Though I am Young and Cannot Tell

----Ben Jonson

Though I am young, and cannot tell

Either what death or love is well,

Yet I have heard they both bear darts,

And both do aim at human hearts.

And then again, I have been told

Love wounds with heat, as Death with cold;

So that I fear they do but bring

Extremes to touch, and mean one thing.

As in a ruin we it call

One thing to be blown up, or fall;

Or to our end like way may have

By a flash of lightning, or a wave;

So love's inflamed shaft or brand

May kill as soon as Death's cold hand;

Except Love's fires the virtue have

To fright the frost out of the grave.

尽管我年轻无辩

本．琼生

如我之年青，无法细辨，

死亡的本意和爱的真谛，

尝闻二者皆带箭头，

双双的目标是人的心脏。

复又听说，各有德性，

爱伤于火，死伤于冰；

我似恍然有所觉悟，

感受的极端结果却一途。

恰如断壁残垣，

或灰飞或塌坍；

又好比我之消亡，

似潮退又似闪电；

因知爱之燃烧的箭杆，

亡我之速有如死神冰冷的魔手；

惟有爱火的炽热尚存，

惊散墓冢中寒气逼人的霜雾。