My Memory by Dai Wangshu ~ 戴望舒 《我的记忆》 with English Translations

作品原文

戴望舒 《我的记忆》

我的记忆是忠实于我的,
忠实甚于我最好的友人。

它生存在燃着的烟卷上,
它生存在绘着百合花的笔杆上,
它生存在破旧的粉盒上,
它生存在颓垣的木莓上,
它生存在喝了一半的酒瓶上,
在撕碎的往日的诗稿上,在压干的花片上,
在凄暗的灯上,在平静的水上,
在一切有灵魂没有灵魂的东西上,
它在到处生存着,像我在这世界一样。

它是胆小的,它怕着人们的喧嚣,
但在寂寥时,它便对我来作密切的拜访。
它的声音是低微的,
但它的话却很长,很长,
很长,很琐碎,而且永远不肯休;
它的话是古旧的,老讲着同样的故事,
它的音调是和谐的,老唱着同样的曲子,
有时它还模仿着爱娇的少女的声音,
它的声音是没有气力的,
而且还挟着眼泪,夹着太息。

它的拜访是没有一定的,
在任何时间,在任何地点,
时常当我已上床,朦胧地想睡了;
或是选一个大清早,
人们会说它没有礼貌,
但是我们是老朋友。

它是琐琐地永远不肯休止的,
除非我凄凄地哭了,
或者沉沉地睡了,
但是我永远不讨厌它,
因为它是忠实于我的。

英文译文

My Memory
Dai Wangshu

My memory is loyal to me,
More loyal than my best friend.
It exists in a lit cigarette.
It exists on a pen painted with lilies.
It exists in an old broken powder-box.
It exists in the wood-fungi among ruins.
It exists in a half-emptied wine bottle,
In torn drafts of poetry, on petals pressed dry,
Upon dim lamps, over still water,
Among all the things, soul or no soul.
It exists everywhere the way I exist in the world.

It is timed, abhors the hustle-bustle of people,
But in seclusion, it will pay me an intimate visit.
Its voice is low,
But it is long-winded, very long-winded,
Long, and trivial, and endless.
Its words are old; it tells the same story over and over again.
Its tune is harmonious; it sings the same song over and over again.

Sometimes it even mimics a sweet girlish voice
Which is feeble,
Mixed with tears, with sighs.

Its visits are erratic.
It may come any time, any place,
Often when I am in bed, dozing off into sleep,
Or very early in the morning.
People say that this is sill-mannered,
But we are old friends.

It will go on tediously and endlessly,
And will not stop until I cry
Or fall asleep,
But I never loathe it,
Because it is loyal to me.

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