saint 圣人

silken 丝滑般的

simple 简单的

poverty 贫穷

plain 朴素的

sinner 罪孽

spinner 纺纱工

splendor 壮丽

worth 值得

steady 平稳的

murder 杀人

planning 计划

silver 银色的

tender 温暖的

proverb 谚语

remember 记住

PRETTY IS THAT PRETTY DOES 不要以貌取人

The spider wears a plain brown dress, 蜘蛛穿件朴素的棕裙，

And she is a steady spinner; 她是个坚毅的纺纱工。

To see her, quiet as a mouse, 你看，她像老鼠一样安静，

Going about her silver house, 在银色的房子里，

You would never, never, never guess 你永远、永远、永远都猜不到

The way she gets her dinner. 她获取食物的方法。

She looks as if no thought of ill 她看起来就像一辈子

In all her life had stirred her; 从不担心疾病的困扰。

But while she moves with careful tread, 但当她小心翼翼踩在网上挪动时，

And while she spins her silken thread, 当她编织着柔软的丝线时，

She is planning, planning, planning still 她正在计划着、计划着、安静地计划着，

The way to do some murder. 一场场谋杀的方式。

My child, who reads this simple lay, 我的孩子读到这首短诗时，

With eyes down-dropt and tender, 眨着两只大大的眼睛。

Remember the old proverb says 记住老谚语所言：

That pretty is which pretty does, 不要以貌取人，

And that worth does not go nor stay 财产不能走，也不能留，

For poverty nor splendor. 无论你贫穷或富有。

'Tis(It is) not the house, and not the dress, 那不是房子，也不是裙子。

That makes the saint or sinner. 那是好人或坏人的标志。

To see the spider sit and spin, 看看坐在那里织网的蜘蛛，

Shut with her walls of silver in, 合上她银色的墙壁，

You would never, never, never guess 你永远、永远、永远都猜不到

The way she gets her dinner. 她获取食物的方法。

Alice Cary 爱丽丝·卡瑞