The First Jasmines

The First Jasmines

  ---by Tagore

Ah, these jasmines, these white jasmines!

I seem to remember the first day

when I filled my hands with these jasmines,

these white jasmines.

I have loved the sunlight, 

the sky and the green earth;

I have heard the liquid murmur of 

the river through the darkness of midnight.

Autumn sunsets have come to me 

at the bend of a road in the lonely waste,

like a bride raising her veil to accept her lover.

Yet my memory is still sweet with 

the first white jasmines 

that I held in my hand when I was a child.

Many a glad day has come in my life, 

and I have laughed with merrymakers 

on festival nights.

I have worn round my neck 

the evening wreath of 

a bakulas woven by the hand of love.

On grey mornings of rain 

I have crooned many an idle song.

Yet my heart is sweet with 

the memory of the first fresh jasmines 

that filled my hands when I was a child.

第一次的茉莉

译者：郑振铎

呵，这些茉莉花，这些白的茉莉花！

我仿佛记得我第一次双手满捧着这些茉莉花，这些白的茉莉花的时候。

我喜爱那日光，那天空，那绿色的大地；

我听见那河水淙淙的流声，在黑漆的午夜里传过来；

秋天的夕阳，在荒原上大路转角处迎我，如新妇揭起她的面纱迎接她的爱人。

但我想起孩提时第一次捧在手里的白茉莉，心里充满着甜蜜的回忆。

我生平有过许多快活的日子，在节日宴会的晚上，我曾跟着说笑话的人大笑。

在灰暗的雨天的早晨，我吟哦过许多飘逸的诗篇。

我颈上戴过爱人手织的醉花的花圈，作为晚装。

但我想起孩提时第一次捧在手里的白茉莉，心里充满着甜蜜的回忆。