showers sweet with fruit

The drought of March has pierced unto the root

And bathed each vein with liquor that has power

To generate therein and sire the flower

When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath

Quickened again, in every Holt and heath

The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun

Into the Ram one half his course has run

And many little birds make melody

That sleep through all the night with open eye

(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)-

Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage

And palmers to go seeking out strange strands

To distant shrines well known in sundry lands

And specially from every shire’s end

Of England they to Canterbury wend

The holy blessed martyr there to seek

Who helped them when they lay so ill and weal

Befell that, in that season, on a day

In Southwark, at the Tabard, as I lay

Ready to start upon my pilgrimage

To Canterbury, full of devout homage

There came at nightfall to that hostelry

Some nine and twenty in a company

Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall

In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all

That toward Canterbury town would ride

The rooms and stables spacious were and wide

And well we there were eased, and of the best

And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest

So had I spoken with them, every one

That I was of their fellowship anon

And made agreement that we’d early rise

To take the road, as you I will apprise