by Charles Baudelaire

　　Translated by Louis Simpson

　　You have to be always drunk. That's all there is to it——it's the　only way. So as not to feel the horrible burden of time that breaks　your back and bends you to the earth， you have to be continually　drunk.

　　But on what?　Wine， poetry or virtue， as you wish. But be　drunk.

　　And if sometimes， on the steps of a palace or the green grass of　a ditch， in the mournful solitude of your room， you wake again，drunkenness already diminishing or gone， ask the wind， the wave，the star， the bird， the clock， everything that is flying， everything　that is groaning， everything that is rolling， everything that is　　singing， everything that is speaking. . .ask what time it is and　wind， wave， star， bird， clock will answer you：　"It is time to be drunk! So as not to be the martyred slaves of time， be drunk， be continually drunk! On wine， on poetry or on virtue as you wish."

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（编辑：王美娇）