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When the lamp is shattered,

The light in the dust lies dead；

When the cloud is scattered¹,

The rainbow’s glory is shed；

When the lute² is broken,

Sweet tones are remembered not；

When the lips have spoken,

Loved accents are soon forgot．

As music and splendor³

Survive not the lamp and the lute,

The heart’s echoes render

No song when the spirit is mute：---

No song but sad dirges⁴,

Like the wind through a ruined cell,

Or the mournful surges

That ring the dead seaman’s knell．

When hearts have once mingled⁶,

Love first leaves the well-built nest；

The weak one is singled

To endure what it once possessed⁷.

O Love! who bewailest*

The frailty⁸ of all things here,

Why choose you the frailest⁹

For your cradle, your home, and your bier?

Its passions will rock thee,

As the storms rock the ravens¹⁰ on high；

Bright reason will mock thee,

Like the sun from a wintry sky．

From thy nest every rafter

Will rot, and thine eagle home

Leave thee naked to laughter,

When leaves fall and cold winds come．

注 bewailest： laments¹¹

爱的悲歌

明灯一旦破碎，

光亮随着熄灭；

云雾一旦消散，

彩虹的辉耀难再摇曳；

古瑟一旦损毁，

就把动人的琴曲忘却；

缠绵的话语刚刚出口，

爱侣就恩断情绝。

灯碎光不再，

琴破曲亦歇；

当灵魂归于沉寂，

无法拨动的心弦冰冷如铁；

像寒风吹过破败的废墟，

那歌声带着多少悲切；

像为死去的水手敲响丧钟，

那悼亡的涛声如此惨烈。

两情刚刚相好，

爱就与那精心构筑的爱巢告别；

常常留下一颗柔弱的心，

空想往事耗尽心血；

爱情呵，爱情，

谁为这最脆最弱悲泣呜咽？

为何选择这最脆最弱，

送往安寝的棺廓和墓穴？

爱的情意将把你摧折，

如暴风雨中的乌鸦精疲力竭；

理智的辉光将把你嘲弄，

就象冬日的斜阳冷如霜雪；

你巢穴的棺木会一根根腐朽，

耻笑会把你裸露的躯体点点噬啮；

你的坆头将刮起寒风，

你的墓旁将堆满落叶。