A noiseless patient spider,
一只沉默而耐心的蜘蛛，
I mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated,
我望见它孤立伫立在小小的岬岩，
Mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,
努力勘测四周空旷浩渺的空间，
It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
它不断从体内吐出丝缕，一丝，又一丝，
Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.
无止境地延展，不知疲倦地向外飞射。

And you O my soul where you stand,
而你啊，我的灵魂，你立身于此，
Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,
被隔绝、围困在无边无际的太空沧海，
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,
永不停思索、求索、抛掷，寻觅可供联结的疆域，
Till the bridge you will need be form’d,
直到你渴望的桥梁构筑成型，
till the ductile anchor hold,
直到柔韧的纤丝牢牢固定，
Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere,
直到你抛出的纤细游丝寻得落点，
O my soul.
啊，我的灵魂。

注：飞白/译