"COME and hire me," I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road.
Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot.
He held my hand and said, "I will hire you with my power."
But his power counted for nought, and he went away in his chariot.
In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors.
I wandered along the crooked lane.
An old man came out with his bag of gold.
He pondered and said, "I will hire you with my money."
He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.
It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower.
The fair maid came out and said, "I will hire you with a smile."
Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark.
The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly.
A child sat playing with shells.
He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, "I hire you with nothing."
From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.
一天清晨，我沿着用石子铺成的路面上前行，我喊叫：“谁来雇佣我。”
这时，国王手里拿着剑，坐着他的龙凤玉辇向我走过来，
他握住我手说：“我用我的权利雇佣你。”
但他的权利于事无补，他只好驾着他的车子走了。
在一个炎热的中午，家家户户都房门不出，
我沿着弯弯曲曲的小巷踽踽独行，
一个老人手里拿着一袋黄金向我走过来，
他思忖着对我说：“我用我的金钱雇佣你。”
他不停的数着他的钱，我郁郁寡欢而去。
在一个黄昏，花园里的篱笆都开满了鲜花。
一个花容月貌的女子向我走过来，她对我说：“我用我的笑靥雇佣你。”
但她的笑靥苍白而融化成了泪珠，她孤身一人消失在的黑夜中。
阳光照射在沙滩上，任凭浪花四处飞溅，
一个小孩坐在那里正在玩贝壳，
他抬起他的头好像于我似曾相识，他对我说，我什么都没有我想雇佣你。
从此以后，在这个小孩的游戏中达成的协议是我成了一个自由的人。
