Awake ye muses nine, sing me a strain divine,
醒來,九位繆斯,請為我唱神圣的一曲,
Unwind the solemn twine, and tie my Valentine!
請用莊嚴的藤蔓纏束我這瓦倫丁節情書!
Oh the Earth was made for lovers, for damsel, and hopeless swain,
創造世界是為了戀人,姑娘和癡心的情郎,
For sighing, and gentle whispering, and unity made of twain.
為了相思,溫柔的耳語,合為一體的一雙。
All things do go a courting, in earth, or sea, or air,
在陸地,在海洋,在空中,萬物都在求愛,
God hath made nothing single but thee in His world so fair!
上帝從不制造孤單,你卻獨活在他的世界!
The bride, and then the bridegroom, the two, and then the one,
一個新娘,一個新郎,兩個,成為一對,
Adam, and Eve, his consort, the moon, and then the sun;
亞當,和夏娃結偶,月亮,和太陽匹配。
The life doth prove the precept, who obey shall happy be,
生活已證明這條箴言,誰聽從誰有幸福,
Who will not serve the sovereign, be hanged on fatal tree.
誰不向這君王臣服,將吊死在命運之樹。
The high do seek the lowly, the great do seek the small,
高的,尋找矮的,偉大的,尋找渺小,
None cannot find who seeketh, on this terrestrial ball;
在這美妙的地球,誰尋找,誰能找到。
The bee doth court the flower, the flower his suit receives,
蜜蜂向花求愛,鮮花接受了他的求婚,
And they make merry wedding, whose guests are hundred leaves;
他們舉行喜慶儀式,綠葉是祝賀的賓朋。
The wind doth woo the branches, the branches they are won,
清風和樹枝調情,贏得了樹枝的歡心,
And the father fond demandeth the maiden for his son.
舐犢情深的父親,為兒子向姑娘求親。
The storm doth walk the seashore humming a mournful tune,
狂風暴雨馳驅于海濱,把哀歌悲聲吟唱,
The wave with eye so pensive, looketh to see the moon,
大海波濤,睜大憂郁的眼睛,遙望月亮,
Their spirits meet together, they make them solemn vows,
他們的精神與精神相遇,他們莊嚴盟誓,
No more he singeth mournful, her sadness she doth lose.
他,不再哀聲嘆息,她,悲傷也告消失。
The worm doth woo the mortal, death claims a living bride,
蛆蟲向凡人求婚,死亡要娶活的新娘,
Night unto day is married, morn unto eventide,
黑夜,嫁給白晝,黎明,和黃昏成雙;
Earth is a merry damsel, and heaven a knight so true,
大地是個風流小妞,蒼天是忠貞的騎士,
And Earth is quite coquettish, and beseemeth in vain to sue.
大地頗愛賣弄風情,向她求婚未必合適。
Now to the application, to the reading of the roll,
箴言,對你也適用,現在就點你的大名,
To bringing thee to justice, and marshalling thy soul:
要對你作一番權衡,同時指引你的靈魂:
Thou art a human solo, a being cold, and lone,
你是人間的獨奏演員,冷漠而且寂寞,
Wilt have no kind companion, thou reap’st what thou hast sown.
不會有親密的伴侶,你這是自食其果。
Hast never silent hours, and minutes all too long,
難道不覺得,寂靜的時刻,過分漫長,
And a deal of sad reflection, and wailing instead of song?
哀思的打擊沉重,為何哭泣而不歌唱?
There’s Sarah, and Eliza, and Emeline so fair,
這里,莎拉、艾麗莎和艾默琳多么美啊,
And Harriet, and Susan, and she with curling hair!
還有,哈莉特、蘇珊,還有卷頭發的她!
Thine eyes are sadly blinded, but yet thou mayest see
你的雙眼瞎得可悲,卻仍然可以看見
Six true, and comely maidens sitting upon the tree;
六位真純、秀麗的姑娘,坐在樹干上面;
Approach that tree with caution, then up it boldly climb,
小心,走到樹下,再勇敢,往樹上攀,
And seize the one thou lovest, nor care for space, or time!
捉住你心愛的一位,不必介意時間空間!
Then bear her to the greenwood, and build for her a bower,
然后帶她到綠林深處,為她把新房建造,
And give her what she asketh, jewel, or bird, or flower-
送給她,她要的珠寶、鮮花,或小鳥 ——
And bring the fife, and trumpet, and beat upon the drum-
帶來橫笛,敲響小鼓,吹奏起喇叭 ——
And bid the world Goodmorrow, and go to glory home!
向世界問聲好,走進那容光煥發的新家!