THE WHITE BIRDS

by: W.B. Yeats

WOULD that we were, my beloved,white birds on the foam of the sea!

We tire of the flame of the meteor, before it can fade and flee;

And the flame of the blue star of twilight, hung low on the rim of the sky,

Has awakened in our hearts, my beloved, a sadness that may not die.

A weariness comes from those dreamers, dew-dabbled, the lily and rose;

Ah, dream not of them, my beloved, the flame of the meteor that goes,

Or the flame of the blue star that lingers hung low in the fall of the dew:

For I would we were changed to white birds on the wandering foam: I and you!

I am haunted by numberless islands, and many a Danaan shore,

Where Time would surely forget us, and Sorrow come near us no more;

Soon far from the rose and the lily, and fret of the flames would we be,

Were we only white birds, my beloved, buoyed out on the foam of the sea!

白鸟

叶芝著 长风译



             亲，让我们化作一对飞翔在浪尖的白鸟！

             流星划过天空，稍纵即逝；

             参宿星低垂在黄昏的天际，

             他们唤醒的只是我们心中无尽的悲戚。

             挂满露珠的百合和玫瑰，虽然做过白日梦，

             现在却疲惫地低下头，

             亲，忘记流星的许愿，

             或是参宿星黯淡的指引：

             让我们化作一对飞翔在浪尖的白鸟！



             我期盼有无数的海岛和神秘的沙滩，

             在那里时光不再流逝，也不再有忧伤；

             我们可以远离鲜花的白日梦和短暂的光辉，

             亲，化作一对飞翔在浪尖的白鸟！