I do believe her, though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutor'd youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false speaking tongue:
On both sides thus is simple truth suppress'd.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie with her and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flatter'd be.
我愛人賭咒說她渾身是忠實(shí),
我相信她(雖然明知她在撒謊),
讓她認(rèn)為我是個(gè)無知的孩子,
不懂得世間種種騙人的勾當(dāng)。
于是我就妄想她當(dāng)我還年輕,
雖然明知我盛年已一去不復(fù)返;
她的油嘴滑舌我天真地信任:
這樣,純樸的真話雙方都隱瞞。
但是為什么她不承認(rèn)說假話?
為什么我又不承認(rèn)我已經(jīng)衰老?
愛的習(xí)慣是連信任也成欺詐,
老年談戀愛最怕把年齡提到。
因此,我既欺騙她,她也欺騙我,
咱倆的愛情就在欺騙中作樂。