That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs1 which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs2, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou seest the twilight3 of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west,
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed whereon it must expire
Consumed with that which it was nourish'd by.
This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

在我身上你可能會看見秋季，
當黃葉，或盡脫，或只三三兩兩
掛在瑟縮的枯枝上索索抖顫--
荒廢的歌壇，那里百鳥曾合唱。
在我身上你可能會看見暮靄，
它在日落后向西方徐徐消退：
黑夜，死的化身，日漸把它趕開，
嚴靜的長眠籠住紛紜的萬類。
在我身上你可能全看見余燼，
它在青春的寒灰里奄奄一息，
在慘淡靈床上早晚總要斷魂，
給那滋養(yǎng)過它的烈焰所銷毀。
看見了這類，你的愛就會加大，
由于他轉(zhuǎn)瞬要辭你溘然長往。