Because I Could Not Stop for Death

Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death —

He kindly stopped for me —

The Carriage held but just Ourselves —

And Immortality.

We slowly drove — He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility —

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess — in the Ring —

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain —

We passed the Setting Sun —

Or rather — He passed Us —

The Dews drew quivering and Chill —

For only Gossamer, my Gown —

My Tippet — only Tulle —

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground —

The Roof was scarcely visible —

The Cornice — in the Ground —

Since then — 'tis Centuries — and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity —

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste,

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school where children played,

Their lessons scarcely done;

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries; but each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

译本一

因为我不能等待死亡

江枫

因为我不能等待死亡

他体贴地停下来等我

马车只载着我们两个

还有永生。

我们慢慢行进——

他从不着急

我放下了我的工作，

我的闲暇，

为了他的善意。

我们路过学校，孩子们

在操场上——游戏

我们路过凝视的麦田

我们路过西沉的落日

毋宁说，落日路过我们

露水让我直打寒颤

我只穿了一件丝衣

和薄纱的披肩

我们在一间房子前停下

像是地上的小丘

屋顶几乎看不见

泥土——快盖过了檐口

许多世纪——过去了

可是

感觉比一天还短

我这才怀疑我们到达的

是无限的时间。

译本二

因为我不能停下来等死

徐淳刚

因为我不能停下来等死

他亲切地停下来等我

只有我俩，和不朽

乘着一辆四轮马车。

我们缓缓前行-他不慌不忙

而我也放弃

我的劳碌和安闲

为了他的彬彬有礼

我们经过学校，孩子们正在

课间休息—尽情嬉戏—

我们经过田野凝望谷物

我们经过落日余晖

确切而言，是他经过了我们

那露水带来袭人的寒气

打湿我，轻飘的披肩

如此单薄—仅有的纱衣

我们停在一间屋前，看似

一个隆起的地面

檐口—在地上

屋顶，几乎看不见

此去—若干世纪—但却

比那天短促

我第一次猜出，马头

朝向不朽—