The Slaver in the broad lagoon
    Lay moored with idle sail;
    He waited for the rising moon
    And for the evening gale.
    奴隸販子把帆船停在
    寬闊的咸水湖中;
    他要等待上升的月亮,
    等待黃昏的海風(fēng).
    2
    Under the shore his boat was tied,
    And all her listless crew
    Watched the gray alligator slide，
    Into the still bayou.
    他的船拴在岸邊,那一群
    無精打采的水手
    注視著一條灰白的鱷魚
    游入靜靜的湖口.
    3
    Odours of orange-flowers and spice
    Reached them from time to time,
    Like the airs that breathing from
    Paradise
    Upon a world of crime.
    橙花和豆蔻的陣陣香氣
    飄送到他們身邊,
    有如天國的仙風(fēng)裊裊
    吹到罪惡的人間.
    4
    The Planter, under his roof of thatch,
    Smoked thoughtfully and slow;
    The Slaver’s thumb was on the latch,
    He seemed in haste to go.
    棕葉蓋頂?shù)奈堇?農(nóng)場主
    想著心事,抽著煙;
    奴隸販子,象急著要走,
    大拇指按著門閂.
    He said, “My ship at anchor rides
    In yonder broad lagoon;
    I only wait the evening tides
    And the rising of the moon.”
    他說:"我的帆船就停在
    寬闊的咸水湖上;
    我只等著晚上的潮水,
    等著上升的月亮."
    6
    Before them, with her face upraised,
    In timid attitude,
    Like one half curious, half amazed,
    A Quadroon maiden stood.
    他們面前,仰臉站著的
    是一個混血女郎,
    有幾分好奇,有幾分害怕
    怯生生可憐模樣.
    7
    Her eyes were large and full of light,
    Her arms and neck were bare;
    No garment she wore save a kirtle bright,
    And her own long, raven hair.
    她脖子、胳臂露在外邊,
    一雙眼又亮又大;
    身上除了那鮮明的袍子,
    只披著長長的黑發(fā).
    8
    And on her lips there played a smile，
    As holy, meek, and faint,
    As lights in some cathedral aisle
    The features of a saint.
    一絲笑意浮現(xiàn)在唇邊,
    圣潔、溫柔、恬淡,
    有如教堂廊道的燈火,
    有如圣者的容顏.
    “The soil is barren,——the farm is old;”
    The thoughtful Planter said;
    Then looked upon the Slaver’s gold,
    And then upon the maid.
    農(nóng)場主想著心事,叨咕著:
    "這農(nóng)場,地老,田荒;"
    他看看奴隸販子的金子,
    又看看身邊的女郎.
    10
    His heart within him was at strife
    With such accursed gains;
    For he knew whose passions gave her life,
    Whose blood ran in her veins.
    他心里有斗爭,曉得是罪孽:
    只有他,才最了解
    是誰的情欲給了她生命,
    他的血管里流著誰的血.
    11
    But the voice of nature was too weak;
    He took the glittering gold!
    Then pale as death grew the maiden’s cheek;
    Her hands as icy cold.
    可是天性的呼聲太微弱,
    他抓起亮晶晶的黃金!
    女郎的雙頰死一樣慘白,
    他兩手冷得象冰.
    12
    The Slaver led her from the door,
    He led her by the hand,
    To be his slave and paramour
    In a strange and distant land!
    奴隸販子拉著她的手,
    把她拉出了門口,
    帶她去隔山隔海的異鄉(xiāng),
    當(dāng)他的奴隸和姘頭!