( The Seven Ages of Man - Painted By William Mulready - 1836-1838)
出自于莎士比亚的剧作As You Like It（皆大欢喜）的第二幕第七场
The Seven Ages of Man
All the world's a stage,
大千世界是个舞台,
And all the men and women merely players;
所有男男女女不外是戏子;
They have their exits and their entrances;
各有登场和退场,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
一生扮演着那么些角色,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
七样年龄分七幕.首先是婴儿,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms;
在奶妈怀中啼哭着,呕吐着。
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
接着是怨天尤人的小学生,背着书包,
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
挂着洁亮晨光的面孔,象蜗牛般
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
勉强爬行上学。跟着是情人,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
叹息得象锅炉,专为情妇的
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
娥眉作悲歌。随后是士兵,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the leopard,
胡子象豹的, 满是新奇的骂人话,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
吵架时鲁莽冲动,却热衷荣誉,
Seeking the bubble reputation
追求那泡沫般的名声
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
连火炮口也不怕。然后是法官,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
那好圆的肚子用上等的阉鸡填满,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
眼色严峻,胡须正经,
Full of wise saws and modern instances；
多的是智慧的格言,日常的事例 ——
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
演着自己。第六样年龄
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
化作瘦削的,穿拖鞋的傻老头,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
鼻子戴眼镜, 身边挂钱袋;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
好好的储存的年少时代的裤子,
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
对收缩了的小腿，已太宽松; 雄壮的嗓子
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
转向小孩的高音,听来
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
象打呼哨。最后的一场戏 ——
That ends this strange eventful history,
结束这变化莫测的戏剧的一场 ——
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
是再来的幼稚,全然的健忘,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing.
没牙齿,没眼力,没口味,没一切。