But war is pain, and hate is woe. Come in thy lowest form of love, and I will kneel and kiss thee; but at thy highest, come as mere supernal power; and though thou launchest navies of full-freighted worlds, there's that in here that still remains indifferent. Oh, thou clear spirit, of thy fire thou madest me, and like a true child of fire, I breathe it back to thee.
不过，战争是苦痛的，憎恨是悲哀的。如果你哪怕以最起码的爱的形式来对待我，我就会跪倒下来吻着你；可是，如果你只是以至高的权力来压我；尽管你出动全部装备充足的海军，我们这里还是不为所动。你这个真神呵，你用火把我造了出来，我就要象火神的真正的孩子一样，把火给你吹回去。
(Sudden, repeated flashes of lightning; the nine flames leap lengthwise to thrice their previous height; Ahab, with the rest, closes his eyes, his right hand pressed hard upon them.)
（火光突然一再闪烁；那九股火焰直往上冲，比原先高了三倍；亚哈和其余的人们，都紧闭眼睛，他右手紧蒙着双眼。）
I own thy speechless, placeless power; said I not so? Nor was it wrung from me; nor do I now drop these links. Thou canst blind; but I can then grope. Thou canst consume; but I can then be ashes. Take the homage of these poor eyes, and shutter-hands. I would not take it. The lightning flashes through my skull; mine eyeballs ache and ache; my whole beaten brain seems as beheaded, and rolling on some stunning ground. Oh, oh! Yet blindfold, yet will I talk to thee. Light though thou be, thou leapest out of darkness; but I am darkness leaping out of light, leaping out of thee!
我承认你具有说不出的。摸不准的权力，我刚才不是这样说过嘛？这可不是我硬挤出来的话；我这会儿也不放下这些链环了。你能够使人瞎眼；我只能摸索着走。你能够烧尽烧光，我只能化成灰。请接受这双可怜的手和遮掩着的眼睛的敬意吧。我决不僭越。火光照穿了我的脑壳；我的眼球痛得难耐；我整个受伤的脑袋直象被砍了下来，在一种使人立不住脚的地上滚来滚去。啊，啊，尽管我眼睛看不清楚，我还是要跟你说话。虽然你是火光，是从黑暗中跳出来的；我却是从火光中跳出来的黑暗，是从你那里面跳出来的黑暗！