
When forty winters shall besiege thy brow
四十个冬天将会围攻你的额头,
And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,
在你那美的田地上掘下浅槽深沟。
Thy youth's proud livery, so gazed on now,
那时,你如今令人钦羡的青春华服
Will be a tottered weed of small worth held.
将不免价落千丈,寒伧而又鄙陋。
Then being asked where all thy beauty lies--
如有人问起,何处尚存你当年的美色,
Where all the treasure of thy lusty days--
或何处有遗芳可追录你往昔的风流,
To say within thine own deep-sunken eyes
你却只能说:“它们都在我深陷的眼里。”
Were an all-eating shame and thriftless praise.
这回答是空洞的颂扬,徒令答者蒙羞。
How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,
但假如你能说:“这里有我美丽的孩子
If thou couldst answer,“This fair child of mine
可续我韶华春梦,免我老迈时的隐忧”,
Shall sum my count and make my old excuse”--
那么孩子之美就是你自身美的明证,
Proving his beauty by succession thine.
你如这样使用美,方值得讴颂千秋。[/cn]
This were to be new made when thou art old, [cn]如此,你纵然已衰老,美却会重生,
And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold.
你纵然血已冰凉,也自会借体重温。