The Cotton Tree
棉花树
Sing well fare the cotton-tree!
一起来祝愿棉花树
Bravely may it grow，
长大吧，发出勇气的光彩！
Bearing in its seeded pod
让种荚里藏身的棉朵，
Cotton white as snow!
像雪花一般洁白！
Spin the cotton into thread;
把棉絮纺成丝线，
Weave it in the loom;
把丝线织成布匹；
Wear it now, thou little child,
小朋友，把它穿上吧，
In thy happy home.
在你快乐的家里
Thou hast worn it well and long;
整天在身上的衣服
Are its uses past?
就是棉花最后的用途？
No; this well-worn cotton thing
错了，这穿破了的东西
Is a book at last.
还能让我们阅读,，
Sort and grind to pulp the rags;
挑出破布，捣成纸浆，
Weave the paper fair;
再凝成白纸一张张，
Now it only waits for words
如今只等着文字，
To be printed there.
印上去散发着墨香
Words from God to man sent down
天地给人的启示，
May those pages show;
就在这书两上存在，
Sing well fare the cotton-tree!
一起来祝愿棉花树
Bravely may it grow!
长大吧，发出勇气的光彩