仰望星空

仰望星空

W.H.奧登

仰望群星的時分，我一清二楚，

儘管它們關懷備至，我亦有可能赴地府，

可是塵世間我們絲毫不必畏懼

人類或禽獸的那份冷漠。

倘若群星燃燒著關懷我們的激情，

我們卻無法回報，我們作何感想？

倘若無法產生同樣的感情，

讓我成為更有愛心的人。

儘管我自視為群星的崇拜者，

它們滿不在乎，

現在我看群星，我卻難以啟齒，

說我成天思念一顆星星。

倘若所有的星星消失或者消亡，

我應該學會仰望空蕩的天空，

同時感受天空一片漆黑的崇高，

雖然這樣可能要花費一點時間。

The More Loving One

Looking up at the stars, I know quite well

That, for all they care, I can go to hell,

But on earth indifference is the least

We have to dread from man or beast.

How should we like it were stars to burn

With a passion for us we could not return?

If equal affection cannot be,

Let the more loving one be me.

Admirer as I think I am

Of stars that do not give a damn,

I cannot, now I see them, say

I missed one terribly all day.

Were all stars to disappear or die,

I should learn to look at an empty sky

And feel its total dark sublime,

Tho徠ugh this might take me a little time.

1957

Copyright 1976