窗

Random Thoughts on the Window

錢鐘書

By Qian Zhongshu

又是春天，窗子可以常開了。春天從窗外進來，人在屋子里坐不住，就從門里出去。

It is spring again and the window can be left open as often as one would like. As spring comes in through the windows, so people -- unable to bear staying inside any longer -- go outdoors.

不過屋子外的春天太賤了！到處是陽光，不像射破屋里陰深的那樣明亮；到處是給太陽曬得懶洋洋的風，不像攪動屋里沉悶的那樣有生氣。

The spring outside, however, is much too cheap, for the sun shines on everything, and so does not seem as bright as that which shoots into the darkness of the house. Outside the sun-sloshed breeze blows everywhere, but it is not so lively as that which stirs the gloominess inside the house.

就是鳥語，也似乎瑣碎而單薄，需要屋里的寂靜來做襯托。我們因此明白，春天是該鑲嵌在窗子里看的，好比畫配了框子。

Even the chirping of the birds sounds so thin and broken that the quietness of the house is needed to set it off. It seems that spring was always meant to be put behind a windowpane for show, just like a picture in a frame.

同時，我們悟到，門和窗有不同的意義。當然，門是造了讓人出進的。但是，窗子有時也可作為進出口用，譬如小偷或小說里私約的情人就喜歡爬窗子。

At the same time it also becomes clear that the door has a different significance from the window. Of course, doors were made for people to pass through; but a window can also sometimes serve as an entrance or as an exit, and is used as such by thieves and by lovers in novels.

所以窗子和門的根本分別，決不僅是有沒有人進來出去。若據賞春一事來看，我們不妨這樣說：有了門，我們可以出去；有了窗，我們可以不必出去。

In fact the fundamental difference between a door and a window has nothing to do with them being either entrances or exits. When it comes to the admiration of spring, it could be put this way: a door makes it possible for one to go out, whereas a window makes it possible for one not to have to.

窗子打通了大自然和人的隔膜，把風和太陽逗引進來，使屋子里也關著一部分春天，讓我們安坐了享受，無需再到外面去找。

A window helps to pull down the partition between man and nature. It leads breezes and sunlight in, and keeps part of the spring in the house. It allows one to sit and enjoy the spring in peace, and makes it unnecessary to go looking for it outside.