For Once, Then, Something

*翻譯Robert Frost的詩。

Others taunt me with having knelt at well-curbs

人們嘲笑我跪在井欄邊

Always wrong to the light, so never seeing

總是錯向光線，以致從未看到

Deeper down in the well than where the water

井深之地，而淺水

Gives me back in a shining surface picture

只給我光亮的表層畫面——

Me myself in the summer heaven godlike

我本身，像夏日天空中的神

Looking out of a wreath of fern and cloud puffs.

從蕨草和浮雲的花圈中向外張望。

Once, when trying with chin against a well-curb,

有一次，嘗試將下巴貼著井欄時，

I discerned, as I thought, beyond the picture,

我看到，我這樣認為，那畫面的另一邊，

Through the picture, a something white, uncertain,

穿過那畫面，有一東西，白色，不確定，

Something more of the depths—and then I lost it.

更深處的東西——然後我失去了它。

Water came to rebuke the too clear water.


水一來，破壞了清澈的水——

One drop fell from a fern, and lo, a ripple

一滴水從蕨落下，但見一陣漣漪

Shook whatever it was lay there at bottom,


搖晃井底裡不論是甚麼的它，

Blurred it, blotted it out. What was that whiteness?

模糊它，抹掉它。那白色是甚麼？

Truth? A pebble of quartz? For once, then, something.

真理？水晶？驚鴻一瞥，攪動心思。