美女爭芳若霸王（七律）❶

亞歷山大•蒲伯

傅正明衍譯

美女爭芳若霸王，老來無友缺忠良，
退朝常懼失皇位，背信更憂歸大荒。
病染殘花人厭倦，香添初蓓蝶癲狂，
可憐春去誰珍惜，月照秋林薄命亡。

Alexander Pope(1688-1744)

Beauties, like tyrants, old and friendless grown,
Yet hate repose, and dread to be alone,
Worn out in public, weary ev'ry eye,
Nor leave one sigh behind them when they die.

❶ 節譯自英國詩人亞歷山大.蒲伯《詩函致各種人物：詩函二：致一位女士》（Epistles to Several Persons: Epistle II: To a Lady on the Characters of Women）。