愛 (III)
喬治·赫伯特, 1593 - 1633

愛向我招手，我的靈魂卻因
骯臟和罪惡而退縮。
但眼光敏銳的愛，察覺到我
自第一次接近就有的懈怠。
愛靠的更近，柔聲詢問
是否少了什么重要之物。

“一個應(yīng)該在這里的人。”
然而你就是那個人。
“無情又忘恩的我？
我未敢如此奢望過?！?br> 握住了手，微笑作答，
“除我還有誰創(chuàng)造了眼睛？”

“真理，上帝”可是我卻玷污了；
請讓我的羞恥躲在無人之處。
“你不會如此，誰又會盯著過失？”
“那請讓我臣服于您?！?br> “你當(dāng)坐下，這樣才是愛”
果然這才是愛。

Love (III)
George Herbert, 1593 - 1633

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.

“A guest," I answered, “worthy to be here”:
Love said, “You shall be he.”
“I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on thee.”
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
“Who made the eyes but I?”

“Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.”
“And know you not," says Love, “who bore the blame?”
“My dear, then I will serve.”
“You must sit down," says Love, “and taste my meat.”
So I did sit and eat.