貢中元的部落格

Sonnet 28 　How can I then return in happy plight　接第27 首，十一言

How can I then return in happy plight,

我能休息的好處已被剝削，
That am debarred the benefit of rest?

怎樣才能回到那快樂境界？
When day's oppression is not eas'd by night,

只有白天與晚上相互煎熬，
But day by night and night by day oppressed,

只有(日日夜夜)日復一日地受煎熬

日間的壓迫，夜間無法舒解，
And each, though enemies to either's reign,

日和夜各自統治，相互敵仇，
Do in consent shake hands to torture me,

為了折磨我，卻同意握手，
The one by toil, the other to complain

ㄧ個用辛勞，另ㄧ個用抱怨，
How far I toil, still farther off from thee.

不管我多辛苦，仍離你很遠。

I tell the day, to please him thou art bright,

我取悅白天，說他多麼光(聰)明，
And dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven:

而烏雲蔽天時，他仍然耀眼(仍賜他恩典)：
So flatter I the swart-complexion'd night,

(當)非你鍍金的星光纏繞(著)蒼穹(星辰)，
When sparkling stars twire not thou gild'st the even.

夜晚的黝黑,讓我如此受寵。

But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer,

 但白天經常拉長我的苦憂，
　And night doth nightly make grief's length seem stronger.

而晚上讓黑暗增加了思愁。

第一句與第二句, 第三與第四句, 第十一句與第十二句,  互調。

 第十一, 十二句直譯，當不是被你鍍金的星光,閃閃纏繞著夜晚

( 是夜晚的黝黑彰顯了星光) 黝黑的夜晚讓我如此受寵。twire =twine