The Soote Season
Herry Howard
The soote season, that bud and bloom forth brings,
With green hath and the hill and eke the vale;
The nightingale with feathers new she sings;
The turtle to her mate hath told her tale.
Summer is come, for every spray now spings;
The hart hath hung his old head on the pale;
The buck in brake his winter coat he flings;
The fishes float with new repair’d scale;
The adder all her slough away she slings;
The swift swallow pursueth the flies’ small;
The busy bee her honey now she mings.
Winter is worn, that was the flowers’ bale.
And thus I see among these pleasant things,
Each care decays, and yet my sorrow spings.
温和的季节
亨利·霍华德
温和的季节,催生叶芽和花蕾,
绿树青草覆盖了山峦和山谷,
换上新羽毛的夜莺把歌声放飞,
斑鸠对她的伴侣倾诉心曲。
夏日来临,繁花茂叶压弯了树枝根根,
雄鹿把他暗褐色的角挂上篱桩,
公羊把他的冬装遗弃于灌木丛,
披上新鳞的鱼儿漂浮在水上。
蛇儿蜕去她的旧皮,
轻捷的燕子追逐着小小的苍蝇,
忙碌的蜜蜂正在酿造花蜜,
严冬,戕害花儿的凶煞,如今筋疲力尽。
目光所至,万物一片生机,一览无余,
忧郁的事在消亡,悲哀依然袭上我的心头。