A Labourer lay listening to a Nightingale's song throughout the summer night. So pleased was he with it that the next night he set a trap for it and captured it. "Now that I have caught thee," he cried, "thou shalt always sing to me."
一个工人在整个夏夜倾听着夜莺的歌声。他非常高兴，第二天晚上，他设下陷阱，抓住了它。“现在我抓住了你，”他喊道，“你应该永远对我歌唱。
"Nay, kill me not," said the Nightingale; "but let me free, and I'll tell thee three things far better worth than my poor body." The Labourer let him loose, and he flew up to a branch of a tree and said: "Never believe a captive's promise; that's one thing. Then again: Keep what you have. And third piece of advice is: Sorrow not over what is lost forever." Then the song-bird flew away.
“不，不要杀我，”夜莺说，“但让我自由，我告诉你三件比我可怜的身体更值钱的东西。”工人放开了他，他飞到一棵树枝上说：“永远不要相信俘虏的诺言，这是一回事。”。再说：保留你所拥有的。第三条忠告是：悲伤永远不在失去的东西上。”然后鸟儿飞走了。
"We Nightingales never sing in a cage." said the bird.
“我们夜莺从来不在笼子里唱歌。”。
"Then I'll eat thee." said the Labourer. "I have always heard say that a nightingale on toast is dainty morsel."
“那我就吃你。”工人说。”我一直听说土司夜莺是美味佳肴。