Holy Sonnet XIV

Batter my heart, three-personed god; for You

As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;

That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend

Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

I, like an usurped town, to another due,

5

Labor to admit You, but O, to no end;

Reason, Your viceroy in me, me should defend,

But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.

Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,

But am bethrothed unto Your enemy.

10
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again;

Take me to You, imprison me, for I,

Except You enthrall me, never shall be free,

Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

                                               

 

                                Line                                             Annotation

1

Batter                                      打擊;打。

Three-personed God            三位一體的上主:聖父、聖子、聖神。

2

Knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend.

敲擊,呵氣,使光並試圖改善。Donne上主比作鐵匠,他本人比作被的鐵塊。鐵匠打鐵成器,意即上主改造人的心靈。

3-4

bend/your force                    盡全力。

5

usurped town, to another due 被霸佔而屬於另一人的城鎮。

6

Labour to admit You,…, to no end.   努力讓你進入(我的心中),沒有達到目的。

7

ReasonYour viceroy in me 理性,你在我心中的主宰。

8

is captived and proves weak or untrue. (理性)被俘虜並顯得衰弱或不實。

9

fain                                          樂意;欣然。

10

betrothed unto Your enemy                許配給你的敵人(罪)。

11

Divorce me, untie, or break that knot 使我脫離(你的敵人),使我自由或拆毀那個結合(指與敵人結合)。

12

imprison me                            把我禁錮。

13

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, 除非你使我成為你的奴隸,我永遠得不到自由。

14

Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me. 也不可能變為貞潔,除非你把我姦污。