“seize the day”直接翻譯的話意思是“珍惜現在，把握今天”，但是在《死亡詩社》這部電影中更多傳達的是希望學生們能更多的享受現在的寶貴的青春生命，去發掘生活的快樂，去享受這美妙的生活，所以在很多電影翻譯版本中都會翻譯成“及時行樂”，或許這樣更貼切電影的主題。
Carpe diem壹詞源自荷馬《奧德賽》中的壹首拉丁文詩，英文翻譯成seize the day，跟我們漢語“壹寸光陰壹寸金”類似的意思。?
英文版詩句如下：
Leuconoe, don't ask — it's dangerous to know —?
what end the gods will give me or you. Don't play with Babylonian?
fortune-telling either. Better just deal with whatever comes your way.?
Whether you'll see several more winters or whether the last one?
Jupiter gives you is the one even now pelting the rocks on the shore with the waves?
of the Tyrrhenian sea--be smart, drink your wine. Scale back your long hopes?
to a short period. Even as we speak, envious time?
is running away from us. Seize the day, trusting little in the future.?
詩文大概要表述的意思是人生短暫，光陰飛逝，我們必須盡力過好每壹天，每壹時刻，盡情地吃，喝，並最大程度地快樂著，仿佛明天妳就會離開人世壹樣。