On Love
论 爱
纪伯伦/著
冰心/译
Then said Almtra, "Speak to us of Love."
于是爱尔美差说：先知，请给我们谈爱。
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:
他举头望着民众，他们一时静默了。他用洪亮的声音说：
When love beckons to you follow him,
当爱向你们召唤的时候，跟随着他，
Though his ways are hard and steep.
虽然他的路程艰险而陡峻。
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
当他的翅翼围卷你们的时候，屈服于他，
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
虽然那藏在羽翮中间的剑刃许会伤毁你们。
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
当他对你们说话的时候，信从他，
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
虽然他的声音也许会把你们的梦魂击碎，如同北风吹荒了林园。
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
爱虽给你加冠，他也要将你钉在十字架上。他虽栽培你，他也刈剪你。
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
他虽升到你的最高处，抚惜你在日中颤动的枝叶，
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
他也要降到你的根下，摇动你的根柢的一切关节，使之归土。
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
如同一捆稻粟，他把你束聚起来。
He threshes you to make you naked.
他舂打你使你赤裸。
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
他筛分你使你脱壳。
He grinds you to whiteness.
他磨碾你直至洁白。
He kneads you until you are pliant;
他揉搓你直至柔韧；
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
然后他送你到他的圣火上去，使你成为上帝圣筵上的圣饼。
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
这些都是爱要给你们做的事情，使你知道自己心中的秘密，在这知识中你便成了“生命”心中的一屑。
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
假如你在你的疑惧中，只寻求爱的和平与逸乐，
Then is is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
那不如掩盖你的裸露，而躲过爱的筛打，
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
而走入那没有季候的世界，在那里你将欢笑，却不是尽情的笑悦；你将哭泣，却没有流干了眼泪。
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
爱除自身外无施与，除自身外无接受。
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
爱不占有，也不被占有。
For love is sufficient unto love.
因为爱在爱中满足了。
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
当你爱的时候，你不要说，“上帝在我的心中”，却要说，“我在上帝的心里。”
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
不要想你能导引爱的路程，因为若是他觉得你配，他就导引你。
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
爱没有别的愿望，只要成全自己。
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
但若是你爱，而且需求愿望，就让以下的做你的愿望吧：
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
溶化了你自己，象溪流般对清夜吟唱着歌曲。
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
要知道过度温存的痛苦。
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
让你对爱的了解毁伤了你自己；
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
而且甘愿地喜乐地流血。
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
清晨醒起，以喜飏的心来致谢这爱的又一日；
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
日中静息，默念爱的浓欢；
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
晚潮退时，感谢地回家；
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
然后在睡时祈祷，因为有被爱者在你的心中，有赞美之歌在你的唇上。
