引言：弃我去者，昨日之日不可留。
Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin' high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We'll meet on edges , soon," said I
Proud 'neath heated brow.
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
死而不僵的偏见仍在横行
“粉碎所有的仇恨”，我大喊
生活非黑即白 这谎言
只是我脑热时的梦呓
火枪手的浪漫故事
不知何故深植我心
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamd
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep , somehow.
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
女孩的脸庞引着我前进
从出于虚伪的妒忌
到背诵古代历史的政治
浑然不觉那不过是
迂腐的教士扔下的糟粕
Girls' faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of , though , somehow.
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
A self-ordained professor's tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
像个斗士一般，我把矛头
指向说教的狗杂种
全然不怕在鼓吹时
会变为自己的宿敌
我的存在被混乱之船引领
又从船尾到船头地背叛
In a Soldire's stance , I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My existence led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
是啊，我严阵以待的只是假想敌
道德优越感让我忘乎所以
骗的我相信
我也该去捍卫什么东西
我定义的好与坏
总觉得清晰无误
Yes , my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad , I define these terms
Quite clear , no doubt , somehow.
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
译后记
初听这首歌乍以为是作者暮年之作。事实上，Dylan写下My Back Pages时年仅23岁，可谓自省得超前。
1963年《答案在风中飘》《战争大师》发布后，Dylan成了传奇般的反战歌手，被称为“一代人的声音”、人道主义和进步主义事业的代言人。次年Dylan便厌倦了承担这种角色，他觉这样的自己无比苍老。他想写自己的生活，不是以左派政治诗人的身份，而是以独立诗人的身份写下这首歌。无序的咆哮化作了有条理的艺术密度，这定是有史以来最抒情的政治叛教。歌词由六小段组成，结构非常工整。每一段分别描述了过往岁月中的某种特定状态。每个段落的结束，都会回到同一句歌词：
Ah , but I was so much older then ,
I'm younger than that now.
年华消逝，是生命摇落的悲哀。你要在短暂的生命中，完成你自己，不是为了装，不是表演他人的期待，也不是成为某个主义的木偶，是在品格、情操各方面尽力量，完成自己的生命。希望我们都能完成那个风华正茂的自己。
