When death comes

当死神降临

like the hungry bear in autumn;

好似秋天里饥饿的熊；

when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

当死神降临，倾尽他钱包里闪亮的硬币

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;

来收买我，然后啪的一声合上钱包；

when death comes

当死神降临

like the measle-pox

好似麻疹水痘

when death comes

当死神降临

like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

好似肩胛骨之间的一座冰山，

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:

我想穿过那道门，满是好奇，寻思：

what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

它会是什么样子，那黑暗的小屋？

And therefore I look upon everything

因此我把一切视为

as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,

兄弟姐妹，

and I look upon time as no more than an idea,

我把时间只是视作一个概念，

and I consider eternity as another possibility,

我认为永恒是另一种可能，

and I think of each life as a flower, as common

我把每个生命看作一朵花，普通得

as a field daisy, and as singular,

如同一朵野雏菊，又那么独特，

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,

每个名字都是一首舒适的音乐，

tending, as all music does, toward silence,

如同所有的音乐一样趋于寂静，

and each body a lion of courage, and something

每个身体都是无畏的狮子，也是大地上

precious to the earth.

弥足珍贵的东西。

When it's over, I want to say all my life

当一切终了，我想说，这一生

I was a bride married to amazement.

我是钟情于惊奇的新娘。

I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

我是把世界拥入怀抱的新郎。

When it's over, I don't want to wonder

当一切终了，我不想纠结于

if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

我的生命是否特别而真实。

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,

我不想看到自己叹息和恐惧，

or full of argument.

或者据理力争。

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

我不想只是来过这个世界。