Lo! as a careful housewife runs to catch

One of her feather'd creatures broke away,

Sets down her babe and makes an swift dispatch

In pursuit of the thing she would have stay,

Whilst her neglected child holds her in chase,

Cries to catch her whose busy care is bent

To follow that which flies before her face,

Not prizing her poor infant's discontent;

So runn'st thou after that which flies from thee,

Whilst I thy babe chase thee afar behind;

But if thou catch thy hope, turn back to me,

And play the mother's part, kiss me, be kind:

So will I pray that thou mayst have thy 'Will,'

If thou turn back, and my loud crying still.

看呀，像一個小心翼翼的主婦

跑著去追攆一只逃走的母雞，

把孩子扔下，拚命快跑，要抓住

那個她急著要得回來的東西；

被扔下的孩子緊跟在她后頭，

哭哭啼啼要趕上她，而她只管

望前一直追攆，一步也不停留，

不顧她那可憐的小孩的不滿：

同樣，你追那個逃避你的家伙，

而我（你的孩子）卻在后頭追你；

你若趕上了希望，請回頭照顧我，

盡媽媽的本分，輕輕吻我，很和氣。

　　只要你回頭來撫慰我的悲啼，

　　我就會禱告神讓你從心所欲。