Tiger! Tiger!①

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,②
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?③

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art,④
Could twist the sinews of thy heart,⑤
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?⑥

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp? ⑦

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,⑧
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

①    全诗以问句组成，这些问句表达了创造老虎的过程，其中以首句为最重要。老虎的威力和完美的形体，来源于神的创造力和智慧（immortal hand or eye）。
②    老虎的皮色和炯炯目光象征着火，老虎栖居的深山密林幽暗如夜。
③    谁的非凡的手或眼力能创造或设计你这可怕的形体。此句形容老虎创造者有神的力量和灵感。
④    谁有如此大的力量，以及如此高超的技巧。
⑤    twist the sinews指用力把筋或腱扭弯成一定的形状；sinews可作“力量”解。
⑥    你的心一旦开始跳动，谁能用可怕的手脚来控制住你？dread即dreadful。
⑦    谁能有巨大的力量控制住可怖的老虎。
⑧    上帝既制造暴力，又创造和平。