How Do I Love Thee?

--by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.[1]

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

翻译者：袁蓓蕾

我有多么爱你，

请允许我逐一说起。

我爱你，

竭尽我灵魂所能企及之深邃，之高远

当你离我遥远，

你也将存在于上帝予我永恒的恩赐里；

我爱你，如同生命的必需

像熹微的晨光 抑或是夜晚摇曳的灯火

对于黑暗里，光明的意义；

我爱你，不受任何所束缚

就像人们奋不顾身，捍卫正义；

我爱你，以初生婴儿般的纯净

像人们沉醉于赞礼，不愿抽离；

我爱你，倾尽我此生最大的热情

当我坠入暮年，我依然爱你

如自童年坚守的信仰，路远而不忘初心；

我爱你，足以匹敌那已消逝了的往日对圣哲的倾慕

我爱你，如同呼吸、微笑和眼泪——早已融入我的生命

如果，上天给予我选择的权利，

当我的生命燃尽，

我依然选择——爱你。