John Donne - The Lecture upon the Shadow 汉译

Stand still, and I will read to thee

A lecture, Love, in Love’s philosophy.

These three hours that we have spent,

Walking here, two shadows went

Along with us, which we ourselves produced.

But, now the sun is just above our head,

We do those shadows tread,

And to brave clearness all things are reduced.

So whilst our infant loves did grow,

Disguises did, and shadows, flow

From us and our cares; but now ’tis not so.

That love hath not attain’d the highest degree,

Which is still diligent lest others see.

Except our loves at this noon stay,

We shall new shadows make the other way.

As the first were made to blind

Others, these which come behind

Will work upon ourselves, and blind our eyes.

If our loves faint, and westerwardly decline,

To me thou, falsely, thine

And I to thee mine actions shall disguise.

The morning shadows wear away,

But these grow longer all the day;

But O! love’s day is short, if love decay.

Love is a growing, or full constant light,

And his short minute, after noon, is night.

影子的一课

约翰·邓恩

请静静站好，我要给你讲一课，

亲爱的，是有关爱的哲学。

我在这里漫步了三个小时，

两个影子一直在我们身边伴随，

它们由我们自己所生；

而现在太阳正在我们的头顶，

我们踩着自己的影子，

使一切都很清晰。

我们爱情的幼苗也是这样生长，

那影子还有我们的关心和伪装，

但现在不是这样。

那种还在躲避别人眼睛的爱情，

还没有达到最高的那一层。

除非我们的影子在正午停驻，

否则新的影子将会被我们造出。

第一个影子用来欺骗别人，

接下来的影子则用于

蒙蔽我们的眼睛，欺骗自己。

如果我们的爱情衰弱，并渐渐逝去，

无论你对我，还是我对你，

都会为各自的行为加以掩饰。

上午的影子渐渐消完，

下午的影子却不断伸展；

一旦爱情衰退，爱的白昼短暂。

爱以充溢的光照亮世界，

但它正午一过，下一分钟便是黑夜。