O truant Muse, what shall be thy amends
For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyed?
Both truth and beauty on my love depends;
So dost thou too, and therein dignified.
Make answer, Muse. Wilt thou not haply say
“Truth needs no color with his color fixed,
Beauty no pencil beauty's truth to lay;
But best is best if never intermixed?”
Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?
Excuse not silence so, for 't lies in thee
To make him much outlive a gilded tomb
And to be praised of ages yet to be.
Then do thy office, Muse;I teach thee how
To make him seem long hence as he shows now.
繆斯呀,對浸染于美中的真,
你怠慢了,這過錯如何補償?
真和美依憑我的愛人而生,
你也是,憑他你才顯得高尚。
說話呀,繆斯!你是不是想說:
“真正的本色用不著再裝點,
美和美中之真,用不著補裰,
只要不摻假,至善就是至善”?
你的沉默,就因他無須嘉許?
別找借口了,因為你有責任
使他長壽,超過金砌的陵墓,
讓他世世代代享有贊美聲。
履行職責吧,繆斯!今之麗質(zhì)
如何傳之久遠,這我可教你。