I would I were a careless child

我愿做无忧无虑的小孩

I would I were a careless child,

Still dwelling¹ in my Highland² cave,

Or roaming through the dusky wild,

Or bounding o'er the dark blue wave;

The cumbrous pomp of Saxon pride

Accords not with the freeborn soul,

Which loves the mountain's craggy side,

And seeks the rocks where billows roll.

Fortune! Take back these cultured lands,

Take back this name of splendid sound!

I hate the touch of servile hands,

I hate the slaves that cringe around.

Place me among the rocks I love,

Which sound to Ocean's wildest roar;

I ask but this - again to rove

Through scenes my youth hath known before.

Few are my years, and yet I feel

The world was ne'er designed for me:

Ah! why do dark'ning shades conceal³

The hour when man must cease to be?

Once I beheld⁴ a splendid dream,

A visionary scene of bliss⁵:

Truth!- wherefore did thy hated beam

Awake me to a world like this?

I loved - but those I loved are gone;

Had friends - my early friends are fled:

How cheerless feels the heart alone,

When all its former hopes are dead!

Though gay companions o'er the bowl

Dispel⁶ awile the sense of ill;

Though pleasure stirs the maddening soul,

The heart - the heart - is lonely still.

How dull! to hear the voice of those

Whom rank or chance, whom wealth or power,

Have made, though neither friends nor foes⁷

Associates of that festive⁸ hour.

Give me again the faithful few,

In years and feelings still the same,

And I will fly the midnight crew,

Where boist'rous joy is but a name.

And woman, lovely woman! thou,

My hope, my comfortet, my all!

How cold must be my bosom⁹ now,

When e'en thy smiles begin to pall¹⁰!

Without a sigh would I resign

This busy scene of splendid woe¹¹,

To make that calm contentment mine,

Which virtue¹² knows, or seems to know.

Fain would I fly the haunts of men -

I seek to shun¹³, not hate mankind;

My breast requires the sullen¹⁴ glen,

Whose gloom may suit a darken'd mind.

Oh! that to me the wings were given

Which bear the turtle to her nest!

Then I would cleave¹⁵ the vault¹⁶ of heaven,

To flee away, and be at rest.

我愿做无优无虑的小孩，

仍然居住在高原的洞穴，

或是在微曛的旷野里徘徊,

或是在暗蓝的海波上腾跃;

撒开浮华的繁文缛礼

不合我生来自由的意志，

我眷念坡道崎岖的山地,

我向往狂涛扑打的巨石.

命运啊!请收回丰熟的田畴,

收回这响亮的尊荣称号!

我厌恶被人卑屈地迎候，

厌恶被奴仆躬身环绕。

把我放回我酷爱的山岳,

听山岩应和咆哮的海洋;

我只求让我重新领略

我从小熟悉的故国风光。

我虽然年少,也能感觉出

这世界决不是为我而设;

幽冥的暗影为何要幂覆

世人向尘寰告别的时刻?

我也曾瞥见辉煌的梦境----

极乐之乡的神奇幻觉;

真相啊!为何你可憎的光明

唤醒我面临这么个世界?

我爱过---所爱的人们已离去;

有朋友---早年的友谊已终结;

孤苦的心灵怎能不忧郁,

当原有的希望都黯然熄灭!

纵然酒宴中欢谑的伙伴们

把恶劣情怀驱散了片刻;

豪兴能振奋痴狂的灵魂,

心儿呵,心儿却永远寂寞。

多无聊!去听那些人闲谈:

那些人与我非敌非友,

是门第、权势、财富或机缘

使他们与我在筵前聚首。

把几个忠诚的密友还给我!

还是原来的年纪和心情!

躲开那半夜喧嚣的一伙---

他们的欢乐不过是虚名。

美人,可爱的美人!你就是

我的希望,慰籍,和一切?

连你那笑靥的魅力也消失,

我心中怎能不奇寒凛冽!

又富丽又惨苦的繁嚣俗境,

我毫无叹息,愿从此告辞;

我只要怡然知足的恬静---

“美德”熟识它,或似曾相识。

告别这熙来攘往的去处---

我不恨人类,只是想避开;

我痴心寻觅阴沉的幽谷,

那暝色契合我晦暗的胸怀。

但愿能给我一双翅膀:

象斑鸠飞回栖宿的巢里,

我也要展翅飞越穹苍,

飘然远引,得享安息.