Now the river is rich, but her voice is low.

眼下这条河是丰盈的，但她的声音低沉，

It is her Mighty Majesty the sea

这是她皇上——大海

Travellings among the villages incognito.

微服出行，走过乡乡村村。

Now the river is poor. No song, just a thin mad whisper.

如今河水枯了。没有歌声，只有叨叨不绝的轻轻絮语。

The winter floods have ruined her.

冬天的洪流毁了她

She squats between draggled banks, fingering her rags and rubbish.

她蹲在脏乱的河岸之间，摆弄她的破烂。

And now the river is rich. A deep choir.

如今她又丰盈了。深沉的合唱。

It is the lofty clouds, that work in heaven,

那是天上干活的高耸的云彩

Going on their holiday to the sea.

到海上度假来了。

The river is poor again. All her bones are showing.

河水又枯了。一身瘦骨嶙峋

Through a dry wig of bleached flotsam she peers up ashamed

她从漂白了的浮漂物的枯发中向上窥视，

From her slum of sticks.

河床充塞着枯枝，怪寒伧的。

Now the river is rich, collecting shawls and minerals.

如今河水又丰盈了，收集了披巾和矿物质。

Rain brought fatness, but she takes ninety-nine percent

雨水带来了丰饶，但她拿走了百分之九十九，

Leaving the fields just one percent to survive on.

只留下百分之一给田野，让它活下去。

And now she is poor. Now she is East wind sick.

如今她又枯下来了。如今她思念东风成疾。

She huddles in holes and corners. The brassy sun gives her a headache.

她在坑坑洼洼里缩成一团。刺眼的阳光使她头疼。

She has lost all her fish. And she shivers.

她的鱼全没了。她颤栗。

But now once more she is rich. She is viewing her lands.

如今她又一次丰盈起来。她望着自己的土地。

A hoard of king-cups spills from her folds, it blazes, it cannot be hidden.

一丛毛茛从她的皱折中泼出来，明亮得遮掩不住。

A salmon, a sow of solid silver,

一条鲑鱼，一只硬银块似的母猪

Budges to glimpse it.

瞪大眼来瞅她。