公刘·《假如》英译

假如小鸟应该飞来，<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

偏偏却不见它飞来，

树林为甚么还耐心等待？

北山有罗，也许已经张开？①

 

假如我的家乡天色阴暗，

而且射来了砸人的雨点，

我那雨中奔跑的乡亲哟，

是否你在默想未来的晴天？

 

假如雄鸡渴望歌唱，

却又偏偏噤声不响，

胆怯的孩子就难免惊慌：

妈妈，是不是来了黄鼠狼？

 

假如春天也学会了欺骗，

那么大地就会说：这不是真的春天；

锄头将生锈，

拓荒者将带走收获的预言。

 

1979年5月21日 绝早，昆明城犹在夜色朦胧中。

 

[註]：①古谣：“南山有鸟，北山张罗；鸟自高飞，罗当奈何？”

 

Suppose

Gong Liu

 

Suppose birds should fly in now,

But they are not yet seen.

Why is the wood so patiently keen?

In the North Mountain there is a net.

Maybe it is stretched, isn't it yet? ¹

 

Suppose it is already gloomy in my hometown,

And there comes rain drops shooting at people.

My country folk that are running in the rain

Are still thinking about the sunny days in the future?

 

Suppose the rooster is itching to crow,

But it keeps silent.

The timid children would go panic.

Mom, has the weasel come?

 

Suppose spring has learn to cheat,

Then the earth would say: this is not spring.

The hoe would go rusty,

The exploiter would carry away his prophesy of harvest.

 

At dawn of May 21, 1979 When Kunming was still covered by the night curtain.

 

1. ancient ballad: “There is a bird in South Mountain and in the North Mountain a net is stretched open. The bird flies high and the net remains idle.”