When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced
曾见过时间的毒手跋扈飞扬，
The rich proud cost of outworn buried age;
抹掉前代留下的豪华与荣光；
When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed
曾见过高楼俄倾成平地，
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
浩劫尘封了铁壁铜墙。
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
曾见过饥海层翻滚滚浪，
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
吞蚀了周遭沃土岸边王；
And the firm soil win of the watery main,
转眼陆地又反攻侵大海，

Increasing store with loss and loss with store;
唉，这念头令我死一般迷茫，
When I have seen such interchange of state,
得失盈亏无常事，几度沧桑。
Or state itself confounded to decay;
睁泪眼强抓住惟恐失掉的情郎，
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate,
看透了天道循环无止歇，
That Time will come and take my love away.
今日伟大风光，难免他日凄凉。
This thought is as a death, which cannot choose
天灾人祸，忍教我细细思量，
But weep to have that which it fears to lose.
时辰若到，我的爱终究水涸苍江。