--- William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
参考译文
当你老了，头发白了，睡意昏沉，
在炉火旁打盹，请取下这部诗歌
慢慢品读，回想往昔你温柔的眼神
和它们所曾有过的深邃的瞳影
多少人曾爱过你青春欢畅的时辰
爱慕你姣好的外貌，假意或真心
独有一人深爱你朝圣者般的灵魂
爱你苍老容颜上布满的皱纹
垂下头来，在红火闪耀的炉子旁
凄然轻诉， 爱神悄然逃逸
缓缓漫步于头顶群山之巅
在群星中间隐匿脸庞
