MOTHER, the folk who live up in the clouds call out to me-- 妈妈,住在云端的人对我唤道——“我们从醒的时候游戏到白日终止。
"We play from the time we wake till the day ends. “我们与黄金色的曙光游戏,我们与银白色的月亮游戏。”
We play with the golden dawn, we play with the silver moon. 我问道:“但是,我怎么能够上你那里去呢?”
I ask, "But, how am I to get up to you?" They answer, "Come to the edge of the earth, lift up your hands to the sky, and you will be taken up into the clouds." 他们答道:“你到地球的边上来,举手向天,就可以被接到云端里来了。”
"My mother is waiting for me at home," I say. "How can I leave her and come?" “我妈妈在家里等我呢,”我说,“我怎么能离开她而来呢?”
Then they smile and float away. 于是他们微笑着浮游而去。
But I know a nicer game than that, mother. 但是我知道一件比这个更好的游戏,妈妈。
I shall be the cloud and you the moon. 我做云,你做月亮。
I shall cover you with both my hands, and our house-top will be the blue sky. 我用两只手遮盖你,我们的屋顶就是青碧的天空。
The folk who live in the waves call out to me-- 住在波浪上的人对我唤道—— “我们从早晨唱歌到晚上;我们前进又前进地旅行,也不知我们所经过的是什么地方。”
"We sing from morning till night; on and on we travel and know not where we pass." 我问道:“但是,我怎么能加入你们队伍里去呢?”
I ask, "But, how am I to join you?" They tell me, "Come to the edge of the shore and stand with your eyes tight shut, and you will be carried out upon the waves." 他们告诉我说:“来到岸旁,站在那里,紧闭你的两眼,你就被带到波浪上来了。”
I say, "My mother always wants me at home in the evening--how can I leave her and go?" 我说:“傍晚的时候,我妈妈常要我在家里——我怎么能离开她而去呢!”