Saturday, June 26, 2004

北岛 《回答》 Bei Dao "The Answer"

The Answer

Baseness is the secret knock of the base
Integrity the epitaph of the noble
Look how the gilded sky drifts full of
The inverted crooked reflections of the dead

The ice age has past,
So why are there icicles everywhere?
The Cape of Good Hope has been discovered
Why do a thousand sails contend for the Dead Sea?

I came into this world
Carrying only paper, rope, a silhouette
To speak aloud before the trial
A voice that has already been judged

I tell you, world
I—do—not—believe!
If a thousand challengers lie trampled beneath your feet
Count me as number one thousand and one.

I don't believe the sky is blue
I don't believe in thunder's echoes
I don't believe that dreams are false
I don't believe in death without retribution

If the sea is destined to breach the dykes
Let all the water of bitterness flow into my heart
If the land is destined to rise up
Let humanity choose a new summit for existence again.

A new turning point and flickering stars
Embroidered now across the unobstructed heavens
These are the pictographs of five thousand years
These are the staring eyes of future generations.

--Bei Dao
tr. 迈涯

回答

卑鄙是卑鄙者的通行证,
高尚是高尚者的墓志铭,
看吧,在那镀金的天空中,
飘满了死者弯曲的倒影。

冰川纪过去了,
为什么到处都是冰凌?
好望角发现了,
为什么死海里千帆相竞?

我来到这个世界上,
只带着纸、绳索和身影,
为了在审判前,
宣读那些被判决的声音。

告诉你吧,世界
我--不--相--信!
纵使你脚下有一千名挑战者,
那就把我算作第一千零一名。

我不相信天是蓝的,
我不相信雷的回声,
我不相信梦是假的,
我不相信死无报应。

如果海洋注定要决堤,
就让所有的苦水都注入我心中,
如果陆地注定要上升,
就让人类重新选择生存的峰顶。

新的转机和闪闪星斗,
正在缀满没有遮拦的天空。
那是五千年的象形文字,
那是未来人们凝视的眼睛。

--北岛