Love’s Witness

Slight unpremeditated Words are borne

By every common Wind into the Air;

Carelessly utter’d, die as soon as born，

And in one instant give both Hope and Fear：

Breathing all Contraries with the same Wind

According to the Caprice of the Mind.

But Billetdoux are constant Witnesses，

Substantial Records to Eternity;

Just Evidences，who the Truth confess,

On which the Lover safely may rely;

They’re serious Thoughts，digested and resolv’d;

And last，when Words are into Clouds devolv’d.

不加思索的輕率話語，

被每一次平凡的呼吸載入空氣;

隨便說說，剛出口即消失，

一瞬間給人希望和恐懼：

同一氣息呼出萬般矛盾心腸，

追隨心靈無常的遐想。

但情書則是恒常的見證，

直至永恒的實體記錄;

公道的證物，它道出真誠，

戀人能在其上安心依附;

它們是嚴肅的思想，經過深思熟慮;

當話語在云外消失，它們還將延續(xù)。