Counsel to Girls
by Robert Herrick
Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Times is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day,
To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun,
The higher he's a-getting
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spend, the worse, and worst
Times, still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.
给少女们的忠告
(屠岸译)
可以采花的时机,别错过,
时光老人在飞驰:
今天还在微笑的花朵
明天就会枯死。
太阳,那盏天上的华灯,
向上攀登得越高,
路程的终点就会越临近,
剩余的时光也越少。
青春的年华是最最美好的,
血气方刚,多热情;
过了青年,那越来越不妙的
年月会陆续来临。
那么,别怕羞,抓住机缘,
你们该及时结婚;
你一旦错过了少年,
会成千古恨。
注:
ye:第二人称代词thou(=you)的复数形式。
a-flying:由动名词加词头a-构成的现在分词,同flying。
prime:青春
tarry:耽搁、延迟