谭月/译

泰戈尔（1861年—1941年）是印度著名诗人、文学家、社会活动家、哲学家和印度民族主义者。1913年，他以《吉檀迦利》成为第一位获得诺贝尔文学奖的亚洲人。他的诗中含有深刻的宗教和哲学的见解，在印度享有史诗的地位，代表作有《吉檀迦利》、《飞鸟集》、《园丁集》、《新月集》、《最后的诗篇》、《戈拉》等。

1. If you shed1 tears when you miss the sun， you also miss the stars.

如果你因为错过了太阳而泪湿眼眶，那么你也将错过繁星。

2. We read the world wrong and say that it deceives2 us.

我们误解了这个世界，却说是世界欺骗了我们。

3. Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death like autumn leaves.

就让生如夏花之绚烂，死如秋叶之静美。

4. It is the tears of the earth that keep her smiles in bloom.

使大地永葆青春的，是大地的热泪。

5. They throw their shadows before them who carry their lantern3 on their back.

把灯笼背在背上的人，用影子遮住了前路。

6. The waterfall4 sings， “I find my song， when I find my freedom.”

瀑布歌唱道：“当我得到自由时，便有了歌声。”

7. The stars are not afraid to appear like fireflies5.

群星不会因为自己像小小萤火虫而怯于出现。

8. We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility6.

当我们极谦卑时，便几近于伟大。

9. The sparrow is sorry for the peacock at the burden of its tail.

麻雀因孔雀驮着大大的翎尾而为它担忧。

10. The scabbard is content7 to be dull when it protects the keenness of the sword.

剑鞘保护着剑的锋利，却不在乎它自己的迟钝。

11. “The learned say that your lights will one day be no more.” said the firefly to the stars. The stars made no answer.

萤火虫对星星说：“学者说你的光总有一天会熄灭。”星星笑而不语。

12. The dust receives insult8 and in return offers her flowers.

尘土承受屈辱，却开出鲜花作为回报。

13. God is ashamed9 when the prosperous boasts10 of his special favor.

当富贵荣华之人吹嘘说自己得到上帝的恩惠时，上帝却尴尬不已。

14. Not hammer-strokes， but dance of the water sings the pebbles into perfection.

不是锤的敲打，而是水的载歌载舞，使鹅卵石近乎完美。

15. Gods great power is in the gentle breeze11， not in the storm.

上帝的无穷力量深藏在和煦微风中，而不展示于狂风暴雨中。

16. By plucking12 her petals you do not gather the beauty of the flower.

采摘花瓣不能拼凑出花的美丽。

17. The cloud stood humbly13 in a corner of the sky. The morning crowned it with splendor.

白云谦卑地站在天边，晨光给它披上壮丽的光彩。

18. God loves mans lamp-lights better than his own great stars.

相对于天上的群星，上帝更偏爱人间的灯火。

19. Dark clouds become heavens flowers when kissed by light.

当黑云得到光的亲吻时，就变成了天上的花朵。

20. The little flower lies in the dust. It sought the path of the butterfly.

小花躺在在尘土中，寻求蝴蝶走过的路。

[1] shed vt. 流出 [2] deceive v. 欺骗；行骗

[3] lantern n. 灯笼；提灯 [4] waterfall n. 瀑布

[5] firefly n. 萤火虫 [6] humility n. 谦卑，谦逊

[7] content adj. 满意的 [8] insult n. 侮辱；无礼

[9] ashamed adj. 惭愧的，感到难为情的 [10] boast vi. 自吹自擂

[11] breeze n. 微风 [12] pluck vt. 摘；拔；扯

[13] humbly adv. 谦逊地