To communicate with Mars, converse with spirits,
跟火星通话,与神灵交谈,
To report the behaviour of the sea monster,
报告海妖的行为,
Describe the horoscope, haruspicate or scry,
观测天象预卜未来,查看祭牲的内脏以释神谕,
Observe disease in signatures, evoke
或从水晶球中观察幻象,
Biography from the wrinkles of the palm
从签名的笔迹看出病症,从手掌的纹路
And tragedy from fingers; release omens
追溯身世经历和从手指想起悲惨不幸;
By sortilege, or tea leaves, riddle the inevitable
用签卜或茶叶祛除凶兆,用纸牌解释
With playing cards, fiddle with pentagrams
不可避免的事故,揣摩五角星形的图象
Or barbituric acids, or dissect
或靠服巴比妥酸打发日子,或把反复出现的想象
The recurrent image into pre-conscious terrors -
解析为前意识的各种恐惧——
To explore the womb, or tomb, or dreams; all these are usual
由此探索出生、死亡或梦境;所有这些
Pastimes and drugs, and features of the press:
都是平素的消遣和药物、报刊的特写报道,
And always will be, some of them especially
而且也将永远如此,其中有些尤其如此,
When there is distress of nations and perplexity
当国家陷入危难和困惑不决的时候,
Whether on the shores of Asia, or in the Edgware Road.
不论是在亚洲的海岸还是在艾琪韦尔大街。
Men's curiosity searches past and future
人们的好奇心总爱探究过去和未来,
And clings to that dimension. But to apprehend
而且在这方面锲而不舍。但是领悟
The point of intersection of the timeless
那无始无终与时间的交叉点,
With time, is and occupation for the saint -
却是圣者的职业——
No occupation either, but something given
也不是职业,
And taken, in a lifetime's death in love,
而是他们为了爱、热忱、无私和自我屈从
Ardour and selflessness and self-surrender.
而殉道的一生中的一种给予和取受。