When death comes

当死亡来临

like the hungry bear in autumn;

如秋天饥饿的熊；

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

当死亡来临，掏出钱包中所有崭新的钱币

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;

来买我，再啪地合上钱包；

when death comes

当死亡来临

like the measle-pox

如麻疹

when death comes

当死亡来临

like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

如肩胛骨间的一座冰山，

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

我想穿过门，充满好奇，想知道：

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

因而，我视一切

as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,

如同兄弟姐妹，

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

我视时间只是一个念头，

and I consider eternity as another possibility,

我想到永恒是另一种可能性，

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

我将每一个生命看作一朵花，和野菊花一样

as a field daisy, and as singular,

平常，又独特，

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,

而每个名字是唇中舒缓的音乐，

tending, as all music does, toward silence,

就像所有的音乐，趋向沉默，

and each body a lion of courage, and something

而每一个身体是一头勇敢的狮子，对于地球而言

precious to the earth.

珍贵无比。

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

当一切结束，我将说终此一生

I was a bride married to amazement.

我是惊奇的新娘。

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

我是新郎，怀抱着世界。

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

当一切结束，我不想知道

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

我是否度过了特别而真实的一生。

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

我不愿发现自己叹息并惊恐，

or full of argument.

或者充满争辩。

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

我不愿只在世上走一遭就死去。