那只是一只鸟在夜晚鸣叫，认不出什么鸟，

It was only a bird call at evening, unidentified, 

当我从泉边取水回来，走过满是石头的牧场，

As I came from the spring with water, across the rocky back-pasture; 

我站得那么静，头上的天空和水桶里的天空一样静。

But I stood so still sky above was not stiller than sky in pail-water. 

多少年过去，多少地方多少脸都淡漠了，有的人已谢世，

Years pass, all places and faces fade, some people have died, 

而我站在远方，夜那么静，我终于肯定

And I stand in a far land, the evening still, and am at last sure 

我最怀念的不是那些终将消逝的事物，而是鸟鸣时的那种宁静。

That I miss more that stillness at bird-call than some things that were to fail later.