我在想，是翻译成古体好，还是自由体好？
也欢迎各位尝试一下。

开玩笑吧？

哇，很有名的诗，要翻好着实不易。等着欣赏大神的杰作。

A.E. Housman 是剑桥的教授，专业是拉丁经典。业余写了一个诗集，A Shropshire Lad， 却被出版商退稿，一气之下，自费出版。开始销路也不好，但慢慢地获得不少的口碑，开始出名。尤其是第一次世界大战以后，更是畅销。其中原因之一，就是因为这首诗： To an Athlete Dying Young, 《致一位早逝的运动员》。一战使大英帝国的一代青春之华，血溅沙场，这首诗为人们带来一些寄托。

大神贴出此诗，咋没下文了？一直等待大神的大作呢。

转自豆瓣：
The time you won your town the race
　　We chaired you through the market-place;
　　Man and boy stood cheering by,
　　And home we brought you shoulder-high.
当年你为小镇赢得了胜利,
　　我们举起你穿过市场,
　　男女老幼为你欢呼鹊跃,
　　把你抬在肩头送你凯旋
To-day, the road all runners come,
　　Shoulder-high we bring you home,
　　And set you at your threshold down,
　　Townsman of a stiller town.
今天, 人们又聚集在一起
　　我们把你抬在肩上为你送行,
　　轻轻放你归于尘土,
　　小镇为你肃穆宁静
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
　　From fields were glory does not stay
　　And early though the laurel grows
　　It withers quicker than the rose.
英俊青年早早夭折,
　　荣耀不能为谁停留，
　　月桂树转瞬苍翠，
　　却比玫瑰凋零的还快
Eyes the shady night has shut
　　Cannot see the record cut,
　　And silence sounds no worse than cheers
　　After earth has stopped the ears:
黑夜的幕布拉下,
　　再也看不到记录刷新，
　　沉寂不会比欢呼更糟,
　　土地将你永远隔绝
Now you will not swell the rout
　　Of lads that wore their honours out,
　　Runners whom renown outran
　　And the name died before the man.
你将不会被击败
　　他们的荣耀迅速消失
　　新的记录不断刷新
　　他们的名字比逝去的
　　更早被遗忘
So set, before its echoes fade,
　　The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
　　And hold to the low lintel up
　　The still-defended challenge-cup.
趁着荣耀消逝之前
　　敏捷双脚踏上归途
　　在门梁上悬挂着的是
　　永恒的冠军奖杯
And round that early-laurelled head
　　Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
　　And find unwithered on its curls
　　he garland briefer than a girl's.
你戴着娇嫩的月桂花冠，
　　人们聚集凝视着逝者
　　发卷上的花冠还没有枯萎
　　尽管比少女卷发还短

游兄说没看到7楼，我就再贴一遍我的翻译。 有几个地方不好掌握，但这首诗很有名，英文的解读也不少。参考了几个英文的解读，形成了现在这个样子。
_______________________________________________
To an Athlete Dying Young 致一位早逝的运动员
BY A. E. HOUSMAN
The time you won your town the race 那次你为贵镇赢得赛事，
We chaired you through the market-place; 我们用椅抬你穿过闹市；
Man and boy stood cheering by, 父老乡亲站立为你喝彩，
And home we brought you shoulder-high. 我们用肩膀迎你回家来。
Today, the road all runners come, 今天所有参赛者来到路上，
Shoulder-high we bring you home, 肩膀之上我们迎你还乡，
And set you at your threshold down, 把你放在那入口之处，
Townsman of a stiller town. 寂静之镇是你的归宿。
Smart lad, to slip betimes away 聪慧少年你早早地离开赛场，
From fields where glory does not stay, 那里没有永远的荣光，
And early though the laurel grows 桂冠的枝叶虽早早繁茂，
It withers quicker than the rose. 却比那玫瑰更快地衰凋。
Eyes the shady night has shut 被暗夜闭合的双眼，
Cannot see the record cut, 不会看到记录替换，
And silence sounds no worse than cheers 寂静听起来一如欢呼，
After earth has stopped the ears. 因为泥土已把双耳塞堵。
Now you will not swell the rout 现在你将不与那些人为伍，
Of lads that wore their honours out, 那些恃誉恋栈不去之徒，
Runners whom renown outran 盛名不副的参赛者，
And the name died before the man. 名声比生命更早夭折。
So set, before its echoes fade, 就在那回声消失之前，
The fleet foot on the sill of shade, 捷足踏上那暗界之槛，
And hold to the low lintel up 向着低矮的梁楣，
The still-defended challenge-cup. 举起卫冕的奖杯。
And round that early-laurelled head 人群凝视桂冠早佩的少年，
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead, 如今已了无生气魂断冥间，
And find unwithered on its curls 发卷上的花环虽未凋残，
The garland briefer than a girl’s. 却短于刹那芳华的红颜。

也贴上自己的拙作，对是否准确并无太大把握，尤其是这段：
Now you will notswell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
还望大神和其他各位拍砖、指正，先谢。
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To an Athlete DyingYoung
By A.E.Housman
致早逝的运动员
A.E. 豪斯曼
The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
那时你为小镇夺冠
我们拥你穿过市面
老少爷们欢呼雀跃
送你回家高举过肩
Today, the road allrunners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
如今选手齐聚路上
高抬你到另一家园
送你跨过灵界门槛
宁静之城安然长眠
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay,
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
明智小子及时抽身
赛场荣耀岂能长现
月桂成长纵然为先
却比玫瑰更快失艳
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears.
浓重夜幕遮你双眼
刷新纪录再不得见
当你两耳被泥塞满
静默如同欢呼一般
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
此刻你再不须担心
永葆荣誉无法实现
声望虽然先到终点
却比人生寿命更短
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
趁着足音尚未减退
捷足迈入永恒空间
昂然手扶低矮门楣
冠军奖杯得以卫冕
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl’s.
获奖前辈齐聚眼前
凝视衰弱早逝新员
发际桂冠尚未凋残
却比少女花环质简

下边探讨一下这首诗，有的是我的疑问，有的是英文解读者提出的。
1. Man and boy stood cheering by. 这里的单数使我很疑惑。只有两个人在欢呼？ 为什么要用单数？ 至今没有明白。
2. And early though the laurel grows，It withers quicker than the rose. 英文注解者指出，月桂明显地比玫瑰要坚韧持久。 这里郝先生在事实上肯定是搞错了。 不知道有没有其他的用意。
3. Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
这一段的意思其实是最没有歧义的，就是 rout 这个词用的是古意，意思是一群人，而不是后来的溃败的意思。wear out 说穿了就是“疲倦感”，而“疲倦感”产生于有的东西“恋栈不去”。 比如： My in-laws have worn out their welcome. The coach has worn out his players.
最后两句继续上边的意思，说有的人的名气比实际能力大，人虽活着，名声其实已死。

1. 单数之惑：这也是我不解的地方。还有这句：“early-laurelled head Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead”，从语法上看，是前者early-laurelled head凝视后者the strengthless dead，而后者是那个已逝的运动员，那么前者是谁？我理解是可能已经死掉的以前得冠军的人，是一些人，但这里也是单数。
2. 月桂与玫瑰：如11楼引文中所言：“在西方，月桂代表榮譽，玫瑰象徵美貌，美人難免遲暮固令人嗟嘆，而榮譽卻比美貌‘更快衰老'”。个人觉得这样理解有道理。
3. 有些不同理解。同意第一句的解读，将不需与那些人为伍，什么人呢，是获得了荣誉，但不能长久保持的人。随着时间的推移，荣誉也就渐渐不复存在，被人遗忘。而此运动员早早离去，就不会有这种困扰，他在巅峰期的荣誉会被人永远记住。
个人浅见。

我也數了一下， 七樓和十一樓都沒有了
估計百度使出障眼法， 不讓我們看到。

偷空来玩一个！
To an Athlete Dying Young
致一位早逝的运动员
by A. E. Housman
The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
那次你为小镇夺锦，
我们抬著你穿过市集；
乡亲们站立为你喝采，
我们高举你送你回家。
Today, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
今天所有参赛者都莅临，
抬著你送你回家，
去那人生的最后归宿，
长眠于寂静的墓园。
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay,
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
好少年，及早回头，
赛场的光辉岂能长存，
桂枝嫩芽迎春早发，
却比玫瑰凋零得更快。
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears.
夜幕已闭上眼睛，
纵创佳绩亦不能见，
寂静与欢呼没区别，
被泥巴堵住的耳朵听不见。
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
如今再不用鼓动掌声，
不用为争名逐誉而活，
拥趸无数的选手们，
风光一时稍纵即逝。
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
就在那喝采声猶在時起步，
踏上那幽荫的不归路，
垂挂在门楣上的，
是那卫冕成功的奖杯。
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl’s.
凝视那头戴桂冠的少年，
如今已撒手尘寰，
卷发上尚未凋零的花環，
却如少女刹那芳华逝。

The time you won your town the race
你为你家乡赢赛事之时
We chaired you through the market-place;
我们抬轿让你穿巷过市
Man and boy stood cheering by,
老老少少夹道欢声高扬
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
迎你回家举你高过肩膀

man and boy一般翻译成 "从小”“一贯” I've been doing this job for 50 years, man and boy.
我认为这里用man and boy 而不是men and boys
区别是：
man and boy 老老少少， 有年轻的人， 也有年长的人。
men and boy 指的是人数， 大家，
个人看法， 很可能不对。很可能。