OnHisBlindnessWhenIconsiderhowmylight(1)isspentErehalfmydays(2)inthisdarkworldandwide(3),Andthatonetalent(4)whichisdeathtohide(5)Lodged(6)withmeuseless,thoughmysoulmorebent(7)ToservetherewithmyMaker,(8)andpresentMytrueaccount,lestHe,returning,chide,"DothGodexactday-labour,lightdenied
"(9)Ifondlyask
(10)ButPatience,topreventThatmurmur,(11)soon(12)replies,"GoddothnotneedEitherman'sworkorhisowngifts
WhobestBearhismildyoke,theyservehimbest
(13)HisstateIskingly:thousands(14)athisbiddingspeedAndpost(15)o'er(16)landandoceanwithoutrest;Theyalsoservewhoonlystandandwait
"(17)[注释]弥尔顿于1651年左眼失明,1652年因写《为英国人民声辩》(ADefenseoftheEnglishPeople),劳累过度,双目失明
本诗标题OnHisBlindness并非原诗所有,而是纽顿(ThomasNewton)在1794—1752年间编纂的诗选中加上的,其实并不恰当
弥尔顿在诗中显然避而不用blind或blindness等字眼,因为blindness只有肉体上的含义,而弥尔顿想要表现的乃是肉体和精神方面的双重含