Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth,
可怜的灵魂,罪恶躯体的中心,
these rebel powers that thee array;
反叛的情欲缠绕着你全身,
Why dost thou pine within and suffer dearth,
为什么你这样深心里强忍饥寒,
Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?
却又竭力在躯壳上涂脂抹粉?
Why so large cost, having so short a lease,
人生苦短,又何须惜这副臭皮囊,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?
为它花尽你库藏的金银?
Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,
到头来,无非是尸虫承继你的豪奢,
Eat up thy charge? is this thy body's end?
饕餮你的贵体,敢问皮囊安存?
Then soul, live thou upon thy servant's loss,
灵魂啊,你何妨借躯壳的损耗而偷生,
And let that pine to aggravate thy store;
他会瘦,但却增加你库内的收成:
Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;
用时间的碎银买进永生,
Within be fed, without be rich no more:
休管那堂堂仪表,只要能喂饱灵魂。
So shalt thou feed on Death, that feeds on men,
于是你将吃掉以人为食的死神,
And Death once dead, there's no more dying then.
死神一死,世上就不再有死亡发生。