54

Where do you hurry with your basket this late evening when the marketing is over？

市集已过，你在夜晚急急地提着篮子要到哪里去呢？

They all have come home with their burdens； the moon peeps from above the village trees.

他们都挑着担子回家去了；月亮从村树隙中下窥。

The echoes of the voices calling for the ferry run across the dark water to the distant swamp where wild ducks sleep.

唤船的回声从深黑的水上传到远处野鸭睡眠的泽沼。

Where do you hurry with your basket when the marketing is over？

在市集已过的时候，你提着篮子急忙地要到哪里去呢？

Sleep has laid her finger upon the eyes of the earth.

睡眠把她的手指按在大地的双眼上。

The nests of the crows have become silent， and the murmurs of the bamboo leaves are silent.

鸦巢已静，竹叶的微语也已沉默。

The laborers home from their fields spread their mats in the courtyards.

劳动的人们从田间归来，把席子展铺在院子里。

Where do you hurry with your basket when the marketing is over？

在市集已过的时候，你提着篮子急忙地要到哪里去呢？

55

It was mid-day when you went away.

正午的时候你走了。

The sun was strong in the sky.

烈日当空。

I had done my work and sat alone on my balcony when you went away.

当你走的时候，我已做完了工作，坐在凉台上。

Fitful gusts came winnowing through the smells of many distant fields.

不定的风吹来，含带着许多远野的香气。

The doves cooed tireless in the shade， and a bee strayed in my room humming the news of many distant fields.

鸽子在树荫中不停地叫唤，一只蜜蜂在我屋里飞着，嗡出许多远野的消息。

The village slept in the noonday heat. The road lay deserted.

村庄在午热中入睡了。路上无人。

In sudden fits the rustling of the leaves rose and died.

树叶的声音时起时息。

I gazed at the sky and wove in the blue the letters of a name I had known， while the village slept in the noonday heat.

我凝望天空，把一个我知道的人的名字织在蔚蓝里，当村庄在午热中入睡的时候。

I had forgotten to braid my hair. The languid breeze played with it upon my neck.

我忘记把头发编起。困倦的风在我颊上和它嬉戏。

The river ran unruffled under the shady bank.

河水在荫岸下平静地流着。

The lazy white clouds did not move.

懒散的白云动也不动。

I had forgotten to braid my hair.

我忘了编起我的头发。

It was mid-day when you went away.

正午的时候你走了。

The dust of the road was hot and the fields panting.

路上尘土灼热，田野在喘息。

The doves cooed among the dense leaves.

鸽子在密叶中呼唤。

I was alone in my balcony when you went away.

我独坐在凉台上，当你走的时候。

56

I was one among many women busy with the obscure daily tasks of the household.

我是妇女中为平庸的日常家务而忙碌的一个。

Why did you single me out and bring me away from the cool shelter of our common life？

你为什么把我挑选出来，把我从日常生活的凉荫中带出来？

Love unexpressed is sacred. It shines like gems in the gloom of the hidden heart. In the light of the curious day it looks pitifully dark.

没有表现出来的爱是神圣的。它像宝石般在隐藏的心的朦胧里放光。在奇异的日光中，它显得可怜地晦暗。

Ah， you broke through the cover of my heart and dragged my trembling love into the open place， destroying for ever the shady corner where it hid its nest.

呵，你打碎我心的盖子，把我颤栗的爱情拖到空旷的地方，把那阴暗的藏我心巢的一角永远破坏了。

The other women are the same as ever.

别的女人和从前一样。

No one has peeped into their inmost being， and they themselves know not their own secret.

没有一个人窥探到自己的最深处，她们不知道自己的秘密。

Lightly they smile， and weep， chatter， and work. Daily they go to the temple， light their lamps， and fetch water from the river.

她们轻快地微笑，哭泣，谈话，工作。她们每天到庙里去，点上她们的灯，还到河中取水。

I hope my love would be saved from the shivering shame of the shelterless， but you turn your face away.

我希望能从无遮拦的颤羞中把我的爱情救出，但是你掉头不顾。

Yes， your path lies open before you， but you have cut off my return， and left me stripped naked before the world with its lidless eyes staring night and day.

是的，你的前途是远大的，但是你把我的归路切断了，让我在世界的无睫毛的眼睛日夜瞪视之下赤裸着。

57

I plucked your flower， O world！

我采了你的花，呵，世界！

I pressed it to my heart and the thorn pricked.

我把它压在胸前，花刺伤了我。

When the day waned and it darkened， I found that the flower had faded， but the pain remained.

日光渐暗，我发现花儿凋谢了，痛苦却存留着。

More flowers will come to you with perfume and pride， O world！

许多有香有色的花又将来到你这里，呵，世界！

But my time for flower-gathering is over， and through the dark night I have not my rose， only the pain remains.

但是我采花的时代过去了，黑夜悠悠，我没有了玫瑰，只有痛苦存留着。

58

One morning in the flower garden a blind girl came to offer me a flower chain in the cover of a lotus leaf.

有一天早晨，一个盲女来献给我一串盖在荷叶下的花环。

I put it round my neck， and tears came to my eyes.

我把它挂在颈上，泪水涌上我的眼睛。

I kissed her and said， "You are blind even as the flowers are.

我吻了它，说："你和花朵一样地盲目。"

"You yourself know not how beautiful is your gift."

"你自己不知道你的礼物是多么美丽。"

59

O woman， you are not merely the handiwork of God， but also of men； these are ever endowing you with beauty from their hearts.

呵，女人，你不但是神的，而且是人的手工艺品；他们永远从心里用美来打扮你。

Poets are weaving for you a web with threads of golden imagery； painters are giving your form ever new immortality.

诗人用比喻的金线替你织网，画家们给你的身形以永新的不朽。

The sea gives its pearls， the mines their gold， the summer gardens their flowers to deck you， to cover you， to make you more precious.

海献上珍珠，矿献上金子，夏日的花园献上花朵来装扮你，覆盖你，使你更加美妙。

The desire of men's hearts has shed its glory over your youth.

人类心中的愿望，在你的青春上洒上光荣……

You are one half woman and one half dream.

你一半是女人，一半是梦。

60

Amidst the rush and roar of life， O Beauty， carved in stone， you stand mute and still， alone and aloof.

在生命奔腾怒吼的中流，呵，石头雕或的"美"，你冷静无言，独自超绝地站立着。

Great Time sits enamoured at your feet and murmurs：

"伟大的时间"依恋地坐在你脚边低语说：

"Speak， speak to me， my love； speak， my bride！"

"说话吧，对我说话吧，我爱，说话吧，我的新娘！"

But your speech is shut up in stone， O Immovable Beauty！

但是你的话被石头关住了，呵，"不动的美"！