If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way;
For then despite of space I would be brought,
From limits far remote where thou dost stay.
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the farthest earth removed from thee;
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land
As soon as think the place where he would be.
But ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,
But that so much of earth and water wrought
I must attend time's leisure with my moan,
  Receiving nought¹ by elements so slow
  But heavy tears, badges of either's woe².

假如我这笨拙的体质是思想，
不做美的距离就不能阻止我，
因为我就会从那迢迢的远方，
无论多隔绝，被带到你的寓所。
那么，纵使我的腿站在那离你
最远的天涯，对我有什么妨碍？
空灵的思想无论想到达哪里，
它立刻可以飞越崇山和大海。
但是唉，这思想毒杀我：我并非思想，
能飞越辽远的万里当你去后；
而只是满盛着泥水的钝皮囊，
就只好用悲泣去把时光伺候；
　　这两种重浊的元素毫无所赐
　　除了眼泪，二者的苦恼的标志。