火与冰 （汉译）
有的说世界将在火中灭亡，
有的说世界将在冰里灭亡。
凭我对欲望的品尝，
我赞同偏向火的那方。
倘若世界又得毁于另一方，
想必足够的恨
就冰的毁灭性来讲
也绝对强
且足够浪。
Fire and Ice
By Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
The poet uses fire and ice as a metaphor for hatred and desire. If you replace the words fire and ice with hatred and desire, it would help you better understand the poet’s mind: which one is stronger in this world – desire or hatred, hence he holds with those who favor hatred would ruin the world. The philosophy behind it is that fire and ice contradicts each other and if fire destroys ice and ice destroys fire, it would suffice.
Think about what’s going on in our present world: the quarrels and escalating conflicts between Iran and Israel all derive from their desires and hatred.
