CHILD, how happy you are sitting in the dust, playing with a broken twig all the morning. 孩子，妳真是快活呀，壹早晨坐在泥土裏，耍著折下來的小樹枝兒。
I smile at your play with that little bit of a broken twig. 我微笑地看妳在那裏耍著那根折下來的小樹枝兒。
I am busy with my accounts, adding up figures by the hour. 我正忙著算帳，壹小時壹小時在那裏加疊數字。
Perhaps you glance at me and think, "What a stupid game to spoil your morning with!" 也許妳在看我，想道：這種好沒趣的遊戲，竟把妳的.壹早晨的好時間浪費掉了!
Child, I have forgotten the art of being absorbed in sticks and mud-pies. 孩子，我忘了聚精會神玩耍樹枝與泥餅的方法了。
I seek out costly playthings, and gather lumps of gold and silver. 我尋求貴重的玩具，收集金塊與銀塊。
With whatever you find you create your glad games, I spend both my time and my strength over things I never can obtain. 妳呢，無論找到什麽便去做妳的快樂的遊戲，我呢，卻把我的時間與力氣都浪費在那些我永不能得到的東西上。
In my frail canoe I struggle to cross the sea of desire, and forget that I too am playing a game. 我在我的脆薄的獨木船裏掙紮著要航過欲望之海，意忘了我也是在那裏做遊戲了。
審判官 The JudgeSAY of him what you please, but I know my child's failings. 妳想說他什麽盡管說罷，但是我知道我孩子的短處。
I do not love him because he is good, but because he is my little child. 我愛他並不因為他好，只是因為他是我的小小的孩子。
How should you know how dear he can be when you try to weigh his merits against his faults? 妳如果把他的好處與壞處兩兩相權壹下，恐怕妳就會知道他是如何的可愛罷?
When I must punish him he becomes all the more a part of my being. 當我必須責罰他的時候，他更成為我的生命的壹部分了。
When I cause his tears to come my heart weeps with him. 當我使他眼淚流出時，我的心也和他同哭了。
I alone have a right to blame and punish, for he only may chastise who loves. 只有我才有權去罵他，去責罰他，因為只有熱愛人的才可以懲戒人。
責備 DefamationWhy are those tears in your eyes, my child? 為什麽妳眼裏有了眼淚，我的孩子?
How horrid of them to be always scolding you for nothing? 他們真是可怕，常常無謂地責備妳!
You have stained your fingers and face with ink while writing--is that why they call you dirty? 妳寫字時墨水玷汙了妳的手和臉?這就是他們所以罵妳齷齪的緣故麽?
O, fie! Would they dare to call the full moon dirty because it has smudged its face with ink? 呵，呸!他們也敢因為圓圓的月兒用墨水塗了臉，便罵它齷齪麽?
For every little trifle they blame you, my child. They are ready to find fault for nothing. 他們總要為了每壹件小事去責備妳，我的孩子。他們總是無謂地尋人錯處。
You tore your clothes while playing--is that why they call you untidy? 妳遊戲時扯破了妳的衣服?這就是他們說妳不整潔的緣故麽?
O, fie! What would they call an autumn morning that smiles through its ragged clouds? 呵，呸!秋之晨從它的破碎的雲衣中露出微笑。那末，他們要叫它什麽呢?
Take no heed of what they say to you, my child. 他們對妳說什麽話，盡管可以不去理睬他，我的孩子。
Take no heed of what they say to you, my child. 他們把妳做錯的事長長地記了壹筆帳。
They make a long list of your misdeeds. Everybody knows how you love sweet things--is that why they call you greedy? 誰都知道妳是十分喜歡糖果的?這就是他們所以稱妳做貪婪的緣故麽?
O, fie! What then would they call us who love you? 呵，呸!我們是喜歡妳的，那末，他們要叫我們什麽呢?