The Song of the Old Mother

母亲之歌

William Butler Yeats

威廉•巴特勒•叶芝

I rise in the dawn, kneel and blow, till the seed of fire flicker¹ and glow.

我在清晨起床，跪在火炉旁用力吹着炉膛 直到点点火星燃起，摇曳着红光。

and then i must scrub and blake and sweep, till stars are beginning to blink and peep.

然后，擦洗器具，烘烤食物，打扫庭院 直到群星满布，在天空眨眼窥探。

and the young lie long and dream in their bed of the matching of ribbons for bosom² and head.

孩子们睡到很晚，沉迷梦乡 为美丽的人儿整理华装。

and their day goes over idleness, and they sigh if the wind but lift the tress.

他们的日子在虚空中流淌， 只为那风吹散的长发留一声喟叹。

while i must work, because i am old, and the seed of the fire gets feeble and cold.

而我必须要劳作，因为我老了， 那燃烧的火种也渐渐微弱，冷却了。