捣毁了往古年代的异宝奇珍；
The rich proud cost of outworn buried age,
无常刈倒了一度巍峨的塔楼，
When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed,
狂暴的劫数甚至教赤铜化灰尘；
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
我又见到：贪婪的海洋不断
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
进占着大陆王国滨海的领地，
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
顽强的陆地也掠取大海的地盘，
And the firm soil win of the wat'ry main,
盈和亏，得和失相互代谢交替；
Increasing store with loss and loss with store;
我见到这些循环变化的情况，
When I have seen such interchange of state,
见到庄严的景象向寂灭沉沦；
Or state itself confounded to decay,
断垣残壁就教我这样思量——
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate
时间总会来夺去我的爱人。
That Time will come and take my love away.
这念头真像“死”呀，没办法，只好
This thought is as a death, which cannot choose
哭着把唯恐失掉的人儿抓牢。
But weep to have that which it fears to lose.