by Wislawa Szymborska

They both thought

that a sudden feeling had united them

This certainty is beautiful,

Even more beautiful than uncertainty.

They thought they didn't know each other,

nothing had ever happened between them,

These streets, these stairs, this corridors,

Where they could have met so long ago?

I would like to ask them,

if they can remember -

perhaps in a revolving door

face to face one day?

A "sorry" in the crowd?

"Wrong number" on the 'phone?

- but I know the answer.

No, they don't remember.

How surprised they would be

For such a long time already

Fate has been playing with them.

Not quite yet ready

to change into destiny,

which brings them nearer and yet further,

cutting their path

and stifling a laugh,

escaping ever further;

There were sings, indications,

undecipherable, what does in matter.

Three years ago, perhaps

or even last Tuesday,

this leaf flying

from one shoulder to another?

Something lost and gathered.

Who knows, perhaps a ball already

in the bushes, in childhood?

There were handles, door bells,

where, on the trace of a hand,

another hand was placed;

suitcases next to one another in the

left luggage.

And maybe one night the same dream

forgotten on walking;

But every beginning

is only a continuation

and the book of fate is

always open in the middle.

是瞬間迸發(fā)的熱情使他們相遇

這樣的確定是美麗的

但變幻無(wú)常更為美麗

他們素未謀面，所以他們確定彼此并無(wú)瓜葛。

但是自街道、樓梯、大堂傳來(lái)的話語(yǔ)... ...

他們也許擦肩而過(guò)一百萬(wàn)次了吧。

我想問(wèn)他們

是否記得... ...

在旋轉(zhuǎn)門(mén)

面對(duì)面那一剎

或是在人群中喃喃道出的“對(duì)不起”，

或是在電話的另一端道出的“打錯(cuò)了”。

但是我早知道答案。

是的，他們并不記得。

他們會(huì)很驚訝，原來(lái)緣分已經(jīng)戲弄他們多年。

時(shí)機(jī)尚未成熟變成他們的命運(yùn)，

緣分將他們拉近，驅(qū)離。

阻擋著他們的去路

忍著笑聲

然后閃到一旁... ...

有一些跡象和信號(hào)存在，

即使他們尚無(wú)法解讀。

也許在三年前

或者就在上個(gè)星期二，

有某片葉子飄舞于

肩與肩之間?

有東西掉了又撿了起來(lái)?

天曉得，也許是那個(gè)

消失于童年灌木叢中的球?

還有事前已被觸摸

層層覆蓋的

門(mén)把和門(mén)鈴。

檢查完畢后并排放置的手提箱。

有一晚，也許同樣的夢(mèng)，

到了早晨變得模糊。

每個(gè)開(kāi)始

畢竟都只是續(xù)篇，

而充滿情節(jié)的書(shū)本

總是從一半開(kāi)始看起。