當你年老
◎葉慈／沈政男翻譯

當你年老，灰白，睡意滿盈，
爐火旁打著盹時，取下這本書，
緩慢閱讀，並夢見柔和模樣
你的眼眸所曾擁有，以及它們的深邃暗影；

多少人愛你喜悅雍容的時刻，
愛你的美，假意或真情，
然而有一人愛你聖潔的靈魂，
愛你神色變換的種種憂傷；

並俯身挨近發亮的欄杆，
嘀咕，微愁，愛情怎麼遁逃
踱步於頭頂上的山巒，
而將它的臉龐埋藏在星群之間。

When You are Old 
by W. B. WB Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.