At night the watchmen of the city say,” Beauty shall rise with the dawn from the east.” And at noon-time the toilers say,” We have seen her leaning over the earth from the windows of the sunset.” In winter say the snowbound, “She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hills.”

　　And in the summer heat the reapers say,” We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves, and we saw a drift of snow in her hair.”

　　夜晚，城市的守夜人说：“美将与晨光一同从东方升起。” 正午，辛勤劳作者和长途跋涉者说：“我们曾看到她透过黄昏之窗眺望大地。” 严冬，困在风雪中的人说：“她将与春同至，雀跃于山峦之间。” 酷暑，收割庄稼的人说：“我们曾看到她与秋叶共舞，雪花点缀于她的发梢。”

　　All these things have you said of beauty, yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied, and beauty is not a need but an ecstasy. It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth, but rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted. It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear, but rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears. It is not sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw, but rather a garden for ever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight. Beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.

　　你们谈到关于美的所有这些，实际并非关于她本身，而是关于你们未被满足的需求，但美并不是一种需求，而是心醉神迷的欣喜。她不是焦渴的唇，也不是伸出的空空的手，而是一颗燃烧的心，一个充满喜悦的灵魂。她不是你们想看到的形象，也不是你们想听到的歌声，而是你们闭上眼睛看到的形象，堵住耳朵听到的歌声。她不是伤残树皮下的树液，也不是悬在利爪下的翅膀。而是一座鲜花永远盛开的花园，一群永远在天空飞翔的天使。 当生命摘去遮盖她圣洁面容的面纱时，美就是生命。

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（编辑：王美娇）