When you are old

When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moment of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
当你老了，白发苍苍，昏昏欲睡，
在炉火边打盹，请取下这部诗歌，
慢慢读，回忆你过去的眼神柔和，
回想它们过去浓重的阴影。
多少人爱慕你年轻欢畅的时候，
爱慕你的美貌虚情或是出于真心。
但只有一个人爱慕你那朝圣者的灵魂，
爱慕你老去容颜皱纹上的岁月。
躬身在红火闪耀的炉边，
凄然低语，爱为何消逝的如此快，
在头顶的山上，它缓缓踱着步子，
将脸隐没与群星之中。