当死神降临呐石 译

When Death Comes玛丽·奥利弗


当死神降临
When death comes
好似秋天里饥饿的熊;
like the hungry bear in autumn;
当死神降临,倾尽他钱包里闪亮的硬币
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

来收买我,然后啪的一声合上钱包;
to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
当死神降临
when death comes
好似麻疹水痘
like the measle-pox

当死神降临
when death comes
好似肩胛骨之间的一座冰山,
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

我想穿过那道门,满是好奇,寻思:
I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
它会是什么样子,那黑暗的小屋?
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

因此我把一切视为
And therefore I look upon everything
兄弟姐妹,
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
我把时间只是视作一个概念,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
我认为永恒是另一种可能,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

我把每个生命看作一朵花,普通得
and I think of each life as a flower, as common
如同一朵野雏菊,又那么独特,
as a field daisy, and as singular,

每个名字都是一首舒适的音乐,
and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
如同所有的音乐一样趋于寂静,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,

每个身体都是无畏的狮子,也是大地上
and each body a lion of courage, and something
弥足珍贵的东西。
precious to the earth.

当一切终了,我想说,这一生
When it's over, I want to say all my life
我是钟情于惊奇的新娘。
I was a bride married to amazement.
我是把世界拥入怀抱的新郎。
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

当一切终了,我不想纠结于
When it's over, I don't want to wonder
我的生命是否特别而真实。
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

我不想看到自己叹息和恐惧,
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
或者据理力争。
or full of argument.

我不想只是来过这个世界。
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.


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