A Man and a Woman Sit Near Each Other
Robert Bly

A man and a woman sit near each other, and they do not long
at this moment to be older, or younger, nor born
in any other nation, or time, or place.
They are content to be where they are, talking or not-talking.
Their breaths together feed someone whom we do not know.
The man sees the way his fingers move;
he sees her hands close around a book she hands to him.
They obey a third body that they share in common.
They have made a promise to love the body.
Age may come, parting may come, death will come.
A man and a woman sit near each other;
as they breathe they feed someone we do not know,
someone we know of, whom we have never seen.

一男一女促膝而坐
罗伯特·勃莱

一男一女促膝而坐，这样的时刻
他们不会渴求更老或更加年轻，抑或
生在另一个国度、另一个时间或地点。
他们心满意足于此情此景，无论交谈或者沉默。
他俩的呼吸共同为某个我们所不识的人提供养分。
那个男人看着他手指动弹的样子；
他看到她的双手围拢着一本递过来的书。
他们服从着他们共享的另一个身体。
他们早就作出承诺：爱这身体。
年龄不会去，分离会到来，死亡终会降临。
一男一女这样促膝而坐：
他们呼吸时，为我们所不识的人提供养分，
某个我们知道但却从未见面的人。