夜来起狂风，
窗户皆震动。
守财奴陡然惊醒，
往复徘徊静室中。
转头看看背后，
边踱步，边颤惊。
查遍每道闩，每个锁，
探遍每个角落每条缝；
然后打开藏宝箱，
欣赏聚敛得意忘形。
蓦地良心猛省；
他搓著双手又捶胸。
他狂张著双睛，
罪咎的灵魂宣判发声：
大地若是保守那些矿藏，
我心深处也保得平安宁静；
但如今，品德已经卖空！
天啊，什么代价能补偿罪恶的伤痛？
噢，致命的黄金，引诱欺蒙，
人，软弱的人，
怎能战胜你的权能？
黄金从思想中赶走了荣誉，
只剩得一个虚名；
黄金在世上撒遍恶种，
黄金叫凶手去行凶；
黄金指引懦夫的心，
教他奸诈权术与败行。
邪恶多得谁能算清？
道德却在地上绝了影踪！ |
The wind was high,
The window shakes;
With sudden start,
The Miser wakes!
Along the silent room he stalks;
Looks back, and trembles as he walks!
Each lock and every bolt he tries,
In every creek and corner pries;
Then opens his chest with treasure stored,
And stands in rapture o'er his hoard:
But now with sudden qualms possest,
He wrings his hands, he beats his breast.
By conscience stung he wildly stares;
Thus his guilty soul declares.
Had the deep earth her stores confin'd,
The heart had known sweet peace of mind,
But virtue's sold!
Good heavens! what price
Can recompense the pangs of vice?
O bane of gold! seducing cheat!
Can man, weak man, thy pow'r defeat?
Gold banished honour from the mind,
And only left the name behind;
Gold sow'd the world with every ill;
Gold taught the murderer's sword to kill:
'Twas gold instructed coward hearts
In treachery's more pernicious arts.
Who can recount the mischiefs o'er?
Virtue resides on earth no more! |
