January 16th sixteen

How do I love thee (by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861))

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

譯文：我是怎樣的愛你?(伊麗莎白·勃朗寧)

我是怎樣的愛你?訴不盡萬語千言：

我愛你的程度是那樣地高深和廣遠，

恰似我的靈魂曾飛到了九天與黃泉，

去探索人生的奧妙，和神靈的恩典。

無論是白晝還是夜晚，我愛你不息，

像我每日必需的攝生食物不能間斷。

我純潔地愛你，不為奉承吹捧迷惑，

我勇敢地愛你，如同為正義而奮爭!

愛你，以昔日的劇痛和童年的忠誠，

愛你，以眼淚、笑聲及全部的生命。

要是沒有你，我的心就失去了圣賢，

要是沒有你，我的心就失去了激情。

假如上帝愿意，請為我作主和見證：

在我死后，我必將愛你更深，更深!