Go inside a stone

到一块石头里去

That would be my way.

这将是我要走的路。

Let somebody else become a dove

让别人成为一只鸽子

Or gnash with a tiger's tooth.

或用老虎的牙咬。

I am happy to be a stone.

我很高兴成为一块石头。

From the outside the stone is a riddle:

从外面看石头是一个谜：

No one knows how to answer it.

没人知道如何回答。

Yet within, it must be cool and quiet

而内在，它一定沉着和安静

Even though a cow steps on it full weight,

即使奶牛以整个体重踩在上面，

Even though a child throws it in a river;

即使孩子把它扔到河里：

The stone sinks, slow, unperturbed

石头沉下去，缓慢而镇定地

To the river bottom

到达河底

Where the fishes come to knock on it

那里鱼儿游来敲击它

And listen.

和聆听。

I have seen sparks fly out

我曾经看到火花飞出

When two stones are rubbed,

当两块石头摩擦，

So perhaps it is not dark inside after all;

所以也许它的里面并不黑暗；

Perhaps there is a moon shining

也许有一个月亮

From somewhere, as though behind a hill—

在某处闪光，就好像在一座小山后——

Just enough light to make out

光线正好足够辨认

The strange writings, the star-charts

这篇奇怪的文字，它内部

On the inner walls.

墙上的星图。