Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound, （acres[/eik ]）
Content to breathe his native air
In his own ground.
Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire;
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.
Blest, who can unconcern’dly find
Hours, days, and years slide soft away
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,
Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mix’d; sweet creation;
And innocence, which most does please
With meditation.
Thus let me live, unseen, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.
註釋: the first stanza can be rewritten like this: the man is happy, whose wish and care are bound by a few paternal acres, and who is content to breathe his native air in his own ground. 其意思相當於《中庸》上所說的“君子素位而行，不願乎其外。”Jude The Obscure 中有壹句話說：a contented mind is a continual feast.(Jude the Obscure.P378)
Whose herds with milk, /whose fields with bread,/Whose flocks supply him with attire; 前兩行省略了“supply him with”。Attire：服裝。
unconcern’dly，即unconcernedly：漫不經心，無憂無慮，悠然自得。第三節可以改寫成：Blest is the man who can unconcern’dly find Hours, days, and years slide soft away In health of body and in peace of mind 相當於“ I see him leave.”這樣的句子。
study and ease /Together mix’d; sweet creation;/And innocence, which most does please/With meditation. 他勞逸結合，有令人歡喜的娛樂活動，還有天真的性情。這天真的性情與沈思結合起來，最使他高興。
內容解析：避開塵世的煩擾，與世無爭，潛心學術，並悠然自得地享受田園生活，這是最幸福的。與《莊子》“恬淡寂寞，虛無無為”（《刻意》）之說有相似之處。陶淵明有幾句詩可以與此詩相參：“息交遊閑業，臥起弄書琴。園蔬有余滋（生長得很多。滋：生長），舊谷猶儲今。營己良有極，過足非所欽。舂秫作美酒，酒熟吾自斟。弱子戲我側，學語未成吟。此事真復樂，聊用忘華簪（比喻高官厚祿）。”（《和郭主薄》其壹）
形式解析：此詩五節，每節四行。韻尾是abab。節奏主要是四音步抑揚格(i/ambic te/trameter)，每節四音步：
Happy │the man, │ whose wish │and care
A few │pater│nal a│cres bound,
Content│ to breathe │his na│tive air
In his │own ground.
Whose herds │with milk, │whose fields │with bread,
Whose flocks │supply │him with│ attire;
Whose trees│ in sum│mer yield│ him shade,
In win│ter fire.
Blest, who │can un│concern’d│ly find
Hours, days, │and years │slide soft│ away
In health│ of bo│dy, peace│ of mind,
Quiet │by day,
Sound sleep│ by night; │ study│ and ease
Toge│ther mix’d; │ sweet cre│ation;
And in│nocence, │ which most │does please
With me│ditation.
Thus let │me live, │unseen, │unknown;
Thus un│lamen│ted let│ me die;
Steal from │the world, │ and not│ a stone
Tell where │I lie.
參考譯文： 人生如何方為樂，唯有知足不貪心。
只守祖上數畝田，但吸故園氣清新。
綿羊產毛制衫袍，乳牛耕地供食飲。
夏來密葉乘濃蔭，冬至疏枝做柴薪。
壹任歲月輕輕去，那堪憂思處處尋。
白日閑逸夜安眠，壹身強健心氣平。
讀書勞逸相結合，娛樂甜美悅人心。
最佳勝景有冥思，極樂世界屬天真。
死後不受世哀悼，生時豈令人見聞。
幽幽偷辭濁世去，不銘何處葬我身。（石瓃）