这位可怜的皇帝几乎不能够呼吸了，好像有一件什么东西压着他的胸口，他睁开眼睛，看到死神坐在他的胸口上，并且还戴上了他的金王冠，一只手拿着皇帝的宝剑，另一只手拿着他的高贵的令旗。四周有许多奇形怪状的脑袋从天鹅绒帷幔的褶纹里偷偷地伸出来，有的很丑，有的温和可爱。这些东西都代表皇帝所做过的好事和坏事。现在死神既然坐在他的心坎上，这些奇形怪状的脑袋就特地伸出来看他。
“Do you remember this？”“Do you recollect that？”they asked one after another，thus bringing to his remembrance circumstances that made the perspiration(perspiration n.排汗，汗水)stand on his brow.
“你记得这件事吗？”“你记得那件事吗？”它们一个接着一个地低语着，它们使他想起许多事情，弄得他的前额冒出了许多汗珠。
“I know nothing about it，”said the emperor.“Music！music！”he cried.“The large Chinese drum！That I may not hear what they say.”But they still went on，and Death nodded like a Chinaman to all they said.
“我不知道这件事！”皇帝说。“快把音乐奏起来！快把音乐奏起来！快把大鼓敲起来！”他叫出声来，“好叫我听不到他们讲的这些事情呀！”然而它们还是不停地在讲。死神对它们所讲的话点点头——像中国人那样点法。“Music！music！”shouted the emperor.“You little precious golden bird，sing，pray sing！I have given you gold and costly presents，I have even hung my golden slipper round your neck.Sing！sing！”But the bird remained silent.There was no one to wind it up，and therefore it could not sing a note.
“把音乐奏起来呀！把音乐奏起来呀！”皇帝叫起来。“你这只贵重的小金鸟儿，唱吧，唱吧！我曾喝给你贵重的金礼品；我曾经亲自把我的金拖鞋挂在你的脖颈上——现在请唱呀，唱呀！”可是这只鸟儿仍然动也不动一下，因为没有谁来替它上好发条，而它不上好发条就唱不出一个调儿来。
Death continued to stare at the emperor with his cold，hollow eyes，and the room was fearfully still.Suddenly there came through the open window the sound of sweet music.Outside，on the bough(bough n.大树枝，主枝)of a tree，sat the living nightingale.She had heard of the emperors illness，and was therefore come to sing to him of hope and trust.And as she sung，the shadows grew paler and paler，the blood in the emperors veins flowed more rapidly，and gave life to his weak limbs(limb n.肢，翼，分支)，and even Death himself listened，and said，“Go on，little nightingale，go on.”
不过死神继续用他空洞的冷冰冰的大眼睛盯着这位皇帝。四周是静寂的，可怕的静寂。正在这时候，窗外传来一个最美丽的歌声，这就是那只小小的、活的夜莺，它栖在外面的一根树枝上，它听到了皇帝可悲的境况，现在特地来为他唱点安慰和希望的歌。在它唱歌的时候，那些幽灵的面孔就渐渐变得淡了，同时在皇帝娇弱的肢体里，血也开始流动得活跃起来。甚至死神自己也听起歌来，而且还说：“唱吧，小夜莺，请唱下去吧！”
“Then will you give me the beautiful golden sword and that rich banner？And will you give me the emperors crown？”said the bird.
“不过，你愿意给我那把美丽的金剑吗？你愿意给我那面华贵的令旗吗？你愿意给我那顶皇帝的王冠吗？”
So Death gave up each of these treasures for a song，and the nightingale continued her singing.She sung of the quiet churchyard(churchyard n.墓地，境内)，where the white roses grow，where the eldertree wafts its perfume on the breeze，and the fresh，sweet grass is moistened(moisten vt.弄湿vi.变潮湿)by the mournerstears.Then Death longed to go and see his garden，and floated out through the window in the form of a cold，white mist.
死神把这些宝贵的东西都交了出来，以换取一支歌。于是夜莺不停地唱着。它歌唱那安静的教堂墓地——那儿生长着白色的玫瑰花，那儿接骨木树发出甜蜜的香气，那儿新草染上了未亡人的眼泪。死神这时就眷恋地思念起自己的花园来，于是他就变成一股寒冷的白雾，在窗口消失了。
“Thanks，thanks，you heavenly little bird.I know you well.I banished(banish vt.流放，驱逐，消除)you from my kingdom once，and yet you have charmed away the evil faces from my bed，and banished Death from my heart，with your sweet song.How can I reward you？”
“多谢你，多谢你！”皇帝说。“你这只神圣的小鸟！我现在懂得你了。我把你从我的土地和帝国赶出去，而你却用你甜美的歌声把那些邪恶的面孔从我的床边驱走，也把死神从我的心中去掉。我该怎样报答你呢？”
“You have already rewarded me，”said the nightingale.“I shall never forget that I drew tears from your eyes the first time I sang to you.These are the jewels that rejoice a singers heart.But now sleep，and grow strong and well again.I will sing to you again.”
“您已经报答我了！”夜莺说：“在我第一次唱的时候，我从您的眼里看到了您的泪珠——我将永远忘记不了这件事。每一滴眼泪是一颗珠宝——它可以使得一个歌者心花开放。不过现在请您睡吧，请您保养精神，变得健康起来吧，我将再为您唱一支歌。”
And as she sung，the emperor fell into a sweet sleep，and how mild and refreshing that slumberslumber n.睡眠v.睡眠was！When he awoke，strengthened and restored，the sun shone brightly through the window，but not one of his servants had returned—they all believed he was dead，only the nightingale still sat beside him，and sang.
伴着它的歌声，皇帝进入了甜美的梦乡。啊，这一觉是多么温和，多么愉快啊！当他醒来时，感到神志清新，体力恢复，太阳从窗子里射进来，照在他的身上。他的侍从一个也没有来，因为他们以为他死了。只有夜莺仍然立在他的身边，为他歌唱着。
“You must always remain with me，”said the emperor.“You shall sing only when it pleases you，and I will break the artificial bird into a thousand pieces.”
“请你永远跟我住在一起吧，”皇帝说。“你喜欢怎样唱就怎样唱。我会把那只人造鸟儿撕成一千块碎片。”
“No，do not do that，”replied the nightingale，“the bird did very well as long as it could.Keep it here still.I cannot live in the palace，and build my nest，but let me come when I like.I will sit on a bough outside your window，in the evening，and sing to you，so that you may be happy，and have thoughts full of joy.I will sing to you of those who are happy，and those who suffer，of the good and the evil，who are hidden around you.The little singing bird flies far from you and your court to the home of the fisherman and the peasants cot.I love your heart better than your crown，and yet something holy lingers round that also.I will come，I will sing to you，but you must promise me one thing.”
“请不要这样做吧，”夜莺说。“它已经尽了它最大的努力。让它继续留在您的身边吧。我不能在宫里筑一个巢住下来；不过，当我想到要来的时候，就请您让我来吧。我会在黄昏的时候栖在窗外的树枝上，为您唱支歌，叫您快乐，也叫您深思。我将歌唱那些幸福的人们和那些受难的人们。我将歌唱隐藏在您周围的善和恶。您的小小的歌鸟现在要远行了，它要飞到那个穷苦的渔夫身旁去，飞到农民的屋顶上去，飞到住得离您和您的宫廷很远的每个人身边去。比起您的王冠来，我更爱您的心。然而王冠却也有它神圣的一面。我将会再来，为您唱歌——不过我要求您答应我一件事。”
“Everything.”said the emperor，who，having dressed himself in his imperial robes(robe n.长袍，罩衣，礼服，制服)，stood with the hand that held the heavy golden sword pressed to his heart.
“什么事都成！”皇帝说。他亲自穿上他的朝服站着，同时把他那把沉重的金剑按在心上。
“I only ask one thing，”she replied，“let no one know that you have a little bird who tells you everything.It will be best to conceal it.”So saying，the nightingale flew away.
“我要求您一件事：请您不要让任何人知道，您有一只会把什么事情都讲给您听的小鸟。只有这样，一切才会美好。”于是夜莺就飞走了。
The servants now came in to look after the dead emperor，when，lo！there he stood，and，to their astonishment，said，“Good morning.”
侍从们都进来瞧瞧他们死去了的皇帝——这时，看！他站在那儿，对吃惊的人们说：“早安！”