A nightingale made a mistake;
一只夜莺，露了丑，
She sang a few notes out of tune:
刚开口唱歌，就跑了调，
Her heart was ready to break,
它的心儿，就要碎了，
And she hid away from the moon.
连忙赶紧，躲开月亮。
She wrung her claws, poor thing,
不小心还扭了脚，这可怜家伙，
But was far too proud to weep;
是否太过骄傲，大哭一场，
She tucked her head under her wing,
反正，它将头蜷缩翼翅下，
And pretended to be asleep.
装模作样地睡着了。
A lark, arm in arm with a thrush,
云雀和画眉，肩并肩，
Came sauntering up to the place;
蹒跚走过来，查看究竟，
The nightingale felt herself blush,
夜莺捂住，羞红的脸，
Though feathers hid her face;
虽然羽毛遮住，心中胆怯，
She knew they had heard her song,
它知道，鸟儿听见自己歌唱，
She felt them snicker and sneer;
叽喳嘲笑，犹如芒刺，
She thought that life was too long,
它讨厌憎恨，时光漫长，
And wished she could skip a year.
一年眨眼过去，该有多棒！
"O nightingale!" cooed a dove;
“哦，夜莺”，一只鸽子咕咕叫，
O nightingale! what's the use?
有什么大事不得了？
You bird of beauty and love,
你那么漂亮，又可爱，
Why behave like a goose?
何必，像那些粗鄙家鹅？
Don't sulk away from our sight,
别躲在旮旯里，生闷气，
Like a common, contemptible fowl;
也不要小鸡肚肠，没度量，
You bird of joy and delight,
你应该，开心更快乐，
Why behave like an owl?
为什么，不学学猫头鹰？
Only think of all you have done;
只要想一想，你所做的，
Only think of all you can do;
再思忖看看，你能做的，
A false note is really fun,
唱错了调，无关紧要，
From such a bird as you!
权当有趣，一笑别过。
Lift up your proud little crest,
耸起你，那骄傲鸟冠，
Open your musical beak;
打开你，美丽的喙角，
Other birds have to do their best,
鸟儿们，竭力帮助你，
You need only to speak!
不妨，亮开歌喉再唱歌。
The nightingale shyly took her head from under her wing,
夜莺，羞愧地，从翼翅里，抬起头，
And, giving the dove a look,
感激中，看了鸽子一眼，
Straightway began to sing.
蓦然间，亮开嗓门，
There was never a bird could pass;
鸟儿，纷纷飞来驻足，
The night was divinely calm;
夜晚，霎时庄严静穆，
And the people stood on the grass
草地上，人群安静伫立，
To hear that wonderful psalm.
聆听那，质朴无华的圣歌。
The nightingale did not care,
夜莺，不再害怕，
She only sang to the skies;
它的歌声，渐次上扬回旋，
Her song ascended there,
它的目光，悠然攀升，
And there she fixed her eyes.
伴随着，响彻入云骄傲，
The people that stood below,
歌声拂过，娴静无边夜色。
She knew but little about;
夜莺，或许茫然不知，
And this tale has a moral, I know,
这篇故事，包含人生箴言，
If you'll try and find it out.
只要尝试，奇迹不难发现。
