By the Rivers of Babylon We Sat Down and Wept

　　(1815)

　　在巴比伦的河边我们坐下来哭泣

　　by Lord Byron

　　(1788-1824)

　　1

　　We sat down and wept by the waters

　　Of Babel, and thought of the day

　　When our foe, in the hue of his slaughters,

　　Made Salem's high places his prey;

　　And ye, oh her desolate daughters!

　　Were scattered all weeping away.

　　2

　　While sadly we gazed on the river

　　Which rolled on in freedom below,

　　They demanded the song; but, oh never

　　That triumph the stranger shall know!

　　May this right hand be withered for ever,

　　Ere it string our high harp for the foe!

　　3

　　On the willow that harp is suspended,

　　Oh Salem! its sound should be free;

　　And the hour when thy glories were

　　ended

　　But left me that token of thee:

　　And ne'er shall its soft tones be blended

　　With the voice of the spoiler by me!

　　在巴比伦的河边我们坐下来哭泣

　　一

　　在巴比伦的河边我们坐下来

　　悲痛地哭泣，我们想到那一天

　　我们的敌人如何在屠杀叫喊中，

　　焚毁了撒冷的高耸的神殿：

　　而你们，呵，她凄凉的女儿！

　　你们都号哭着四散逃散。

　　二

　　当我们忧郁地坐在河边

　　看着脚下的河水自由地奔流，

　　他们命令我们歌唱；呵，绝不！

　　我们绝不在这事情上低头！

　　宁可让这只右手永远枯瘦，

　　但我们的圣琴绝不为异族弹奏！

　　三

　　我把那竖琴悬挂在柳梢头，

　　噢，撒冷！它的歌声该是自由的；

　　想到你的光荣丧尽的那一刻，

　　却把你的这遗物留在我这里：

　　呵，我绝不使它优美的音调

　　和暴虐者的声音混在一起！

　　查良铮 译