外国经典优美诗歌：最后的买卖

yuci010

　　"COME and hire me," I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road.
　　早晨，我在石铺的路上走时，我叫道：“谁来雇用我呀。”
& o7 E9 }& I* X4 c　　Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot.
　　皇帝坐着马车，手里拿着剑走来。
　　He held my hand and said, "I will hire you with my power."
　　他拉着我的手，说道：“我要用权力来雇用你。”
! a& n/ N6 M6 |% P6 B* ?6 j　　But his power counted for nought, and he went away in his chariot.
' h" x9 r( R9 I. u- [0 W5 _0 {　　但是他的权力算不了什么，他坐着马车走了。
　　In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors.
　　正午炎热的时候，家家户户的门都闭着。
2 T* |1 t& s' N4 ~2 b　　I wandered along the crooked lane.
　　我沿着屈曲的小巷走去。
' ^, y  o6 Y* M　　An old man came out with his bag of gold.
　　一个老人带着一袋金钱走出来。
　　He pondered and said, "I will hire you with my money."
　　他斟酌了一下，说道：“我要用金钱来雇用你。”
　　He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.
　　他一个一个地数着他的钱，但我却转身离去了。
+ B5 d5 U. s4 m, ]4 f* O: l/ z　　It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower.
　　黄昏了，花园的篱上满开着花。
$ H+ _; ]% ]$ e5 G6 A- Z: r5 l, O　　The fair maid came out and said, "I will hire you with a smile."
　　美人走出来，说道：“我要用微笑来雇用你。”
　　Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark.
　　她的微笑黯淡了，化成泪容了，她孤寂地回身走进黑暗里去。
( G9 |( n, Z( ~& V　　The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly.
　　太阳照耀在沙地上，海波任性地浪花四溅。
　　A child sat playing with shells.
　　一个小孩坐在那里玩贝壳。
　　He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, "I hire you with nothing."
+ d9 E: \( r* F( J: p! Y　　他抬起头来，好像认识我似的，说道：“我雇你不用什么东西。”
　　From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.
$ L1 l+ D! u& `) d　　从此以后，在这个小孩的游戏中做成的买卖，使我成了一个自由的人。