Love at First Sight 一见钟情

by Wislawa Szymborska They're both convinced 他们确信彼此 that a sudden passion joined them. 是因为突然的激情才一见钟情

Such certainty is beautiful, 这确信是美的 but uncertainty is more beautiful still. 但不确定还要更美些

Since they'd never met before, they're sure 因为素味平生，他们确信

that there'd been nothing between them. 彼此之间不曾有过什么

But what's the word from the streets, staircases, hallways— 但街道，楼梯，走廊又怎么说——

perhaps they've passed by each other a million times? 他们已经和对方擦肩过一百万次，也许？

I want to ask them if they don't remember— 我想问他们是否记得——

a moment face to face in some revolving door? 某个旋转门里的四目相接？ perhaps a "sorry" muttered in a crowd? 拥挤人群中低语的抱歉？ a cut "wrong number" caught in the receiver? 截获某一通打错的电话？

but I know the answer. 但我不用问

No, they don't remember. 他们不会记得

They'd be amazed to hear 他们只会惊讶

that Chance has been toying with them now for years. 偶然性多么常年累月耽于玩耍

Not quite ready yet 却迟迟未准备好

to become their Destiny, 成为他们的命运

it pushed them close, drove them apart, 它撮和他们，驱散他们，

it barred their path, 阻拦他们

stifling a laugh, 忍住笑声 and then leaped aside. 然后闪到一旁 There were signs and signals, 可蛛丝马迹是存在过的 even if they couldn't read them yet. 即使他们现在还不能读懂 Perhaps three years ago 也许在三年前 or just last Tuesday 也许就在上周二 a certain leaf fluttered from one shoulder to another? 某片树叶从一人肩头飘向另一个 Something was dropped and then picked up. 一人留下的什么被另一人拾起 Who knows, maybe the ball that vanished into childhood's thicket? 谁知道，也许就是那粒消失在童年灌木丛中的球 There were doorknobs and doorbells where one touch had covered another beforehand. 门把手和门铃上，一人的指纹覆盖上另一人的 Suitcases checked and standing side by side. 通过安检的行李箱并肩站立 One night, perhaps, the same dream, 或许，某一晚做过的相同的梦 grown hazy by morning. 又在清晨变得模糊 Every beginning 毕竟每个开始 is only a sequel, after all, 其实都早有伏笔 and the book of events 写满偶然的书本 is always open halfway through. 也总是从一半看起

反思： 1.passion一句不到位，因为没有捕捉到感情的逻辑。一定要翻译出“他们以为是巨大的激情才让他们一见钟情”，才有后面的转折，有“certainty”到“uncertainty”的衔接。 2.扼住笑声翻译错了，这里是指“缘分”戏耍情人后忍住笑声。也是没理解诗意。 3.ball和thicket翻错了，看成ticket和舞会了。怎么，还以为是“那年十八”？ 4.open halfway through翻错了，若是只译打开，那halfway就没有着落呀。