人之欲
“人在世上所需要的本来微少，
而且那微少的也不久长。”
但在我的经验不尽如此﹔
虽然歌曲唱的是那样。
说起来我的需要颇多，
数下去哪怕沒有百般﹔
虽则每个愿望都是鉅金，
我仍然希望多多益善。
首先我要日用的饮食—
野味之外--还要有酒
当用膳时在我的桌上
罗列着世间各地所有珍馐。
仅四道菜肴自然还不夠
略为满足我的食欲﹔
要有四名特选的法国名廚，
调制我的餐式适口悅目。
我还要，用王公的高价，
打扮得衣饰入时鲜丽豪华﹕
黑貂轻裘御寒冬的霜雪，
炎夏时则用丝罗绸纱，
克什米肩帔和布鲁塞尔花边
从胸前直到外面装饰--
手上戴光耀的金钢钻，
颈项挂的是红宝石。
我还要（谁不想要﹖）一个妻子
多情而又美丽﹔
能夠安慰生活中一切的忧患，
也分享所有的欢喜。
她的脾气柔和，又能顺从，
情绪稳定而且恬靜—
接纳我一切缺欠，依然爱我，
嫺雅而有不变的深情。
随着时间的车不停的驶过，
我的财富积聚增加满仓盈屋，
我要多生男而且养女，
至少要八个或十全十足。
我要（哟﹗世人竟然敢
祈求如此的福分圆满﹖）
女子子个个是贞洁的美娟，
丈夫子都是智勇双全。
我要有热诚而忠实的朋友，
在逆境中能给我欢愉快慰﹔
他们永不会奉迎谄谀，
他们的膝也不会屈服於权威—
犯了错误时有朋友能谏诤责备，
在灵魂的深处我可以看得见﹔
我的友情也经得试验，
显明对他人也同样的贞坚。
我要有权力和高位的印记，
发号施令的徽旗﹔
受命於人民无私的恩典
统治我祖国的土地﹔
我不要皇冠也不求权杖
只要出於全国共同的意志，
或昼，或夜，致力於大业
务求使国家的福杯满溢。
我要真诚的称讚声音
跟随在我的身后，
将来的日子会想念
这全人类的朋友，
许多世代之后，继起的人，
他们要宣告欢腾
同声歌唱响彻天庭
称颂我的荣名。
这些都是必死之人的欲望--
我不能欲望其存得久长，
因为人生不过是窄如手掌，
属地的福乐--只是歌曲。
我末了的大欲--结语﹕
当我归於泥土，
最后被呼喚见主，
我神的怜恤。
The Wants of Man
"Man wants but little here below,
Nor wants that little long."
'T is not with me exactly so;
But 't is so in the song.
My wants are many and, if told,
Would muster many a score;
And were each wish a mint of gold,
I still should long for more.
What first I want is daily bread —
And canvas-backs — and wine —
And all the realms of nature spread
Before me, when I dine.
Four courses scarely can provide
My appetite to quell;
With four choice cooks from France beside,
To dress my dinner well.
What next I want, at princely cost,
Is elegant attire:
Black sable furs for winter's frost,
And silks for summer's fire,
And Cashmere shawls, and Brussels lace
My bosom's front to deck,—
And diamond rings my hands to grace,
And rubies for my neck.
I want （who does not want?） a wife,—
Affectionate and fair;
To solace all the woes of life,
And all its joys to share.
Of temper sweet, of yielding will,
Of firm, yet placid mind,—
With all my faults to love me still
With sentiment refined.
And as Time's car incessant runs,
And Fortune fills my store,
I want of daughters and of sons
From eight to half a score.
I want （alas! can mortal dare
Such bliss on earth to crave?）
That all the girls be chaste and fair,—
The boys all wise and brave.
I want a warm and faithful friend,
To cheer the adverse hour;
Who ne'er to flatter will descend,
Nor bend the knee to power—
A friend to chide me when I'm wrong,
My inmost soul to see;
And that my friendship prove as strong
For him as his for me.
I want the seals of power and place,
The ensigns of command;
Charged by the People's unbought grace
To rule my native land
Nor crown nor scepter would I ask
But from my country's will,
By day, by night, to ply the task
Her cup of bliss to fill.
I want the voice of honest praise
To follow me behind,
And to be thought in future days
The friend of human kind,
That after ages, as they rise,
Exulting may proclaim
In choral union to the skies
Their blessings on my name.
These are the Wants of mortal Man —
I cannot want them long,
For life itself is but a span,
And earthly bliss—a song.
My last great Want — absorbing all —
Is, when beneath the sod,
And summoned to my final call,
The Mercy of My God.
崑瑞亚当斯（John Quincy Adams, 1767-1848）曾任美国第六任总统（1825-1829）。其父约翰亚当斯
（John Adams）为美国第二任总统（1797-1801）。
崑瑞亚当斯卸任后，为国会众议员（1831-1848）。有人问他，以曾任总统之尊，而屈为议员，是否降格？他说：服务国家，无论任何职务，都不是卑下的。
这首“人之欲”讽世诗，彷彿是现代的传道书，指出一切都是不足轻重的，真正的需要是神的怜悯。
