by Robert William Service

Some deem[认为] Im gentle， some Im kind：

It may be so， —I cannot say.

I know I have a simple mind

And see things in a simple way；

And like a child I love to play.

I love to toy with[摆弄] pretty words

And syllable[分成音节] them into rhyme[押韵]；

To make them sing like sunny birds

In happy droves[一大群] with silver chime[（乐器）敲钟]，

In dulcet[怡人的] groves[小树林] in summer time.

I pray， with hair more white than grey，

And second childhood coming on，

That yet with wonderment[惊叹] I may

See life as in its lucent[明亮的，透明的] dawn，

And be by beauty so beguiled[令人陶醉]

Ill sing as sings a child.

有人说我温和，有人说我仁慈：

或许是如此吧，我却不能言说。

我知我心单纯

简简单单看世事；

喜爱嬉闹如孩童。

我爱随意使用漂亮的词语

把它们编排成韵律；

让它们像明媚欢乐的鸟群

在夏日怡人的树林中，

用银铃般的歌声歌唱。

我祈愿——在白发多于灰发，

即将到来的第二个童年，

我还能带着惊叹

看到生命之初清明透亮的模样，

也愿美深深地迷住我

我必像孩童一样歌唱。