A nightingale made a mistake;
一只夜莺,露了丑,
She sang a few notes out of tune:
刚开口唱歌,就跑了调,
Her heart was ready to break,
它的心儿,就要碎了,
And she hid away from the moon.
连忙赶紧,躲开月亮。
She wrung her claws, poor thing,
不小心还扭了脚,这可怜家伙,
But was far too proud to weep;
是否太过骄傲,大哭一场,
She tucked her head under her wing,
反正,它将头蜷缩翼翅下,
And pretended to be asleep.
装模作样地睡着了。
A lark, arm in arm with a thrush,
云雀和画眉,肩并肩,
Came sauntering up to the place;
蹒跚走过来,查看究竟,
The nightingale felt herself blush,
夜莺捂住,羞红的脸,
Though feathers hid her face;
虽然羽毛遮住,心中胆怯,
She knew they had heard her song,
它知道,鸟儿听见自己歌唱,
She felt them snicker and sneer;
叽喳嘲笑,犹如芒刺,
She thought that life was too long,
它讨厌憎恨,时光漫长,
And wished she could skip a year.
一年眨眼过去,该有多棒!
"O nightingale!" cooed a dove;
“哦,夜莺”,一只鸽子咕咕叫,
O nightingale! what's the use?
有什么大事不得了?
You bird of beauty and love,
你那么漂亮,又可爱,
Why behave like a goose?
何必,像那些粗鄙家鹅?
Don't sulk away from our sight,
别躲在旮旯里,生闷气,
Like a common, contemptible fowl;
也不要小鸡肚肠,没度量,
You bird of joy and delight,
你应该,开心更快乐,
Why behave like an owl?
为什么,不学学猫头鹰?
Only think of all you have done;
只要想一想,你所做的,
Only think of all you can do;
再思忖看看,你能做的,
A false note is really fun,
唱错了调,无关紧要,
From such a bird as you!
权当有趣,一笑别过。
Lift up your proud little crest,
耸起你,那骄傲鸟冠,
Open your musical beak;
打开你,美丽的喙角,
Other birds have to do their best,
鸟儿们,竭力帮助你,
You need only to speak!
不妨,亮开歌喉再唱歌。
The nightingale shyly took her head from under her wing,
夜莺,羞愧地,从翼翅里,抬起头,
And, giving the dove a look,
感激中,看了鸽子一眼,
Straightway began to sing.
蓦然间,亮开嗓门,
There was never a bird could pass;
鸟儿,纷纷飞来驻足,
The night was divinely calm;
夜晚,霎时庄严静穆,
And the people stood on the grass
草地上,人群安静伫立,
To hear that wonderful psalm.
聆听那,质朴无华的圣歌。
The nightingale did not care,
夜莺,不再害怕,
She only sang to the skies;
它的歌声,渐次上扬回旋,
Her song ascended there,
它的目光,悠然攀升,
And there she fixed her eyes.
伴随着,响彻入云骄傲,
The people that stood below,
歌声拂过,娴静无边夜色。
She knew but little about;
夜莺,或许茫然不知,
And this tale has a moral, I know,
这篇故事,包含人生箴言,
If you'll try and find it out.
只要尝试,奇迹不难发现。