It usually starts taking shape

它获得形状通常

from one word

从一个词开始*

reveals itself in one smile

揭示它自己在一个微笑里

sometimes in the blue glint of eyeglasses

有时在眼镜的蓝色闪光里

in a trampled daisy

在一朵被践踏的雏菊里

in a splash of light on a path

在小径的一抹光亮中

in quivering carrot leaves

在颤动的胡萝卜叶中

in a bunch of parsley

在一束欧芹中

It comes from laundry hung on a balcony

它来自阳台上晾晒的衣物

from hands thrust into dough

来自插进面团​​的手

It seeps through closed eyelids

它渗透过紧闭的眼睑

as through the prison wall of things of objects

如同渗透过事、物、面孔和风景的

of faces of landscapes

监狱的墙壁

It’s when you slice bread

它是当你切面包的时候

when you pour out some tea

当你倒茶的时候

It comes from a broom from a shopping bag

它来自扫帚，来自购物袋

from peeling new potatoes

来自削皮新的土豆

from a drop of blood from the prick of a needle

来自针刺后的一滴血

when making panties for a child

在为孩子做短裤时

or sewing a button on a husband’s burial shirt

或为丈夫的葬礼衬衫缝上纽扣时

It comes out of toil out of care

它源于辛劳源于挂心

out of immense fatigue in the evening

源于夜晚的极度疲惫

our of a tear wiped away

源于一滴擦掉的泪水

out of a prayer broken off in mid-word by sleep

源于一次被瞌睡中途打断的祈祷

It’s not from the grand

它并非源于宏大

but from every tiny thing

而是源于每一件微不足道的小事

that it grows enormous

才得以变得巨大

as if Someone was building Eternity

正如某人像燕子筑巢一般

as a swallow its nest

用一缕缕的瞬间

out of clumps of moments

建造着永恒

【译注】

*这里翻译得比较“生”，目的是为了对应原作的暗示性，注意“taking shape/from one word”，其中的shape 和word 应该都不仅仅是它们的现代常用意，也与创世记和约翰福音的信息相关联。