Should lanterns shine
一旦灯笼闪亮
Should lanterns shine, the holy face,
Caught in an octagon of unaccustomed light,
Would wither up, and any boy of love
Look twice before he fell from grace.
The features in their private dark
Are formed of flesh, but let the false day come
And from her lips the faded pigments fall,
The mummy cloths expose an ancient breast.
一旦灯笼闪亮，圣洁的脸
落入异乎寻常的八角形灯光下，
迅然枯萎，而恋爱中的男孩
在失态前总会再度打量。
黑暗里他们隐秘的容颜
由血肉铸成，却任虚伪的日子降临。
消退的口红从她的双唇脱落，
干瘪的衣衫露出一只古老的乳房。
I have been told to reason by the heart,
But heart, like head, leads helplessly;
I have been told to reason by the pulse,
And, when it quickens, alter the actions' pace
Till field and roof lie level and the same
So fast I move defying time, the quiet gentleman
Whose beard wags in Egyptian wind.
有人告诉我要用心来思考，
但心，仿佛大脑，引领着无望；
有人告诉我要用脉搏来思考。
而当脉搏加速，改变了行动的步伐，
田野和屋顶齐平无异，
我快速移动，抗拒时光，这悠闲的绅士
他的胡须在埃及的风尘中飘摇。
I have heard many years of telling,
And many years should see some change.
多年来我一直听人诉说，
这么多年理应见到些变化。
The ball I threw while playing in the park
Has not yet reached the ground.
我在公园玩耍时抛出的球
始终尚未落地。
作者简介
狄兰·托马斯（Dylan Thomas，1914年10月27日—1953年11月9日），威尔士诗人、作家。最著名的作品包括十九行诗《不要温和地走进那个良夜》。
