Would you put your wreath of fresh flowers on my neck， fair one？

　　"你愿意把你的鲜花的花环挂在我的颈上么，佳人？"

　　But you must know that the one wreath that I had woven is for the many， for those who are seen in glimpses， or dwell in lands unexplored， or live in poets' songs.

　　"但是你要晓得，我编的那个花环，是为大家的，为那些偶然瞥见的人，住在未开发的大地上的人，住在诗人歌曲里的人。"

　　It is too late to ask my heart in return for yours.

　　现在来请求我的心作为答赠已经太晚了。

　　There was a time when my life was like a bud， all its perfume was stored in its core.

　　曾有一个时候，我的生命像一朵蓓蕾，它所有的芬芳都储藏在花心里。

　　Now it is squandered far and wide.

　　现在它已远远地喷溢四散。

　　Who knows the enchantment that can gather and shut it up again？

　　谁晓得什么魅力，可以把它们收集关闭起来呢？

　　My heart is not mine to give to one only， it is given to the many.

　　我的心不容我只给一个人，它是要给与许多人的。

　　38

　　My love， once upon a time your poet launched a great epic in his mind.

　　我爱，从前有一天，你的诗人把一首伟大史诗投进他心里。

　　Alas， I was not careful， and it struck your ringing anklets and came to grief.

　　呵，我不小心，它打到你的丁当的脚镯上而引起悲愁。

　　It broke up into scraps of songs and lay scattered at your feet.

　　它裂成诗歌的碎片散洒在你的脚边。

　　All my cargo of the stories of old wars was tossed by the laughing waves and soaked in tears and sank.

　　我满载的一切古代战争的货物，都被笑浪所颠簸，被眼泪浸透而下沉。

　　You must make this loss good to me， my love.

　　你必须使这损失成为我的收获，我爱。

　　If my claims to immortal fame after death are shattered， make me immortal while I live.

　　如果我的死后不朽的荣名的希望都破灭了，那就在生前使我不朽吧。

　　And I will not mourn for my loss nor blame you.

　　我将不为这损失伤心，也不责怪你。

　　39

　　I try to weave a wreath all the morning， but the flowers slip and they drop out.

　　整个早晨我想编一个花环，但是花儿滑掉了。

　　You sit there watching me in secret through the corner of your prying eyes.

　　你坐在一旁偷偷地从侦伺的眼角看着我。

　　Ask those eyes， darkly planning mischief， whose fault it was.

　　问这一对沉黑的恶作剧的眼睛，这是谁的错。

　　I try to sing a song， but in vain.

　　我想唱一支歌，但是唱不出来。

　　A hidden smile trembles on your lips， ask of it the reason of my failure.

　　一个暗笑在你唇上颤动；你问它我失败的缘由。

　　Let your smiling lips say on oath how my voice lost itself in silence like a drunken bee in the lotus.

　　让你微笑的唇儿发一个誓，说我的歌声怎样地消失在沉默里，像一只在荷花里沉醉的蜜蜂。

　　It is evening， and the time for the flowers to chose their petals.

　　夜晚了，是花瓣合起的时候了。

　　Give me how to sit by your side， and bid my lips to do the work that can be done in silence and in dim light of stars.

　　容许我坐在你的旁边，容许我的唇儿做那在沉默中、在星辰的微光中能做的工作吧。