The Composition of Distances by Bian Zhilin ~ 卞之琳 《距离的组织》 with English Translations

作品原文

卞之琳 《距离的组织》

想独上高楼读一遍《罗马衰亡史》,
忽有罗马灭亡星出现在报上。
报纸落。地图开,因想起远人的嘱咐。
寄来的风景也暮色苍茫了。
(醒来天欲暮,无聊,一访友人吧。)
灰色的天。灰色的海。灰色的路。
哪儿了?我又不会向灯下验一把土。
忽听得一千重门外有自己的名字。
好累呵!我的盆舟没有人戏弄吗?
友人带来了雪意和五点钟。

英文译文

The Composition of Distances

Mount a high tower alone to read The Rise & Decline of the Roman Empire,
Rome’s comet suddenly appears in the newspaper.
Newspaper falls. Map opens. And remember a distant friend’s request.
The landscape sent here is already vague with dusk.
(Wake up: sky about to darken. Tedious! Perhaps go see a friend.)
Grey sky. Grey sea. Grey road.
Where now? And I know not how to verify some soil under the lamp.
How tired! Did someone dally with my vessel?
A friend brings here snow and 5 o’clock.

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