《世界上最美丽的玫瑰》，1852 年
the Loveliest Rose in the world, 1852
从前有一位伟大的女王，她的花园里一年四季都盛开着来自世界各地的最绚丽的花朵。
there lived once a great queen, in whose garden were found at all seasons the most splendid flowers, and from every land in the world.
她尤其喜爱玫瑰，因此她拥有这种花最美丽的各类品种，从带有苹果香味叶子的野生篱笆玫瑰，到绚丽的普罗旺斯玫瑰，应有尽有。
She specially loved roses, and therefore she possessed the most beautiful varieties of this flower, from the wild hedge-rose, with its apple-scented leaves, to the splendid provence rose.
它们生长在墙壁的遮蔽处附近，缠绕在柱子和窗框上，沿着走廊蔓延，爬上大厅的天花板。
they grew near the shelter of the walls, wound themselves round columns and window-frames, crept along passages and over the ceilings of the halls.
它们有着各种各样的芬芳和颜色。
they were of every fragrance and color.
但这些大厅里却充斥着忧虑和悲伤；女王卧病在床，医生们断言她将不久于人世。
but care and sorrow dwelt within these halls; the queen lay upon a sick bed, and the doctors declared that she must die.
“还有一样东西能救她，” 其中一位最有智慧的医生说。
“there is still one thing that could save her,” said one of the wisest among them.
“给她带来世界上最美丽的玫瑰；一朵能展现出最纯洁、最炽热爱情的玫瑰，如果能在她闭眼之前把它送到她面前，她就不会死。”
“bring her the loveliest rose in the world; one which exhibits the purest and brightest love, and if it is used to her before her eyes close, she will not die.”
于是，各地的人纷纷带着自家花园里盛开的玫瑰赶来，但都不是合适的那种。
then from all parts came those who brought roses that bloomed in every garden, but they were not the right sort.
这朵花必须来自爱的花园；但那里的哪一朵玫瑰能展现出最高尚、最纯洁的爱呢？
the flower must be one from the garden of love; but which of the roses there showed forth the highest and purest love?
诗人们歌颂着这朵世界上最美丽的玫瑰，每个人都说出一朵自己认为配得上这个称号的玫瑰；关于所需之物的消息被传送到每一颗因爱而跳动的心里；传送到每一个阶层、每一个年龄段、每一种境遇的人那里。
the poets sang of this rose, the loveliest in the world, and each named one which he considered worthy of that title; and intelligence of what was required was sent far and wide to every heart that beat with love; to every class, age, and condition.
“还没有人说出那朵花的名字，” 智者说。
“No one has yet named the flower,” said the wise man.
“还没有人指出它盛开得无比绚烂的地方。它不是来自罗密欧与朱丽叶棺木上的玫瑰，也不是来自瓦尔堡墓上的玫瑰，尽管这些玫瑰会在永恒的歌谣中长存。它也不是从温克尔里德那沾满鲜血的英名中萌发出来的玫瑰。一位为祖国捐躯的英雄胸膛里流淌出的鲜血是神圣的，他的英名是甜蜜的，没有哪朵玫瑰能比从他血管里流淌出的鲜血更红。它也不是科学的神奇之花，为了得到这奇妙的花朵，一个人会在孤寂的斗室里，在无数个不眠之夜，耗费自己青春年少时的许多时光。”
“No one has pointed out the spot where it blooms in all its splendor. It is not a rose from the coffin of Romeo and Juliet, or from the grave of walburg, though these roses will live in everlasting song. It is not one of the roses which sprouted forth from the blood-stained fame of winkelreid. the blood which flows from the breast of a hero who dies for his country is sacred, and his memory is sweet, and no rose can be redder than the blood which flows from his veins. Neither is it the magic flower of Science, to obtain which wondrous flower a man devotes many an hour of his fresh young life in sleepless nights, in a lonely chamber.”
“我知道它在哪里盛开，” 一位幸福的母亲说道，她带着可爱的孩子来到女王的床边。“我知道世界上最美丽的玫瑰在哪里。当我可爱的孩子那粉嫩的脸颊上绽放出表达着纯真圣洁的婴儿之爱的笑容时，就能看到它；当孩子睡醒后睁开眼睛，带着孩童般的深情对我微笑时，就能看到它。”
“I know where it blooms,” said a happy mother, who came with her lovely child to the bedside of the queen. “I know where the loveliest rose in the world is. It is seen on the blooming cheeks of my sweet child, when it expresses the pure and holy love of infancy; when refreshed by sleep it opens its eyes, and smiles upon me with childlike affection.”
“这是一朵可爱的玫瑰，” 智者说；“但还有一朵更可爱的。”
“this is a lovely rose,” said the wise man; “but there is one still more lovely.”
“是的，一朵远比这更可爱的，” 其中一位妇女说。“我见过它，没有比它更高尚、更纯洁的玫瑰盛开了。但它是白色的，就像白玫瑰的花瓣。我在女王的脸颊上看到过它。她摘下了金王冠，在那漫长、沉闷的夜晚，她怀里抱着生病的孩子。”
“Yes, one far more Lovely,” said one of the women. “I have seen it, and a loftier and purer rose does not bloom. but it was white, like the leaves of a blush-rose. I saw it on the cheeks of the queen. She had taken off her golden crown, and through the long, dreary night, she carried her sick child in her arms.
她为此哭泣，亲吻它，像只有母亲在痛苦时刻才能做到的那样为它祈祷。
She wept over it, kissed it, and prayed for it as only a mother can pray in that hour of her anguish.”
悲痛的白玫瑰神圣而奇妙，有着强大的力量，但它不是我们要找的那朵。
“holy and wonderful in its might is the white rose of grief, but it is not the one we seek.”
“不；我在主的圣餐桌旁看到了世界上最美丽的玫瑰，” 这位善良的老主教说。“我看到它闪耀着光芒，仿佛天使的面容显现了出来。一位年轻的少女跪在圣坛前，重温了她受洗时所发的誓言；那位年轻女孩绯红的脸颊上既有白玫瑰，也有红玫瑰。她带着年轻心灵的所有纯洁与爱，带着最高尚、最纯洁的爱的全部神情，仰望天堂。”
“No; the loveliest rose in the world I saw at the Lord’s table,” said the good old bishop. “I saw it shine as if an angel’s face had appeared. A young maiden knelt at the altar, and renewed the vows made at her baptism; and there were white roses and red roses on the blushing cheeks of that young girl. She looked up to heaven with all the purity and love of her young spirit, in all the expression of the highest and purest love.”
“愿她蒙福！” 智者说：“但还没有人说出世界上最美丽的玫瑰。”
“may she be blessed!” said the wise man: “but no one has yet named the loveliest rose in the world.”
这时，一个孩子走进了房间 —— 女王的小儿子。他眼里噙着泪水，脸颊上闪着泪光；他拿着一本大书，书皮是天鹅绒的，配有银质的搭扣。
then there came into the room a child — the queen’s little son. tears stood in his eyes, and glistened on his cheeks; he carried a great book and the binding was of velvet, with silver clasps.
“妈妈，” 小男孩喊道；“听听我读的内容吧。” 然后孩子在床边坐下，读起了那本讲述为拯救所有人，甚至包括尚未出生的人而在十字架上受难的他的书。
“mother,” cried the little boy; “only hear what I have read.” And the child seated himself by the bedside, and read from the book of him who suffered death on the cross to save all men, even who are yet unborn.
他读到：“人为朋友舍命，人的爱心没有比这个大的。” 就在他读的时候，一抹玫瑰色的红晕涌上了女王的脸颊，她的眼睛变得如此明亮、清澈，以至于她从书页间看到了一朵可爱的玫瑰绽放出来，这是那位在十字架上洒下鲜血者的象征。
he read, “Greater love hath no man than this,” and as he read a roseate hue spread over the cheeks of the queen, and her eyes became so enlightened and clear, that she saw from the leaves of the book a lovely rose spring forth, a type of him who shed his blood on the cross.
“我看到它了，” 她说。
“I see it,” she said.
“见到这朵世上最美丽玫瑰的人，将永生不死。”
“he who beholds this, the loveliest rose on earth, shall never die.”