济慈的这篇《伊莎贝拉》取材于《十日谈》中第四日的第五个故事，情节框架与原作基本相同，个别地方略有出入：主人公原名伊莎贝达；原有三个哥哥，被改为两个；三兄弟原为怕家丑外扬而谋杀罗伦佐，被改为女主人公的哥哥原打算把妹妹嫁给一名贵族，眼看此计将落空，于是起了杀心；原来知情的女仆被改为事先并不知情的保姆；事情发生的地点原为墨西拿（在西西里岛），被改为佛罗伦萨。济慈丰富了许多细节，特别是女主人公的心理刻画，加以诗的创造。诗中第14、15、16节，描写两个哥哥靠残酷剥削工人而成为巨富，深刻描绘了被剥削者的悲惨处境，这是济慈添加上去的。爱尔兰作家萧伯纳曾指出，这几节诗中所写的场景集中表现了马克思在《资本论》中有关资本剥削的原理。

1美丽的伊莎贝尔，纯情的伊莎贝尔！ FAIR Isabel, poor simple Isabel!

罗伦佐，爱神眼里朝圣的年轻人！ Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love’s eye!

他们两人在同一所华屋里居住， They could not in the self-same mansion dwell

怎能不心头骚动，思恋成病； Without some stir of heart, some malady;

他们坐下来进餐，只要相互 They could not sit at meals but feel how well

偎依在一起，怎能不感到称心； It soothed each to be the other by;

确实，他们在同一屋顶下入睡， They could not, sure, beneath the same roof sleep

怎能不梦见对方，夜夜流泪。 But to each other dream, and nightly weep.

2

每天早晨，他们的柔情更浓， With every morn their love grew tenderer,

每天傍晚，他们的痴情更深； With every eve deeper and tenderer still;

他无论在屋里、田间、园中走动， He might not in house, field, or garden stir,

眼睛里见到的全是她的倩影 But her full shape would all his seeing fill;

他情意绵绵的嗓音在她的耳中 And his continual voice was pleasanter

比树叶萧萧、幽泉潺潺更动听； To her, than noise of trees or hidden rill;

她因这名字乱了手中的针黹。 She spoilt her half-done broidery with the name.

3

他知道谁的柔手按上了门闩， He knew whose gentle hand was at the latch,

不等门开把她推送到眼前； Before the door had given her to his eyes;

他能够从她的闺房的窗口窥见 And from her chamber-window he would catch

她美的姿容，比鹰眼看得更远 Her beauty farther than the falcon spies;

他守望，像她的晚祷，持常不变， And constant as her vespers would he watch,

因为她的脸仰望同一片苍天； Because her face was turn’d to the same skies;

他熬过漫漫长夜，苦苦地盼望 And with sick longing all the night outwear,

听她早起下楼的脚步声踏响。 To hear her morning-step upon the stair.

4

漫长的五月，经历了痛苦的相思， A whole long month of May in this sad plight

六月来临，他们的脸色更苍白； Made their cheeks paler by the break of June:

“明天我要向我的所欢屈膝， To morrow will I bow to my delight,

明天我要向情人恳求青睐。”—— To-morrow will I ask my lady’s boon.» -

“啊，罗伦佐，我愿在今夜死去， O may I never see another night,

如果你不把爱的歌曲唱出来。”—— Lorenzo, if thy lips breathe not love’s tune.» -

他们只对着枕头这样说：唉！ So spake they to their pillows; but, alas,

苦涩的日子他一天一天地挨； Honeyless days and days did he let pass;

5

伊莎贝拉的没被碰过的嫩颊 Until sweet Isabella’s untouch’d cheek

本该红扑扑，现在却一脸病容 Fell sick within the rose’s just domain,

清瘦得就像年轻的母亲，当她 Fell thin as a young mother’s, who doth seek

想用摇篮歌减轻婴儿的病痛： By every lull to cool her infant’s pain:

“她多么苦恼，”他说，“我不该说话， How ill she is, said he, I may not speak,

但我想坦率告诉她我爱在心中 And yet I will, and tell my love all plain:

假如眉目能传情，我要饮她的泪， If looks speak love-laws, I will drink her tears,

至少这能够把她的忧烦斥退。” And at the least ’twill startle off her cares.

6

一天清晨他这样自语着，整日 So said he one fair morning, and all day

他的心在撞击胸膛，猛烈跳动 His heart beat awfully against his side;

他暗暗向心灵祈祷，希望自己 And to his heart he inwardly did pray

有胆量表白，但是他热血奔涌， For power to speak; but still the ruddy tide

窒息了嗓音，把决心再次推迟—— Stifled his voice, and puls’d resolve away -

虽然对新娘的思念燃烧在胸中， Fever’d his high conceit of such a bride,

但随之而来的是孩子般的胆怯： Yet brought him to the meekness of a child:

可叹！热恋是这般胆怯又狂野！ Alas! when passion is both meek and wild!

7

假如伊莎贝尔的锐眼没领悟 So once more he had wak’d and anguished

他的前额透露的每一个征兆， A dreary night of love and misery,

他就会再次失眠，内心痛苦 If Isabel’s quick eye had not been wed

挨过相思的长夜，凄楚烦恼； To every symbol on his forehead high;

她见他额头苍白，表情僵木， She saw it waxing very pale and dead,

立刻羞红了面颊，柔声说道， And straight all flush’d; so, lisped tenderly,

“罗伦佐！”——她欲语又止，想问又怯 Lorenzo!- here she ceas’d her timid quest,

他却从她的音容明白了一切。 But in her tone and look he read the rest.

8

“啊，伊莎贝拉，我只有一半把握—— O Isabella, I can half perceive

我可以把我的痛苦说给你听； That I may speak my grief into thine ear;

假如你相信过什么事情，那么 If thou didst ever any thing believe,

请相信我多么爱你，我的灵魂 Believe how I love thee, believe how near

已临近毁灭：我不用唐突地紧握 My soul is to its doom: I would not grieve

来压痛你的手，不用大胆紧盯 Thy hand by unwelcome pressing, would not fear

来冒犯你的眼；但我活不过今晚 Thine eyes by gazing; but I cannot live

如果我不把满腔的情愫倾泻！ Another night, and not my passion shrive.

9

“我爱！你在指导我走出严寒， Love! thou art leading me from wintry cold,

姑娘！你在指引我奔向盛夏， Lady! thou leadest me to summer clime,

我定要品尝一朵朵沐着温暖、 And I must taste the blossoms that unfold

迎着美丽的晨光开放的鲜花。” In its ripe warmth this gracious morning time.

他原先羞怯的嘴唇如诗韵成对相押： And poesied with hers in dewy rhyme:

他们感到无比的幸福和愉快， Great bliss was with them, and great happiness

欢乐如六月抚育的鲜花盛开。 Grew, like a lusty flower in June’s caress.

10

告别时刻，他们高兴得飘飘然， Parting they seem’d to tread upon the air,

一对被和风吹散的并蒂玫瑰 Twin roses by the zephyr blown apart

准备更加亲密地合拢成一片， Only to meet again more close, and share

把对方内心的芳馨吸取，融汇。 The inward fragrance of each other’s heart.

她走向闺房，吟着优美的诗篇， She, to her chamber gone, a ditty fair

歌唱爱情的美妙，被爱的欣慰； Sang, of delicious love and honey’d dart;

他踏着轻快地脚步登上西山， He with light steps went up a western hill,

向太阳告别，心里充满了喜欢。 And bade the sun farewell, and joy’d his fill.

英国诗人济慈生前发表的第三部也是最后一部诗集，于一八二〇年七月出版，那时他的年龄不足二十五岁。再过七个月，他就因肺病恶化而不幸去世了。这部集子包含叙事诗《莱米亚》、《伊莎贝拉》、《圣阿格尼斯节前夕》，较长的抒情诗、特别是“颂歌”，还有史诗片断《海庇里恩》。