幸福なる老境 (The Old Man's Comforts and How He Gained Them)
ロバート・サウジー(Robert Southey)
古老どの 御老境にてあらせられ 髪も灰にと染まるるに なお健やかにおわするは 如何なる故かお教えを
若者よ 力は限り在るものと 己が心に留め置きて みだりに費やさざりしかば 老境にても失せざらん
古老どの 若かりし日の喜びも 歳ふるとともに去り行くに 過ぎし日々をば嘆かぬは 如何なる故かお教えを
若者よ 若き日々とは束の間と 己が心に留め置きて 先をば望みて歩むれば 過ぎし日々には囚われん
古老どの この世の人のはかなさを 思えば心沈むるに 死も朗らかに語るとは 如何なる故かお教えを
若者よ 御父は常におわすると 己が心に留め置きて 御心信じ給われば 余命も不安あらざらん
“You are old, father William,”the young man cried, “The few locks which are left you are grey; You are hale, father William, a hearty old man; Now tell me the reason, I pray.”
“In the days of my youth,”father William replied, “I remember'd that youth would fly fast, And abus'd not my health and my vigour at first, That I never might need them at last.”
“You are old, father William,”the young man cried, “And pleasures with youth pass away. And yet you lament not the days that are gone; Now tell me the reason I pray.”
“In the days of my youth,”father William replied, “I remember'd that youth could not last; I thought of the future, whatever I did, That I never might grieve for the past.”
“You are old, father William,”the young man cried, “And life must be hast'ning away; You are cheerful and love to converse upon death; Now tell me the reason, I pray.”
“I am cheerful, young man,”father William replied, “Let the cause thy attention engage; In the days of my youth I remember'd my God! And He hath not forgotten my age”
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