Sadness of August—Lin Huiyin

 

八月的忧愁——林徽因

 

In a yellow pond there are white ducks swimming.

 

黄水塘里游着白鸭，

Only a little taller than people, sorghums are still green.

高粱梗油青的刚高过头，

Where should I put, in this pounding heart,

这跳动的心怎样安插，

A narrow path in the field, this sadness in August.

田里一窄条路，八月里这忧愁？

Rain washed the sky clean last night, sun shines

天是昨夜雨洗过的，山岗

On hills and leaves some shadows,

照着太阳又留一片影；

Sheep follow the shepherd into the village,

羊跟着放羊的转进村庄，

And shading a well, a big tree looks like a heart.

一大棵树荫下罩着井，又像是心！

No one ever spoke of August, summer is over

从没有人说过八月什么话，

And fall isn't here. I look onto a farmland

夏天过去了，也不到秋天。

And then at the squashes over the earth wall,

但我望着田垄，土墙上的瓜，

I just don't understand how life and dream connect.

仍不明白生活同梦怎样的连牵。