A Psalm¹ of Life《人生颂》

　　——by longfellow   朗费罗

　　年青人的心对歌者说的话

　　不要在哀伤的诗句里告诉我：Tell me not, in mornful numbers,

　　“人生不过是一场幻梦！”　　"Life is but an empty dream!"

　　灵魂睡着了，就等于死了，　For the soul is dead that slumbers²,

　　事物的真相与外表不同。　And things are not what they seem.

　　人生是真切的！人生是实在的！　Life is real! Life is earnest!

　　它的归宿决不是荒坟；　　And the grave is not its goal;

　　“你本是尘土，必归于尘土”， "Dust thou art, to dust returnest,"

　　这是指躯壳，不是指灵魂。　　Was not spoken of the soul.

　　我们命定的目标和道路　　Not enjoyment³, and not sorrow,

　　不是享乐，也不是受苦；　　Is our destined⁴ end or way;

　　而是行动，在每个明天　　　But to act, that each to-morrow

　　都超越今天，跨出新步。　Find us farther than to-day.

　　智艺无穷，时光飞逝；　Art is long, and Time is fleeting⁵,

　　这颗心，纵然勇敢坚强， And our hearts, though stout⁶ and brave,

　　也只如鼙鼓，闷声敲动着， Still, like muffled⁷ drums, are beating

　　一下又一下，向坟地送丧。　Funeral marches to the grave.

　　世界是一片辽阔的战场， In the world's broad field of battle,

　　人生是到处扎寨安营；　　In the bivouac of life,

　　莫学那听人驱策的哑畜，　Be not like dumb,　driven cattle!

　　做一个威武善战的英雄！　　Be a hero in the strife⁸!

　　别指望将来，不管它多可爱！ Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!

　　把已逝的过去永久掩埋！　Let the dead Past bury its dead!

　　行动吧－－趁着活生生的现在！　Act, —— act in the living Present!

　　心中有赤心，头上有真宰！　Heart within, and God o'evhead!

　　伟人的生平启示我们：　 Lives of great men all remind us

　　我们能够生活得高尚，　We can make our lives sublime⁹,

　　而当告别人世的时候，　　And, departing, leave behind us

　　留下脚印在时间的沙上；　Footprints on the sand of time;

　　也许我们有一个兄弟　　　Footprints, that perhaps another,

　　航行在庄严的人生大海，　Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

　　遇险沉了船，绝望的时刻，A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

　　会看到这脚印而振作起来。　Seeing, shall take heart again.

　　那么，让我们起来干吧，　Let us, then, be up and doing,

　　对任何命运要敢于担戴；　With a heart for any fate;

　　不断地进取，不断地追求，　Still achieving, still pursuing,

　　要善于劳动，善于等待。　Learn to labor¹⁰ and to wait.

　　据钱钟书先生考证，朗费罗的名篇《人生颂》是英语诗歌中最早译成汉语的一首。