What Man May Learn, what Man May Do

WHAT man may learn, what man may do,

Of right or wrong of false or true,

While, skipper-like, his course he steers¹

Through nine and twenty mingled² years,

Half misconceived and half forgot,

So much I know and practise not.

Old are the words of wisdom, old

The counsels of the wise and bold:

To close the ears, to check the tongue,

To keep the pining spirit young;

To act the right, to say the true,

And to be kind whate’er you do.

Thus we across the modern stage

Follow the wise of every age;

And, as oaks grow and rivers run

Unchanged in the unchanging sun,

So the eternal march of man

Goes forth³ on an eternal plan.

1 steers   

n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导

参考例句：

• This car steers easily. 这部车子易于驾驶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Good fodder fleshed the steers up. 优质饲料使菜牛长肉。 来自辞典例句

2 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。

3 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。