Every morning

每天早晨，

the world

世界

is created.

被创造出来，

Under the orange

在太阳的

sticks of the sun

橙色光芒中，

the heaped

夜晚

ashes of the night

堆积的灰尘

turn into leaves again

变成叶子，

and fasten themselves to the high branches ---

将自己固定在高高的枝条上——

and the ponds appear

池塘显现了，

like black cloth

如同黑布上

on which are painted islands

开满荷花的

of summer lilies.

岛屿图案。

If it is your nature

如果你的天性

to be happy

是快乐的，

you will swim away along the soft trails

你将沿着柔软的小径

for hours, your imagination

游荡几个小时，你的想象

alighting everywhere.

落在每一处。

And if your spirit

如果

carries within it

你的灵魂

the thorn

携带着

that is heavier than lead ---

比铅垂还沉重的刺——

if it"s all you can do

如果你所能做的

to keep on trudging ---

是继续跋涉——

there is still

你的内心深处

somewhere deep within you

仍有

a beast shouting that the earth

一只野兽在叫喊，土地

is exactly what it wanted ---

才是它所需要的——

each pond with its blazing lilies

那么，每个开满荷花的池塘

is a prayer heard and answered

是一声祈祷，被听见并得到

lavishly,

慷慨的回应，

every morning,

每天早晨，

whether or not

无论你是否曾

you have ever dared to be happy,

勇敢地快乐， 

whether or not

无论你是否曾

you have ever dared to pray.

勇敢地祈祷。