If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way;
For then despite of space I would be brought,
From limits far remote where thou dost stay.
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the farthest earth removed from thee;
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land
As soon as think the place where he would be.
But ah! thought kills me that I am not thought,
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,
But that so much of earth and water wrought
I must attend time's leisure with my moan,
Receiving nought by elements so slow
But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.
假如我这笨拙的体质是思想，
不做美的距离就不能阻止我，
因为我就会从那迢迢的远方，
无论多隔绝，被带到你的寓所。
那么，纵使我的腿站在那离你
最远的天涯，对我有什么妨碍？
空灵的思想无论想到达哪里，
它立刻可以飞越崇山和大海。
但是唉，这思想毒杀我：我并非思想，
能飞越辽远的万里当你去后；
而只是满盛着泥水的钝皮囊，
就只好用悲泣去把时光伺候；
这两种重浊的元素毫无所赐
除了眼泪，二者的苦恼的标志。