Let life be beautiful || like summer flowers and death (like autumn) leaves.

使生如夏花之绚烂，死如秋叶之静美。

1

Stray birds (of summer) come to my window to sing and fly away.夏天的飞鸟，飞到我窗前唱歌，又飞去了。

And yellow leaves (of autumn, (which have no songs),) flutter and fall there [with a sigh].秋天的黄叶，它们没有什么可唱，只叹息一声，飞落在那里。

2

O  troupe (of little vagrants (of the world)), leave your footprints [in my words].世界上的一队小小的漂泊者呀，请留下你们的足印在我的文字里。

3

The world puts off its mask (of vastness) [to its lover].世界对着它的爱人，把它浩瀚的面具揭下了。

It becomes small [as one song], [as one kiss (of the eternal)].它变小了，小如一首歌，小如一回永恒的接吻。

4

It is the tears (of the earth | that keep her smiles in bloom).是大地的泪点，使她的微笑保持着青春不谢。

5

The mighty desert is burning (for the love (of a blade (of grass (who shakes her head and laughs and flies)))) away.无垠的沙漠热烈追求一叶绿草的爱，她摇摇头笑着飞开了。

6

If you shed tears || when you miss the sun, || you also miss the stars.如果你因失去了太阳而流泪，那么你也将失去群星了。

7

The sands (in your way) beg | [for your song and your movement], [dancing water.Will] you carry the burden (of their lameness)?跳舞着的流水呀，在你途中的泥沙，要求你的歌声，你的流动呢。你肯挟瘸足的泥沙而俱下么？

8

Her wishful face haunts my dreams [like the rain] [at night].她的热切的脸，如夜雨似的，搅扰着我的梦魂。

9

[Once] we dreamt | that we were strangers.有一次，我们梦见大家都是不相识的。

10

We wake up to find | that we were dear [to each other].我们醒了，却知道我们原是相亲相爱的。

11

Some unseen fingers, <like an idle breeze>, are playing [[upon my heart]] the music (of the ripples).有些看不见的手指，如懒懒的微飔似的，正在我的心上奏着潺湲的乐声。

12

"What language is thine, O sea?"“海水呀，你说的是什么？”

"The language (of eternal question)."“是永恒的疑问。”

"What language is thy answer, O sky?"“天空呀，你回答的话是什么？”

"The language (of eternal silence)."“是永恒的沉默。”

13

Listen, my heart, to the whispers (of the world (with which it makes love [to you])).静静地听，我的心呀，听那世界的低语，这是它对你求爱的表示呀。

14

The mystery (of creation) is like the darkness (of night) -- || it is | great.Delusions (of knowledge) are like the fog (of the morning).创造的神秘，有如夜间的黑暗——是伟大的。而知识的幻影却不过如晨间之雾。

15

Do not seat your love [upon a precipice] || because it is high.不要因为峭壁是高的，便让你的爱情坐在峭壁上。

16

I sit at my window [this morning] || where the world (like a passer-by) stops for a moment, nods to me and goes.

我今晨坐在窗前，世界如一个路人似的，停留了一会，向我点点头又走过去了。