Thy dial how thy precious minutes waste;
The vacant leaves thy mind's imprint will bear,
And of this book this learning mayst thou taste.
The wrinkles which thy glass will truly show
Of mouthed graves will give thee memory;
Thou by thy dial's shady stealth mayst know
Time's thievish progress to eternity.
Look, what thy memory can not contain
Commit to these waste blanks, and thou shalt find
Those children nursed, deliver'd from thy brain,
To take a new acquaintance of thy mind.
These offices, so oft as thou wilt look,
Shall profit thee and much enrich thy book.
鏡子將告訴你朱顏怎樣消逝,
日規(guī)怎樣一秒秒耗去你的華年;
這白紙所要記錄的你的心跡
將教你細細玩味下面的教言。
你的鏡子所忠實反映的皺紋
將令你記起那張開口的墳墓;
從日規(guī)上陰影的潛移你將認清,
時光走向永劫的悄悄的腳步。
看,把記憶所不能保留的東西
交給這張白紙,在那里面你將
看見你精神的產兒受到撫育,
使你重新認識你心靈的本相。
這些日課,只要你常拿來重溫,
將有利于你,并豐富你的書本。