Song of Childhood ◎Peter Handke
童年之歌 ◎彼得.汉德克
When the child was a child
当孩子还是个孩子时
It walked with its arms swinging,
他摆动双臂行走
wanted the brook to be a river,
希望小溪可以成为河川
the river to be a torrent,
河川可以成为涌流
and this puddle to be the sea.
这瘫水漥可以成为大海
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
it didn’t know that it was a child,
他不知道自己只是个孩子
everything was soulful,
万物有灵
and all souls were one.
而所有灵魂终归一体
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
it had no opinion about anything,
他对事物毫无成见
had no habits,
他不会非要如何不可
it often sat cross-legged,
他时而盘腿坐着
took off running,
又匆匆跑开
had a cowlick in its hair,
他的额前贴著一绺蓬乱的卷发
and made no faces when photographed.
他照相时不懂得装模作样
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
It was the time for these questions:
他开始有了这些疑问
Why am I me, and why not you?
为什么我是我，而不是你
Why am I here, and why not there?
为什么我在这里，而不在那里
When did time begin, and where does space end?
时间是从什么时候开始的，宇宙的尽头又在何处
Is life under the sun not just a dream?
阳光底下的生命不是只是一场幻梦吗
Is what I see and hear and smell
我所看见的、听见的、闻到的
not just an illusion of a world before the world?
不是只是在世界面前的一场幻觉吗
Given the facts of evil and people.
鉴于人类与恶之间共存的历史
does evil really exist?
恶是真的存在吗
How can it be that I, who I am,
怎么可能我──现在的我
didn't exist before I came to be,
在我成为我之前并不存在
and that, someday, I, who I am,
而总有一天，我已成为我时──未来的我
will no longer be who I am?
也不再是现在的我了吗
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
It choked on spinach, on peas, on rice pudding,
他的嘴里塞满著菠菜、豌豆与米布丁
and on steamed cauliflower,
还有难以下咽的花椰菜
and eats all of those now, and not just because it has to.
现在他也吃这些食物，却不再是因为必须
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
it awoke once in a strange bed,
有一次，他醒来，发现自己躺在一张陌生的床上
and now does so again and again.
如今这陌生，一次又一次地反复著
Many people, then, seemed beautiful,
许多人曾经看上去很美
and now only a few do, by sheer luck.
如今只有少数人依然美丽，而那只是侥幸
It had visualized a clear image of Paradise,
他曾凭借着想像就能清楚地看见天堂的模样
and now can at most guess,
如今却只能勉力猜想
could not conceive of nothingness,
曾经不能够理解虚无
and shudders today at the thought.
如今一想就令他不寒而栗
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
It played with enthusiasm,
他的玩耍全凭借著一股热情
and, now, has just as much excitement as then,
现在虽然也一样
but only when it concerns its work.
但是只有在工作时才是如此
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
It was enough for it to eat an apple, … bread,
吃一颗苹果、面包对他而言就已足够
And so it is even now.
即使是现在也一样
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
Berries filled its hand as only berries do,
他因手中盛满著莓子而感到满足
and do even now,
现在也一样
Fresh walnuts made its tongue raw,
新鲜的核桃尝起来生涩
and do even now,
现在也一样
it had, on every mountaintop,
每一次站在山顶
the longing for a higher mountain yet,
总是渴望着还能攀登更高的山
and in every city,
每一次到了一座城市
the longing for an even greater city,
总是渴望着还能去一座更好的城市
and that is still so,
现在也一样
It reached for cherries in topmost branches of trees
他从最高的树枝上摘下樱桃
with an elation it still has today,
而为此感到欢欣雀跃，现在也一样
has a shyness in front of strangers,
他在陌生人面前会感到害羞
and has that even now.
现在也一样
It awaited the first snow,
他期待每年的第一场雪
And waits that way even now.
现在也一样
When the child was a child,
当孩子还是个孩子时
It threw a stick like a lance against a tree,
他朝向大树扔掷棍棒，宛如勇士朝向敌人扔掷长矛
And it quivers there still today.
直到今天，长矛依然插在那，颤动不已