O truant Muse, what shall be thy amends
啊,诗神,有一种真侵染于美,
For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed?
你却不纵情讴歌,这又该当何罪?
Both truth and beauty on my love depends;
真和美都仰仗我的爱而生存,
So dost thou too, and therein dignified.
你也一样,缺了它就无法称作花魁。
Make answer, Muse: wilt thou not haply say
回答吧,诗神,你干吗不说,
Truth needs no colour, with his colour fix'd;"
“真自有其色不必另外增辉,
Beauty no pencil, beauty's truth to lay;
美自有其真容何须借重画笔,
But best is best, if never intermix'd?'
天下至美,本不需杂色相随。”
Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?
难道是因他不需赞词你便趁机噤口,
Excuse not silence so; for't lies in thee
别,别这样沉默,须知你本有神威
To make him much outlive a gilded tomb,
让他的英名留芳于千秋万代,
And to be praised of ages yet to be.
纵然那时镀金的坟墓已变为土灰。
Then do thy office, Muse; I teach thee how
那么诗神,启开歌喉吧,听我的忠言,
To make him seem long hence as he shows now.
让他于百代之后,也照样美誉满天。