A thing too perfect to be remembered:

一件過於完美的事物難於記憶：

stone beautiful only when wet.

石頭只有在濕潤時美麗。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Blinded by light or black cloth—

光或一塊黑布遮住了眼睛——

so many ways

有若干種方式

not to see others suffer.

看不見別人的苦難。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Too much longing:

渴望太深：

it separates us

它隔開我們

like scent from bread,

像香氣之於面包，

rust from iron.

鐵鏽之於鐵。

*     *     *

*   *   *

From very far or very close—

從遠處或近處——

the most resolute folds of the mountain are gentle.

群山最堅決的褶皺是溫和的。

*     *     *

*   *   *

As if putting arms into woolen coat sleeves,

像把胳膊伸進羊毛外套的袖子那樣，

we listen to the murmuring dead.

我們傾聽死者的低語。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Any point of a circle is its start:

一個圓圈從它的任意一點開始：

desire forgoing fulfillment to go on desiring.

欲望拒絕滿足為了使欲望延續。

*     *     *

*   *   *

In a room in which nothing

在一間什麼都沒有

has happened,

發生過的房間，

sweet-scented tobacco.

煙草的甜味。

*     *     *

*   *   *

The very old, hands curling into themselves, remember their parents.

老邁的人，手像身體佝僂著，想起他們的父母。

*     *     *

*   *   *

Think assailable thoughts, or be lonely.

讓思想暴露弱點，否則孤獨。

譯注：英文題目「Sentencings」也有宣判之意，詩人把頭腦中的想法變成紙上的詩行，也可稱之為一種宣判。