Christmas Bells

　　by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

　　I heard the bells on Christmas Day

　　Their old familiar carols play,

　　And wild and sweet

　　The words repeat

　　Of peace on earth, good-will to men！

　　And thought how, as the day had come,

　　The belfries of all Christendom

　　Had rolled along

　　The unbroken song

　　Of peace on earth, good-will to men！

　　Till, ringing, singing on its way,

　　The world revolved¹ from night to day,

　　A voice, a chime

　　A chant sublime²

　　Of peace on earth, good-will to men！

　　Then from each black accursed mouth

　　The cannon³ thundered in the South,

　　And with the sound

　　The carols drowned

　　Of peace on earth, good-will to men！

　　It was as if an earthquake rent

　　The hearth-stones of a continent,

　　And made forlorn

　　The households born

　　Of peace on earth, good-will to men！

　　And in despair I bowed my head；

　　"There is no peace on earth," I said；

　　"For hate is strong,

　　And mocks the song

　　Of peace on earth, good-will to men！"

　　Then pealed⁴ the bells more loud and deep：

　　"God is not dead； nor doth he sleep！

　　The Wrong shall fail,

　　The Right prevail,

　　With peace on earth, good-will to men！"

　　注：

　　亨利-沃兹沃思-朗费罗（1807-1820）是美国最伟大的诗人之一，出生于缅因州，毕业于鲍登学院，在马萨诸塞州的康桥度过他成年的大部分时间。

　　这首诗是亨利-沃兹沃思-朗费罗在1864年的圣诞节创作的，当时正处于美国内战时期。