著名作曲家贝多芬就曾经亲自校订过这首歌。门德尔松用这个曲调写过一首钢琴幻想曲。后来,德国作曲家弗洛托把这首民歌用在他的歌剧《玛尔塔》里。由于《夏日最后的玫瑰》受到这么多有名作曲家的重视,流传得也就更加广泛了。
This is the last rose of summer这是夏日最后的玫瑰
Left blooming alone;独自绽放着;
All her lovely companions所有昔日动人的同伴
Are faded and gone;都已凋落残逝;
No flower of her kindred,身旁没有同类的花朵,
No rose-bud is nigh,没有半个玫瑰苞,
to reflect back her blushes,映衬她的红润,
Or give sigh for sigh.分担她的忧愁。
I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!我不会离开弧零零的你!
To pine on the stem;让你单独地憔悴;
Since the lovely are sleeping,既然美丽的同伴都已入眠,
Go, sleep thou with them.去吧!你也和她们一起躺着。
thus kindly I scatter为此,我好心在散放
Thy leaves o'er the bed你的丽叶在花床上
Where thy mates of the garden那儿,也是你花园的同伴
Lie scentless and dead.无声无息躺着的地方。
Soon may I follow,不久我也可能追随我朋友而去,
When friendships decay,当友谊渐逝,
And from Love's shining circle像从灿烂之爱情圈中
The gems drop away.掉落的宝石。
When true hearts lie withered,当忠诚的友人远去,
And fond ones are flown,所爱的人飞走,
Oh! who would inhabit啊!谁还愿留在
This bleak world alone?这荒冷的世上独自凄凉?
诗人用优美的语言描绘了夏日里最后一朵玫瑰,它孤独地开放,孤独地凋谢.作者用夏日里最后一朵玫瑰比喻等待爱情的女子,她等待的爱人迟迟未回,她只有独自凋零,就像拿朵夏日的玫瑰.作者被这凄婉的感情所触动,感叹道:若真心已不在,谁还能够在这个黑暗的世界独自生存.