When you are old
— William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
最佳譯文
美人遲暮
美人將遲暮,青絲成暮靄,睡意長綿綿,
詩集輕輕翻,瞌睡爐火畔,
深深品味,追憶似水華年,
柔情飄滿顰眉間。
塵世愛慕卿容顏,
天姿誘來假意並真言,
唯他深愛卿心之賢,
即便歲月之刀把愁添。
火光搖曳周公憐,
真愛已逝傷昵喃,
漫步山顛,
熠熠群星埋其顏。