My Sweetest Lesbia

Thomas Campion

My sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love,

And though the sager¹ sort our deeds reprove,

Let us not weigh them.

Heaven's great lamps do dive

Into their west, and straight again revive,

But soon as once set is our little light,

Then must we sleep one ever-during night.

If all would lead their lives in love like me,

Then bloody² swords and armor should not be;

No drum nor trumpet³ peaceful sleeps should move,

Unless alarm came from the camp of love.

But fools do live, and waste their little light,

And seek with pain their ever-during night.

When timely death my life and fortune ends,

Let not my hearse be vexed⁴ with mourning friends,

But let all lovers, rich in triumph, come

And with sweet pastimes grace my happy tomb;

And Lesbia, close up thou my little light,

And crown with love my ever-during night.

亲爱的莱丝比亚

托马斯•坎皮恩

亲爱的莱丝比亚，

不要理会正人君子的责怪；

你我活在世上，

就是为了相爱。

照亮大地的太阳匆匆西坠，

夜晚过后总会重现光彩；

但是爱的微光一旦陨落，

我们将长夜永眠不再醒来。

如果世人都像我一样有爱，

那人间就不会遭受战火兵灾；

没有战鼓号角搅扰宁静的睡梦，

只有爱的海洋涛声彭湃。

可是世上总有愚人，

宁愿将爱的微光毁坏；

他们苦苦追求，

想要长夜永眠不再醒来。

当我在人间的行程到时做好安排，

参加葬礼的朋友不必悲哀；

让充满爱心的人们来庆贺胜利，

让我的坟头只有休闲欢快；

还有莱丝比亚，

我心中的最爱，

将我的微光最后收起，

让爱伴我长夜永眠不再醒来。