英文

As a fond mother, when the day is o'er,

Leads by the hand her little child to bed,

Half willing, half reluctant to be led,

And leave his broken playthings on the floor,

Still gazing at them through the open door,

Nor wholly reassured and comforted

By promises of others in their stead,

Which, though more splendid, may not please him more;

So Nature deals with us, and takes away

Our playthings one by one, and by the hand

Leads us to rest so gently, that we go

Scarce knowing if we wish to go or stay,

Being too full of sleep to understand

How far the unknown transcends the what we know.

参考译文

像一位慈爱的母亲，在夜幕来临之际

牵着孩子的手儿，领他上床歇息;

孩子半情愿半勉强，随她而去，

边走边不住地望向门外。

摔坏的玩具放在地上，

尽管允诺给他买新的，

还是不完全放心，不尽然满意--

代替品虽好，他却未必更喜欢。

造化亦是如此，

将我们的玩具一个个拿走，

牵着手，温柔地领我们入眠，

于是我们去了，不知愿意与否。

睡意蒙眬，竟不知

未知的胜过我们所知的有几分。