LOVE (III)
by George Herbert


Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.

"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.

愛對我致以歡迎，然而我的靈魂卻退縮了
因著塵與罪感到愧疚
但敏銳的愛在我剛進門時就發現了我的遲疑
他更靠近我，親切的詢問
是否我缺了些什麼

“一個客人” 我回答 “有資格在這兒的客人”
愛說“那就是你啊”
“我？這般冷酷？不懂感恩的我？啊我親愛的，我不敢正視你啊！”
愛牽起我的手，微笑回答，
“你的眼睛不也是我創造的嗎？”

“是的，我的主啊，但是我已經傷害了它們，就讓我的羞愧到它應得的地方去吧”
“你知道你並沒有” 愛說 “有誰當為此被責備呢？”
"我親愛的，那我將服從”
“坐下吧” 愛說 “並品嚐我的真實”
於是我照做了