我为美而死了

我为美而死了，可是

还是害怕坟墓里，

这时一个为真理而死了的人

被放进隔壁的房间。

他轻声地问我为何败阵

“为美，”我答。

“我为真理——这两个东西是一回事；

我们是兄弟，”他说。

如此，就像朋友在夜里相遇，

我们隔着房间倾谈，

直到青苔爬到我们的嘴唇，

并把我们的名字掩埋。

（艾米丽·狄金森）

I died for beauty, but was scarce
Adjusted in the tomb,
When one who died for truth was lain
In an adjoining room.

He questioned softly why I failed?
"For beauty," I replied.
"And I for truth,--the two are one;
We brethren are," he said.

And so, as kinsmen met a night,
We talked between the rooms.
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names.

  (Emily Dickinson)