喬叟（Geoffrey Chaucer）《坎特伯雷故事集》（Canterbury Tales）序言首四句

Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

現代英語翻譯大概意思：

When April comes and with its showers sweet
Has, to the root, pierced March’s drought complete,
And then bathed every vein in such elixir
That, by its strength, engendered is the flower…（translated by Sheila Fisher）