龙萨是一位法国著名的爱情诗人，也是最早用法语写作的诗人之一，他为后世留下了一部古典与爱情完美结合的诗集。龙萨(1524-1585)在他19岁的时候成为了一名神职人员，每个月的俸禄使他可以专注于创作而无须为生活担忧。对美丽的卡桑德拉(Cassandre)的爱慕，激发了龙萨的创作灵感;他在1552年为自己的女神写下了著名的十四行诗《爱情》。因为作品大获成功，龙萨从此便被承认了作家的身份，并被公认为卓越的爱情诗人。《当你老了》下面是两个版本的英语翻译，叶芝也有诗歌名为《当你老了》。

When You Are 0ld - Pierre De Ronsard 英译版1

When you are very old, and in your chair

At eve, beside the fire, your shuttle ply,

Singing my verses, you amazed will cry,

‘ Ronsard proclaimed my charms when I was fair. ‘

No servant then hearing you thus declare

(Though o’er her labours toiling drowsily)

But at my name her weariness will fly,

Blessing your name with praise all time shall spare.

I shall a boneless ghost lie ‘ neath the ground,

My rest by myrtle shades for ever found,

And you will o’er your fire crouch old and gray,

My love regretting and your scornful hate.

Trust me, live now, nor for to-morrow wait,

But pluck life’s roses while it is to-day.

When You Are 0ld - Pierre De Ronsard 英译版2

When you are old, at evening candle-lit

beside the fire bending to your wool,

read out my verse and murmur, "Ronsard writ

this praise for me when I was beautiful."

And not a maid but, at the sound of it,

though nodding at the stitch on broidered stool,

will start awake, and bless love’s benefit

whose long fidelities bring Time to school.

I shall be thin and ghost beneath the earth

by myrtle shade in quiet after pain,

but you, a crone, will crouch beside the hearth

mourning my love and all your proud disdain.

And since what comes to-morrow who can say?

Live, pluck the roses of the world to-day.”

当你老了---龙萨

当你老了，暮色里将蜡烛点燃

在炉火旁边纺着毛衣

读起我的诗篇，低声抱怨道：

“当我年轻美貌时，龙萨曾写诗赞美我”

你那些矮凳上劳累得昏然欲睡的女仆们

听到这声音

无一不被惊醒，惊羡你曾有幸

受到他的赞美，在这样的赞美里得到永恒

那时我或许已是地下消瘦的鬼魂

挣脱了苦痛，静静地在桃树的树阴下安眠

而你，也已是炉火旁一个佝偻的老妇

懊悔昔日竟骄傲地藐视我的爱谁能说准明天会是什么光景

生活着，趁今朝还在，赶紧去采摘那玫瑰