Sonnent

Elizabeth Barret Browning

If thou must love me, let it be for naught
Expect for love’s sake only. Do not say,
“I love her for smile-her look- her way
Of speaking gently, -- for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day”—

For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee—and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry:
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love’s sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love’s eternity.


十四行詩

如果你必須愛我, 讓你的愛不為別的
祇因愛的緣故. 不要說,
[我愛她, 為了她的微笑—她的外表—她的樣子
說話溫柔, --為了思想的特徵
與我的話相當一致, 無疑會帶來
如此一朝一夕滿足舒適的感覺]—

因為這些事物本身, 心愛的, 會
改變, 或對你來說今非昔比—吾愛, 極精巧的
極可能面目全非. 愛我別為了
你那拭乾我雙頰的至誠憐憫;
人會忘了流淚, 因為
你長久的慰藉, 而失去你的愛!
但是為愛而愛我, 天長地久
你將會愛我, 直到愛的永遠.