——最伟大的十首英文诗第二首——

圣诗十四行第十：死神，你别骄傲！

原作：约翰·邓恩
译者：寒峰

死神，你别骄傲！
你不像别人说的那样强大，能毁灭一切，
其实你名不副实。

你以为你能推翻所有人，
可怜的死神，死亡杀不了我。
死亡的景象如恬静的休眠，正是求之不得。
每个人都走这条路，早晚我要跟随我心仪的伟人，
与他们一样骸骨长眠，灵魂却得救。

你不过是奴隶，得听从命运的安排，
只有命运才能掌控机遇、国王和绝望的人，
你只能与监牢，战争和疾病为伍。
罂粟和魔法也能使我们安眠，比你能力超群，你有什么可自夸？
短暂的睡眠过后，我们醒来得永生，
死神不再有了，你必定死亡。

“Holy Sonnet 10: Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne (1572-1631)
Death, be not proud, though some have called theeMighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrowDie not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,And soonest our best men with thee do go,Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,And poppy or charms can make us sleep as wellAnd better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?One short sleep past, we wake eternallyAnd death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.