CHILD, how happy you are sitting in the dust, playing with a broken twig¹ all the morning.

孩子，你真是快活呀，一早晨坐在泥土里，耍着折下来的小树枝儿。

I smile at your play with that little bit of a broken twig.

我微笑地看你在那里耍着那根折下来的小树枝儿。

I am busy with my accounts, adding up figures by the hour.

我正忙着算帐，一小时一小时在那里加叠数字。

Perhaps you glance at me and think, "What a stupid game to spoil your morning with!"

也许你在看我，想道：这种好没趣的游戏，竟把你的一早晨的好时间浪费掉了！

Child, I have forgotten the art of being absorbed in sticks and mud-pies.

孩子，我忘了聚精会神玩耍树枝与泥饼的方法了。

I seek out costly² playthings, and gather lumps of gold and silver.

我寻求贵重的玩具，收集金块与银块。

With whatever you find you create your glad games, I spend both my time and my strength over things I never can obtain. 你呢，无论找到什么便去做你的快乐的游戏，我呢，却把我的时间与力气都浪费在那些我永不能得到的东西上。

In my frail³ canoe I struggle to cross the sea of desire, and forget that I too am playing a game.

我在我的脆薄的独木船里挣扎着要航过欲望之海，意忘了我也是在那里做游戏了。