在你长久的隐没里，你允许我

In your extended absence, you permit me

使用土地，企盼

use of earth, anticipating

投资有所回报。我得禀告

some return on investment. I must report

我的任务失败了，主要

failure in my assignment, principally

是关于番茄种植。

regarding the tomato plants.

我想我不该被鼓励去种

I think I should not be encouraged to grow

番茄。或者，假若如此，你该遏止

tomatoes. Or, if I am, you should withhold

这些暴雨，这些来得太过频繁的

the heavy rains, the cold nights that come

冰冷的夜晚，而别的地方却得享

so often here, while other regions get

十二个星期的夏天。所有这些

twelve weeks of summer. All this

都属于你：另一方面，

belongs to you: on the other hand,

我种了些种子，我看见最初的嫩芽

I planted the seeds, I watched the first shoots

像翅膀一样撕破土壤，当黑斑这么快

like wings tearing the soil, and it was my heart

一排排蔓延，那是我

broken by the blight, the black spot so quickly

受挫碎裂的心。我怀疑

multiplying in the rows. I doubt

你有没有心，照我们对这个词的

you have a heart, in our understanding of

理解。你分不清

that term. You who do not discriminate

死生，对于预兆，也因此

between the dead and the living, who are, in consequence,

无动于衷，你也许不知道

immune to foreshadowing, you may not know

我们承受了多大的恐惧，那斑痕点点的叶子，

how much terror we bear, the spotted leaf,

那早在八月的薄暮里

the red leaves of the maple falling

就飘落的红色的槭树叶：对于这些植物

even in August, in early darkness: I am responsible

我难辞咎责。

for these vines.