Hope — Emily Bronte

 

希望——艾米莉·勃朗特

 

Hope was but a timid friend;

 

希望只是个羞怯的友伴，

She sat without the grated den,

她坐在我的囚牢之外，

Watching how my fate would tend,

以自私者的冷眼旁观

Even as selfish-hearted men.

观察我的命运的好歹。

She was cruel in her fear;

她因胆怯而如此冷酷。

Through the bars one weary day,

郁闷的一天，我透过铁栏，

I looked out to see her there,

想看到我的希望的面目，

And she turned her face away!

却见她立即背转了脸！

Like a false guard, false watch keeping,

像一个假看守在假意监视，

Still in strife, she whispered peace;

一面敌对一面又暗示和平；

She would sing while I was weeping,

当我哀泣时她吟唱歌词，

If I listened, she would cease.

当我静听她却噤口无声。

False she was, and unrelenting;

她心如铁石而且虚假。

When my last joys strewed the ground,

当我最后的欢乐落英遍地，

Even Sorrow saw, repenting,

见此悲惨的遗物四处抛撒

Those sad relics scattered round;

就连“哀愁”也遗憾不已；

Hope, whose whisper would have given

而希望，她本来能悄悄耳语

Balm to all my frenzied pain,

为痛苦欲狂者搽膏止痛，

Stretched her wings, and soared to heaven,

却伸展双翼向天堂飞去，

Went, and ne'er returned again!

一去不回，从此不见影踪。