Thy glass will show thee how thy beauties wear,
Thy dial how thy precious minutes waste;
The vacant leaves thy mind's imprint¹ will bear,
And of this book this learning mayst thou taste.
The wrinkles which thy glass will truly show
Of mouthed graves will give thee memory;
Thou by thy dial's shady stealth mayst know
Time's thievish progress to eternity².
Look, what thy memory can not contain
Commit to these waste blanks, and thou shalt find
Those children nursed, deliver'd from thy brain,
To take a new acquaintance of thy mind.
  These offices, so oft as thou wilt³ look,
  Shall profit thee and much enrich thy book.

镜子将告诉你朱颜怎样消逝，
日规怎样一秒秒耗去你的华年；
这白纸所要记录的你的心迹
将教你细细玩味下面的教言。
你的镜子所忠实反映的皱纹
将令你记起那张开口的坟墓；
从日规上阴影的潜移你将认清，
时光走向永劫的悄悄的脚步。
看，把记忆所不能保留的东西
交给这张白纸，在那里面你将
看见你精神的产儿受到抚育，
使你重新认识你心灵的本相。
　　这些日课，只要你常拿来重温，
　　将有利于你，并丰富你的书本。