看过几米的作品《向左走·向右走》及同名电影的读者,一定不会对诗歌其第一节内容感到陌生。没错,就是这首被几米引用后让更多人知道了,也成了许多人心头所爱的诗歌,Wislawa Szymborska的经典之作——《一见钟情》。诗歌原为波兰文,本文刊登的是波兰诗人Stanislaw Baranczak和波兰语专家Clare Cavanagh合作而成的英译本。Wislawa Szymborska(1923— ),波兰当今最受欢迎的女诗人,1996年诺贝尔文学奖得主,著有《存活的理由》、《自问集》、《桥上的人们》等诗集。她擅长从日常生活琐事中挖掘出深刻的思想,用幽默的方式道出严肃的真理。
缘分是妙不可言的，是可遇不可求的，你等到那杯茶了吗?
They’re both convinced
that a sudden passion joined them.
Such certainty is beautiful,
but uncertainty is more beautiful still.
他们彼此都深信
是瞬间迸发的激情使他们相遇。
这种确定是美丽的,
然而变幻无常却更为美丽。
Since they’d never met before, they’re sure
that there’d been nothing between them.
But what’s the word from the streets, staircases, hallways—
perhaps they’ve passed by each other a million times?
因为他们先前素未谋面,他们确信
他们之间毫无关联。
然而从那街上、楼梯间、过道上传来的细语来判断—— 向左走向右走
或许他们曾无数次擦肩而过?
I want to ask them
if they don’t remember—
a moment face to face
in some revolving door?
perhaps a “sorry” muttered in a crowd?
a curt “wrong number” caught in the receiver?—
but I know the answer.
No, they don’t remember.
我想问他们
难道不记得两人——
曾在某扇旋转门中,
面对面相视的那一瞬间?
也许曾在人群中和对方咕哝了一句“对不起”?
曾拿起话筒和对方短促地说了句“打错了”?——
但我知道答案。
是的,他们不记得。
They’d be amazed to hear
that Chance has been toying with them
now for years.
他们定会感到诧异,
得知缘分原来已戏弄他们
多年。
Not quite ready yet
to become their Destiny,
it pushed them close, drove them apart,
it barred their path, 向左走向右走
stifling a laugh,
and then leaped aside.
时机尚未成熟
宿命尚未来临,
命运一会儿把他们拉近,一会儿把他们分开,
阻挡他们的去路,
按捺着笑声,
然后跳到一旁。
There were signs and signals,
even if they couldn’t read them yet.
Perhaps three years ago
or just last Tuesday
a certain leaf fluttered
from one shoulder to another?
Something was dropped and then picked up.
Who knows, maybe the ball that vanished
into childhood’s thicket?
曾经有过征兆和暗示,
纵使他们还无法读懂。
也许在三年前,
或者就是上个星期二,
某片树叶从他们一个人的肩上
飘舞到另一个人的肩上?
某个东西掉下来又被拾起。
天晓得,也许是那只消失在
童年那灌木丛里的球?
There were doorknobs and doorbells
where one touch had covered another
beforehand.
Suitcases checked and standing side by side.
One night, perhaps, the same dream,
grown hazy by morning.
他们曾先后触摸过
一些门把手和门铃,
后来的手印覆盖了先前的手印。
行李箱寄存后被放在一起。
在某个夜里,也许,两人做着相同的梦,
早上,梦又变模糊了。
Every beginning
is only a sequel, after all,
and the book of events
is always open halfway through.
每个开始
终究不过是一个续篇,
而充满情节的那本书
总是被人从中间看起。
