看過幾米的作品《向左走·向右走》及同名電影的讀者,一定不會對詩歌其第一節內容感到陌生。沒錯,就是這首被幾米引用后讓更多人知道了,也成了許多人心頭所愛的詩歌,Wislawa Szymborska的經典之作——《一見鐘情》。詩歌原為波蘭文,本文刊登的是波蘭詩人Stanislaw Baranczak和波蘭語專家Clare Cavanagh合作而成的英譯本。Wislawa Szymborska(1923— ),波蘭當今最受歡迎的女詩人,1996年諾貝爾文學獎得主,著有《存活的理由》、《自問集》、《橋上的人們》等詩集。她擅長從日常生活瑣事中挖掘出深刻的思想,用幽默的方式道出嚴肅的真理。
緣分是妙不可言的，是可遇不可求的，你等到那杯茶了嗎?
They’re both convinced
that a sudden passion joined them.
Such certainty is beautiful,
but uncertainty is more beautiful still.
他們彼此都深信
是瞬間迸發的激情使他們相遇。
這種確定是美麗的,
然而變幻無常卻更為美麗。
Since they’d never met before, they’re sure
that there’d been nothing between them.
But what’s the word from the streets, staircases, hallways—
perhaps they’ve passed by each other a million times?
因為他們先前素未謀面,他們確信
他們之間毫無關聯。
然而從那街上、樓梯間、過道上傳來的細語來判斷—— 向左走向右走
或許他們曾無數次擦肩而過?
I want to ask them
if they don’t remember—
a moment face to face
in some revolving door?
perhaps a “sorry” muttered in a crowd?
a curt “wrong number” caught in the receiver?—
but I know the answer.
No, they don’t remember.
我想問他們
難道不記得兩人——
曾在某扇旋轉門中,
面對面相視的那一瞬間?
也許曾在人群中和對方咕噥了一句“對不起”?
曾拿起話筒和對方短促地說了句“打錯了”?——
但我知道答案。
是的,他們不記得。
They’d be amazed to hear
that Chance has been toying with them
now for years.
他們定會感到詫異,
得知緣分原來已戲弄他們
多年。
Not quite ready yet
to become their Destiny,
it pushed them close, drove them apart,
it barred their path, 向左走向右走
stifling a laugh,
and then leaped aside.
時機尚未成熟
宿命尚未來臨,
命運一會兒把他們拉近,一會兒把他們分開,
阻擋他們的去路,
按捺著笑聲,
然后跳到一旁。
There were signs and signals,
even if they couldn’t read them yet.
Perhaps three years ago
or just last Tuesday
a certain leaf fluttered
from one shoulder to another?
Something was dropped and then picked up.
Who knows, maybe the ball that vanished
into childhood’s thicket?
曾經有過征兆和暗示,
縱使他們還無法讀懂。
也許在三年前,
或者就是上個星期二,
某片樹葉從他們一個人的肩上
飄舞到另一個人的肩上?
某個東西掉下來又被拾起。
天曉得,也許是那只消失在
童年那灌木叢里的球?
There were doorknobs and doorbells
where one touch had covered another
beforehand.
Suitcases checked and standing side by side.
One night, perhaps, the same dream,
grown hazy by morning.
他們曾先后觸摸過
一些門把手和門鈴,
后來的手印覆蓋了先前的手印。
行李箱寄存后被放在一起。
在某個夜里,也許,兩人做著相同的夢,
早上,夢又變模糊了。
Every beginning
is only a sequel, after all,
and the book of events
is always open halfway through.
每個開始
終究不過是一個續篇,
而充滿情節的那本書
總是被人從中間看起。
