中文譯文
仰望星空
W.H.奧登
仰望群星的時分,我一清二楚,
儘管它們關懷備至,我亦有可能赴地府,
可是塵世間我們絲毫不必畏懼
人類或禽獸的那份冷漠。
倘若群星燃燒著關懷我們的激情,
我們卻無法回報,我們作何感想?
倘若無法產生同樣的感情,
讓我成為更有愛心的人。
儘管我自視為群星的崇拜者,
它們滿不在乎,
現在我看群星,我卻難以啟齒,
說我成天思念一顆星星。
倘若所有的星星消失或者消亡,
我應該學會仰望空蕩的天空,
同時感受天空一片漆黑的崇高,
雖然這樣可能要花費一點時間。
英文原文
The More Loving One
Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell,
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.
How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.
Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.
Were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.
1957
Copyright 1976