英语诗歌：Love at First Sight

Written by Wislawa Szymborska in Polish

一见钟情    辛波斯卡

 

They're both convinced

that a sudden passion joined them.

Such certainty is beautiful,

but uncertainty¹ is more beautiful still.

他们彼此都深信，

是瞬间迸发的激情使他们相遇。

这种确定是美丽的,

然而变幻无常却更为美丽。

Since they'd never met before, they're sure

that there'd been nothing between them.

But what's the word from the street staircase hallways—

perhaps they've passed by each other a million times?

因为他们先前素未谋面,他们确信，

他们之间毫无关联。

然而从那街上、楼梯间、过道上传来的细语来判断——

或许他们曾无数次擦肩而过?

I want to ask them

if they don't remember—

a moment face to face

in some revolving² door?

perhaps a "sorry" muttered in a crowd?

a curt³ "wrong number" caught in the receiver?—

but I know the answer.

No, they don't remember.

我想问他们，

难道不记得两人——

曾在某扇旋转门中,

面对面相视的那一瞬间?

也许曾在人群中和对方咕哝了一句“对不起”?

曾拿起话筒和对方短促地说了句“打错了”?——

但我知道答案。

是的,他们不记得。

They'd be amazed to hear

that Chance has been toying with them

now for years.

他们定会感到诧异,

得知缘分原来已戏弄他们，

多年。

Not quite ready yet

to become their Destiny,

it pushed them close, drove them apart,

it barred their path,

stifling⁴ a laugh,

and then leaped aside.

时机尚未成熟，

宿命尚未来临,

命运一会儿把他们拉近,一会儿把他们分开,

阻挡他们的去路,

按捺着笑声,

然后跳到一旁。

There were signs and signal

even if they couldn't read them yet.

Perhaps three years ago

or just last Tuesday

a certain leaf fluttered

from one shoulder to another?

Something was dropped and then picked up.

Who know maybe the ball that vanished

into childhood's thicket⁵?

曾经有过征兆和暗示,

纵使他们还无法读懂。

也许在三年前,

或者就是上个星期二,

某片树叶从他们一个人的肩上，

飘舞到另一个人的肩上?

某个东西掉下来又被拾起。

天晓得,也许是那只消失在，

童年那灌木丛里的球?

There were doorknobs and doorbells

where one touch had covered another

beforehand.

Suitcases checked and standing⁶ side by side.

One night, perhaps the same dream,

grown hazy⁷ by morning.

他们曾先后触摸过，

一些门把手和门铃,

后来的手印覆盖了先前的手印。

行李箱寄存后被放在一起。

在某个夜里,也许,两人做着相同的梦,

早上,梦又变模糊了。

Every beginning

is only a sequel, after all,

and the book of events

is always open halfway⁸ through.

每个开始，

终究不过是一个续篇,

而充满情节的那本书

总是从一半看起

                                      

1 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

2 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

3 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

4 stifling   

a.令人窒息的

参考例句：

• The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
• We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。

5 thicket   

n.灌木丛，树林

参考例句：

• A thicket makes good cover for animals to hide in.丛林是动物的良好隐蔽处。
• We were now at the margin of the thicket.我们现在已经来到了丛林的边缘。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。

8 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。