《天使》，1844 年

the Angel, 1844

“每當一個好孩子死去，上帝的一位天使就會從天堂降臨，把死去的孩子抱在懷裡，展開他巨大的白色翅膀，帶著他飛越孩子生前喜愛的所有地方。

“whenever a good child dies, an angel of God es down from heaven, takes the dead child in his arms, spreads out his great white wings, and flies with him over all the places which the child had loved during his life.

然後他採擷一大把鮮花，帶到全能的上帝那裡，好讓它們在天堂比在人間開得更加豔麗。

then he gathers a large handful of flowers, which he carries up to the Almighty, that they may bloom more brightly in heaven than they do on earth.

而全能的上帝把這些花貼在自己的心口，但他會親吻那朵最讓他喜歡的花，那朵花便獲得了聲音，能夠加入到幸福的合唱之中。”

And the Almighty presses the flowers to his heart, but he kisses the flower that pleases him best, and it receives a voice, and is able to join the song of the chorus of bliss.”

這些話是上帝的一位天使說的，當時他正帶著一個死去的孩子飛往天堂，孩子聽著，彷彿在夢中一般。

these words were spoken by an angel of God, as he carried a dead child up to heaven, and the child listened as if in a dream.

接著他們飛過一些熟悉的地方，那是小傢伙常玩耍的地方，還穿過滿是可愛花朵的美麗花園。

then they passed over well-known spots, where the little one had often played, and through beautiful gardens full of lovely flowers.

“我們要帶哪些花去天堂移栽到那裡呢？”

天使問道。

“which of these shall we take with us to heaven to be transplanted there?”

asked the angel.

附近長著一叢纖細、美麗的玫瑰樹，但某個邪惡的手摺斷了它的莖幹，半開的玫瑰花蕾在低垂的枝條上枯萎、凋謝了。

close by grew a slender, beautiful, rose-bush, but some wicked hand had broken the stem, and the half-opened rosebuds hung f