若我是你，哦小蝴蝶

若我是你，哦小蝴蝶

 

若我是你，哦小蝴蝶，

会平衡紫翼去辨别

最甜蜜花的活与绝，

 

不会于此浪费力量，

像你——因夏已成过往，

紫罗兰雪里不开放。

 

若我是你，哦小工蜂，

我看到的蜂蜜之精，

吸于玫瑰多轻松，

 

不会建巢在人家门，

像你——商店的继承人

让他富有，让我清贫。

 

若我是你，骄傲的鹰，

并大声尖叫着雷声，

面对闪电来自云空，

 

不会建造鹰巢王座，

像你——石上摇摇欲落，

下一场风暴会倒堕

 

若我是你，英勇之骝

用奔蹄和飞舞头颅，

眼睛超越你的速度，

 

我不会屈服于缰绳，

沙漠的鼻息和不宁

像你——不能抚平鼻孔。

 

 

若我是你，哦红胸鸟，

听着窗户里的歌谣，

像爱的甜蜜推久了，

 

我不会过分乐观，

像你——但要乘着飞燕，

直到新春重新出现。

 

说话时，额头被触摸

一下，骄傲蒙受污浊

因此，想一想，天使说——

 

“若我是你唱着这歌，

对人最明智，最独特

是错误中看到正确，

 

“不会像你浪费关心，

选择失去必须找寻，

收益在使用中耗尽。

 

“不能胜处不去作战，

像你——悲伤和罪恶间，

上面观看，里面判断。

                                                                            

“不让脉搏跳得太满，

像你——走向名声威严，

没陷入爱情的巨险。

 

“不会为严寒而战斗。

而你——世界合适之物，

拿上帝的自由用度。

 

“不会用尽地球之冬，

像你——束紧我的魂灵，

为逝去和怀疑而生。

 

“唱吧，歌手！——不情之请，

兽、蝇和鸟，愚蠢被称，

（你曾嗤笑）你样聪明！”

 

 

 

If I were thou, O butterfly

 

If I were thou, O butterfly,

And poised my purple wing to spy

The sweetest flowers that live and die,

 

I would not waste my strength on those,

As thou -- for summer has a close,

And pansies bloom not in the snows.

 

If I were thou, O working bee,

And all that honey-gold I see,

Could delve from roses easily,

 

I would not hive it at man's door,

As thou -- that heirdom of my store

Should make him rich, and leave me poor.

 

If I were thou, O eagle proud,

And screamed the thunder back aloud,

And faced the lightning from the cloud,

 

I would not build my eyrie-throne,

As thou -- upon a crumbling stone,

Which the next storm may trample down

 

If I were thou, O gallant steed,

With pawing hoof, and dancing head,

And eye outrunning thine own speed,

 

I would not meeken to the rein,

As thou -- nor smooth my nostril plain

From the glad desert's snort and strain.

 

If I were thou, red-breasted bird,

With song at shut-up window heard,

Like Love's sweet yes too long deferred,

 

I would not overstay delight,

As thou -- but take a swallow-flight,

Till the new spring returned to sight.

 

While yet I spake, a touch as laid

Upon my brow, whose pride did fiule

And thus, methought, an angel said --

 

"If I were thou who sing'st this song,

Most wise for others, and most strong

In seeing right while doing wrong,

 

"I would not waste my cares, and choose,

As thou -- to seek what thou must lose,

Such gains as perish in the use.

 

"I would not work where none can win,

As thou -- half way 'twixt grief and sin,

But look above, and judge within.

 

"I would not let my pulse beat high,

As thou -- towards fame's regality,

Nor yet in love's great jeopardy.

 

"I would not champ the hard cold bit.

As thou -- of what the world thinks fit,

But take God's freedom, using it.

 

"I would not play earth's winter out,

As thou -- but gird my soul about,

And live for life past death aud doubt.

 

"Then sing, O singer ! -- but allow,

Beast, fly, and bird, called foolish now,

Are wise (for all thy scorn) as thou!"

 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), "Wisdom Unapplied", first published 1850