Shall I, Wasting in Despair
Shall I, wasting in despair,
Die because a woman’s fair ?
Or make pale my cheeks with care
’Cause another’s rosy are ?
Be she fairer than the day
Or the flowery meads in May,
If she thinks not well of me
What care I how fair she be ?
Shall my foolish heart be pined
’Cause I see a woman kind;
Or a well disposed nature
Joined with a lovely feature ?
Be she meeker, kinder than
Turtle-dove or pelican,
If she be not so to me
What care I how kind she be ?
Shall a woman’s virtues move
Me to perish for her love ?
Or her well-deservings known
Make me quite forget mine own ?
Be she with that goodness blest
Which may merit name of best,
If she be not such to me,
What care I how good she be ?
’Cause her fortune seems so high,
Shall I play the fool and die ?
She that bears a noble mind
If not outward helps she find,
Thinks what with them he would do
Who without them dares her woo;
And unless that mind I see,
What care I how great she be ?
Great or good, or kind or fair,
I will ne’er the more despair;
If she love me, this believe,
I will die, ere she shall grieve;
If she slight me when I woo,
I can scorn and let her go,
For if she be not for me,
What care I for whom she be ?
岂能
岂能为一位美女赴死,
空耗我一生的时光?
岂能因牵挂那玫瑰般的容颜,
就让自己的面颊变得苍黄?
即使她娇媚胜过五月鲜花盛开的草原,
即使她灿烂有如阳光,
如果她对我并无情意,
我又何必管她有多漂亮?
岂能因看到一位女子的仁爱,
就让我失去理智念念不忘?
岂能因她的容貌仪态,
就让我盲目地心驰神往?
即使她比斑鸠温柔,
即使她比塘鹅慈祥,
如果她对我并非如此,
我又何必管她有多善良?
岂能因一位女子的德行,
就让我去为爱殉葬?
岂能因她有众人称道的名誉,
就让我自愧毫无声望?
即使她美德清纯,
即使她值得最高的赞扬,
如果她对我不以礼相待,
我又何必管她有多辉煌?
岂能因她高贵的身价,
就让我舍生忘死晕头转向?
她若有崇高的思想就该设身处地,
在人们的胸中燃起情感的希望,
有望的人才有信心,
无助的人谁有追求她的胆量?
除非我看清她的真心,
我又何必管她有多高尚?
高贵、辉煌,美丽、善良,
对这些我并未失望,
她如爱我便一切是真,
我宁死也不会让她悲伤;
如果她蔑视我的求婚,
那我就不屑再看她的模样,
既然她不属我,
她属何人我又何必放在心上?
乔治·威瑟(George Wither 1588—1667)英国诗人 诗人有独特的爱情价值观。无论女子多么高贵、辉煌、美丽、善良,都果断处之,绝无半点拖泥带水。爱我,便一切是真,为她赴汤蹈火也在所不辞;不爱我,便毅然了断,丝毫不再放在心上。