A thing too perfect to be remembered:

一件过于完美的事物难于记忆：

stone beautiful only when wet.

石头只有在湿润时美丽。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Blinded by light or black cloth—

光或一块黑布遮住了眼睛——

so many ways

有若干种方式

not to see others suffer.

看不见别人的苦难。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Too much longing:

思念太深：

it separates us

它隔开我们

like scent from bread,

像香气之于面包，

rust from iron.

铁锈之于铁。

*     *     *

*   *   *

From very far or very close—

从远处或近处——

the most resolute folds of the mountain are gentle.

群山最坚决的褶皱是温和的。

*     *     *

*   *   *

As if putting arms into woolen coat sleeves,

像把胳膊伸进羊毛外套的袖子那样，

we listen to the murmuring dead.

我们倾听死者的低语。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Any point of a circle is its start:

一个圆圈从它的任意一点开始：

desire forgoing fulfillment to go on desiring.

欲望拒绝满足为了使欲望延续。

*     *     *

*   *   *

In a room in which nothing

在一间什么都没有

has happened,

发生过的房间，

sweet-scented tobacco.

烟草的甜味。

*     *     *

*   *   *

The very old, hands curling into themselves, remember their parents.

老迈的人，双手蜷曲着，想起他们的父母。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Think assailable thoughts, or be lonely.

让思想侵袭，否则孤独。

[译注]：英文题目“Sentencings”也有宣判之意，诗人把头脑中的想法变成纸上的诗行，也可称之为一种宣判。