Rain 雨
Rain is falling all around, 雨兒在到處降落,
It falls on field and tree, 它落在田野和樹梢,
It rains on the umbrella here, 它落在這邊的雨傘上,
And on the ships at sea. 又落在航行海上的船只。
Go, and catch a falling star, (Go: 詩以祈使句開始,如同對話;catch a falling star:抓住隕星,寓不可能之意) 去,抓顆流星
Get with child a mandrake root, (使曼德拉草懷胎成孕)讓人行草懷孕
Tell me, where all past years are, (時光無影無蹤)告訴我,過去的日子在哪里
Or who cleft the Devil's foot, (美人魚要求巫婆將魚尾變作人腿,CLEFT 是CLEAVE劈開的過去式形式之一)是誰劈開這邪惡的腿
Teach me to hear mermaids singing, (mermaid 美人魚;- 巫婆要求美人魚將美妙的嗓音送給她作為回報,從此美人魚再也無法說話和歌唱)教我聽懂美人魚的歌聲
Or to keep off envy's stinging,(‘如冰水好空相妒’《紅樓夢》, 看來中西方看法一致)趕走嫉妒的惡臭
And find 去弄清
What wind 哪陣風
Serves to advance an honest mind. 提拔老實人( 老外中國人都喜歡借東風)
If thou beest born to stranges sights, 如果你天生異眼
Things invisible to see, 能見人所不能見
Ride ten thousand days and nights,那就策馬趕路,一萬晝夜不停
Till age snow white hairs on thee, (“直到你的發線,有了歲月的痕跡”,這和我們地道的中文流行歌曲如出一轍)直到發絲如經年白雪
Thou, when thou return'st, wilt tell me 你回來時將會告訴我
All strange wonders that befell thee,(befell thee=HAPPEN TO YOU)你遇見的怪事。
And swear 發誓說
No where
Lives a woman true, and fair.(真實美麗/ 公平?的女人不存在)
If thou find'st one, let me know, 假如你找到一個,一定要告訴我
Such a pilgrimage were sweet;這樣的朝圣之旅芬芳無比;
Yet do not, I would not go,還是別了,我是不會走你的路的
Though at next door we might meet; 即使我和她近如比鄰;(天涯若比鄰的反語 - 奇了)
Though she were true when you met her;盡管當你倆相遇那一刻她是真的
And last till you write your letter, (這份真誠)也就能保持到你寫信給她這一刻
Yet she
Will be
False, ere I come, to two, or three (ERE = BEFORE)在我見到她之前,她將又錯了,二三個