《最后的诗歌》

V

第五首

掷弹兵

GRENADIER

英国   A. E. 豪斯曼原著

Alfred Edward Housman (1859 – 1936)

徐家祯翻译

The Queen she sent to look for me,

      The sergeant he did say,

`Young man, a soldier will you be

      For thirteen pence a day?'

For thirteen pence a day did I

      Take off the things I wore,

And I have marched to where I lie,

      And I shall march no more.

My mouth is dry, my shirt is wet,

      My blood runs all away,

So now I shall not die in debt

      For thirteen pence a day.

To-morrow after new young men

      The sergeant he must see,

For things will all be over then

      Between the Queen and me.

And I shall have to bate my price,

      For in the grave, they say,

Is neither knowledge nor device

      Nor thirteen pence a day.