試譯：《字詞》葉慈【Words－William Butler Yeats】

字詞　葉慈 (試譯：淺白)

片刻前我有了這個想法——

「我的至親並不能明白

我做了些甚麼，或者說，

在這瞽聵、苦澀的大地上

我所做的會有甚麼用」

而烈日很快便為我厭倦

直至思路再次在我眼前清晰

記得自己所能做過最好的

就是盡可能把它說得直白

就如每年我也曾激動叫喊：「終於！

我愛的人全部明白了

因為我的力量終於來到

而字語，也服從了我的使喚」

就假如她真的這樣做了，那誰還曉得

會有甚麼可從這筲箕裏篩出來？

我也可能早已將微弱的字詞拋開

而自此滿足於生活

10/4/2019

Words 

by William Butler Yeats (From his 1910 Collection The Green Helmet and other Poems)

I had this thought a while ago,

"My darling cannot understand

What I have done, or what would do

In this blind bitter land.”

And I grew weary of the sun

Until my thoughts cleared up again,

Remembering that the best I have done

Was done to make it plain;

That every year I have cried, "At length

My darling understands it all,

Because I have come into my strength,

And words obey my call;”

That had she done so who can say

What would have shaken from the sieve?

I might have thrown poor words away

And been content to live.

2020年2月19日攝於城門水塘。