如果
保罗·劳伦斯·邓巴

如果活着只是个梦，我的爱人，
那么死亡就是梦醒时分；
如果白昼没有一靥笑容，我的爱人，
那么黑夜失去了它的韵，——
这个世界只是空茫，一片空茫之地
储存不了一丝一缕的光明；
我定欲乞求你用一个亲吻
把我从睡梦中唤醒。

如果做梦只是白昼的累积，
那么相爱就是毒药；
如果为了桂冠的花环而战斗
能够抚慰一颗伤痛的心，——
我会蔑视武力带来的奖赏，
除却以上所有的目标
我会选择人类更高贵的权利，
去受难去爱！

IF
If life were but a dream, my Love,
   And death the waking time;
If day had not a beam, my Love,
   And night had not a rhyme,—
    A barren, barren world were this
     Without one saving gleam;
     I 'd only ask that with a kiss
     You 'd wake me from the dream.

If dreaming were the sum of days,
   And loving were the bane;
If battling for a wreath of bays
   Could soothe a heart in pain,—
    I 'd scorn the meed of battle's might,
     All other aims above
     I 'd choose the human's higher right,
     To suffer and to love!
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/If_(Dunbar)

欣赏佳作，和佳译。问好俞老师~

有道理，值得细品。