This morning

今天早晨

two mockingbirds

绿色的田野上

in the green field

有两只嘲鸟

were spinning and tossing

正在空中

the white ribbons

纺织

of their songs

它们歌声的

into the air.

白丝带。

I had nothing

除了倾听

better to do

我没有

than listen.

更好的事去做。

I mean this

我这样说时

seriously.

很严肃。

In Greece,

很久以前，

a long time ago,

希腊，

an old couple

有一对老夫妇

opened their door

为两个

to two strangers

陌生人

who were,

打开门，

it soon appeared,

发现

not men at all,

根本不是人，

but gods.

而是神。

It is my favorite story--

这是我喜爱的故事——

how the old couple

这对老人

had almost nothing to give

没有什么能给予

but their willingness

除了他们殷勤的

to be attentive--

意愿——

but for this alone

但是仅此一点

the gods loved them

神就爱他们

and blessed them--

并祝福他们——

when they rose

当他们升离

out of their mortal bodies,

肉身，

like a million particles of water

像无数水珠

from a fountain,

从一个喷泉中升起，

the light

光

swept into all the corners

照进农舍的

of the cottage,

每一处角落，

and the old couple,

这对老人，

shaken with understanding,

颤抖着领受，

bowed down--

弯下身躯——

but still they asked for nothing

但是他们仍然什么也不求

but the difficult life

除了他们已经拥有的

which they had already.

困难生活。

And the gods smiled, as they vanished,

神微笑着，拍动巨大的翅膀，

clapping their great wings.

消失了。

Wherever it was

这个早晨

I was supposed to be

无论我假设

this morning--

这个故事发生在哪里——

whatever it was I said

无论我所说的是什么

I would be doing--

我将要做的是——

I was standing

我正站在

at the edge of the field--

田野的边缘——

I was hurrying

匆匆

through my own soul,

穿越自己的灵魂，

opening its dark doors--

打开它黑暗的门——

I was leaning out;

我探出头来；

I was listening.

我正在倾听。