——E. B. Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
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 candle-light.
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.
勃朗寧夫人
我如何愛你,讓我訴訴衷腸:
我愛你至深至沉,已達我的靈魂
能達的極致,一旦你不在身邊,
我便覺末日來臨,主的恩慈已絕。
我愛你,就像對待陽光和燭火,
那是生活的必需,片刻不可分離。
我要傾情愛你,就像人追求自身權利;
我要虔誠愛你,一如教徒走出教堂。
我愛你,充滿激情和童年的向往,
那激情曾伴隨我度過往日的憂悒。
我愛你,充滿眷戀,生怕它轉(zhuǎn)眼消失,
連同我的天使——我愛你永生永世,
憑我的呼吸、微笑和淚水——如果上帝愿意,
等我死后,我還要加倍愛你。
* * *
[1]此詩為《葡萄牙人十四行詩》第43首。