Turn Left and Turn Right
向左走，向右走 12月24日 雨下不停的圣诞夜。
Turn Left and Turn Right
They're both convinced
that a sudden passion joined them.
Such certainty is beautiful,
but uncertainty is more beautiful still.
他们彼此深信
是瞬间迸发的热情让他们相遇。
这样的确定是美丽的，
但变幻无常更为美丽。
-- 摘译自辛波丝卡(Wislawa Szymborska)
"Love at First Sight" 第一段
那年的冬天特别寒冷，
整个城市笼罩在阴湿的雨里。
灰蒙蒙的天空，迟迟见不着阳光，
让人感到莫名的沮丧，
常常走在街上就有一种落泪的冲动…
That winter was extremely cold.
The damp rain mantled the whole city.
Gray sky, and no sunshine.
Inexplicably depressed.
Sometimes, tears just can’t help trickling down
while walking on the street…
在同一栋公寓里…
In the same apartment building…
她住在城市郊区的一栋旧公寓大楼里，
每次出门，不管去哪里，总是习惯性的先向左走。
She lives in an old apartment in the city suburb.
Every time, wherever she goes, she is used to turning left.
他住在城市郊区的一栋旧公寓大楼里，
每次出门，不管去哪里，总是习惯性的先向右走。
He lives in an old apartment in the city suburb.
Every time, wherever he goes, he is used to turning right.
10月15日 阳光被不断飘过的云朵遮住，屋内的光线忽明忽暗。 他从不曾遇见她。
Oct.15. The sun is covered occasionally by the cloud. Bright followed by dark inside. He never meets her.
10月28日 天气晴。
他近来不是过得很好，
晚上偶尔会到城市中的上流餐厅拉琴赚点外快。
Oct.28. Sunshine.
He is not doing well these days.
Sometimes, he goes to the restaurant to make some tips by playing his violin.
11月7日 天气阴湿，有一种冬天来时，淡淡忧郁情绪。
不练琴时，他喜欢在外面闲晃，绕到城里的公园去喂鸽子，常常呆坐整个下午。
Nov.7. Cloudy and wet, a thin layer of sadness of winter.
He likes wandering outside when he does not practice his violin.
Gives food to the doves in the park, always sits idly for the whole afternoon.
11月11日 午后，开始刮起一阵阵的冷风。
有时候他会觉得空虚无力。
Nov.11. Afternoon, chilly wind.
Sometimes, he feels empty and weak.
11月19日 冬天的阳光将影子拉得好长好长。
她习惯向左走，
他习惯向右走，
他们始终不相遇。
Nov.19. Winter sunshine lengthens the shadow.
She is used to walking on the left.
He is used to walking on the right.
They never meet.
11月23日 天色暗的很快，五点不到天就黑了。
她正在翻译一本悲惨的小说，
让她常常觉得世界一片灰暗。
Nov.23. Dark early.
She is translating a sad novel,
which makes her always feel the whole world is sad and gray.
12月2日 厚重的云层在远方缓慢的移动。
不工作时，她喜欢逛到城里喝杯咖啡，
在街上散步，看来往的行人，和路边的野猫说话。
Dec.2. The thick clouds float slowly at the corner of the sky.
When free, she likes to have a coffee downtown,
walk along the street, watch the people pass by, talk to the homeless cat.
12月10日 太阳出来了，屋内却感到特别潮湿。
有时候她会感到人生乏味。
Dec. 10. Sunshine. Very damp in the room.
Sometimes, she feels life is boring.
12月17日 天气晴。
她习惯向左走，他习惯向右走，他们始终不曾相遇。
Dec.17. Sunny.
She is used to riding on the left. He is used to riding on the right. They never meet.
12月20日 好像又要下雨了。
就像城市里的大多数人一样，一辈子也不会认识，却一直生活在一起…
Dec.20. Cloudy to rain.
Like most people in the city, they know nothing about each other while living together…
但是， 人生总有许多巧合，两条平行线也可能会有交汇的一天。
However, there always are some coincidences in people’s lives, two parallel lines might join some day.
12月22日 太阳微微露脸，浓密的乌云仍堆挤在山顶。
于是，有一天，他们在公园里的喷水池前相遇了。
Dec.22. Cloudy with sunshine periods. The thick cloud still covers the top of the hills.
Then, one day, they meet in front of the fountain in the park.
他们有如失散多年的恋人。
They look like a pair of lovers separated for many years.
他们渡过了一个快乐又甜蜜的下午。
They had a happy and sweet afternoon.
黄昏时，突然下起倾盆大雨。
他们匆忙留下彼此的电话号码，仓皇的在大雨中分手。
At sunset, a sudden rainstorm.
They exchanged phone numbers and said a hurried goodbye.
他还是习惯性的向右走…
He is still used to running on the right…
她还是习惯性的向左走…
She is still used to running on the left…
大雨将他们淋的湿透了，但是他们的心是温暖的。
They are both soaked by the rain, but they feel warm inside.
这一夜，两人都兴奋的失眠。雨，滴滴答答的下了一整夜。
That night, they are too excited to go to sleep. The rain falls the whole night.
但是，人生总有许多的意外，握在手里的风筝，也会突然断了线。
However, there are so many unexpected surprises in people’s lives.The string of the kite might be suddenly broken even you are holding it tightly.
12月23日 寒流来袭，清晨的气温，降的好低好低。
Dec.23. Storm. The morning temperature drops very very low.
望着模糊的字迹，打了一通又一通错误的电话…
哪儿都不敢去，害怕错过任何一通电话…
Dec.24. Christmas Eve. Rain.
Rain has blurred the numbers; they dialed one wrong number after another…
Dare not to go anywhere for afraid of missing any phone calls…
12月31日 气温低寒，冷气团徘徊不去，雨仍持续的下着。
他们沮丧的无法入睡。
收音机里传来，市府广场前倒数读秒的欢呼声，
一年又这样过去了。
Dec.31. Freezing Cold. Still raining.
Too sad to go to sleep.
The cheers of counting down the seconds for the New Year in front of the City Hall comes from the radio,
One year is gone.
1月5日 下午刮起一阵阵刺骨的冷风，寒流又来了。
Jan.5. Cold and Windy. Storm is coming.
1日12日 天气终于放睛，阳光短暂出现，气温反而下降。
都市的变化，令人错愕。公园的喷水池，盖起了高架道路。
Jan.12. The sun comes out at last. Sunshine periods. Temperature drops.
The change in the city is overwhelming. The fountain in the park is torn down for a highway.
他乐观的告诉自己，
也许就像电影里的情节一样，
在下一个街头的转角，
或是公园旁的咖啡厅里，
就会再遇到她。
He tells himself optimistically,
maybe just like the movies,
at the next street corner,
or at the café next to the park,
he will meet her again.
2月14日 情人节的夜晚，疏落的星星在夜空中一闪一闪。
走在凄冷的街角，
一棵挂著七彩灯的枯树，
突然亮了起来，
她忍不住哭了。
Feb.14. Valentine’s Eve. Scattered stars blink in the night sky.
Walking on the cold street,
The colorful bulbs light a tree suddenly.
She can’t help crying.
2月28日 路边的杜鹃花盛开，听说山里的樱花也开了。
日子一天天过去，谁也没有再遇到谁。
Feb.28.
Plum flowers are blossoming along the street and in the hills.
Days passed one after another, they never meet again.
3月9日 空气中弥漫着青草的香味，春天来了。
走在人群中，格外思念那段甜蜜却短促的相逢。
在这个熟悉又陌生的都市中，
无助的寻找一个陌生又熟悉的身影。
Mar.9. The smell of the grass is flowing in the air, spring comes.
Walking in the crowd, missing that sweet but short time so much.
In this familiar while strange city,
Looking for a strange but familiar person helplessly.
3月23日 天气日渐温暖，晚上有月亮，也有星星。
在这个熟悉又陌生的城市中，
无助的寻找一个陌生又熟悉的身影。
Mar. 23. Warm. Moonshine and stars.
In this familiar while strange city,
Looking for a strange but familiar person helplessly.
3月30日 雨季来了。
下雨的日子就会想起他。
她怎么可以无声无息的，就在这个城市消失？
Mar.30. Monsoon is coming.
Always miss her at the raining day.
How can she disappear without any message?
5月9日 黄昏时天空是玫瑰色的，过一会儿就变成深沉的宝石蓝。
喜欢一个人坐在城市的角落沉思
May 9. The dusk sky turns to rose red,
then, dark sapphire blue.
Like pondering while sitting at a corner of the city.
5月18日 傍晚，吹起微微的南风，艳红的夕阳缓缓落下，夏日近了。
夜晚闪灿的灯火让人觉得特别空虚寂寞。
May 18. Sunset. Light wind.
The ruby red sun is setting down little by little.
Summer is close.
The blinking night neon lamps make people feel more empty and alone.
6月9日 大块的云朵停在空中，一动也不动。
心情无缘无故的低落，
对自己的孤单，感到有些莫名的哀伤。
June 9. Thick clouds blanket the sky quietly.
Mood is inexplicable low.
Feel unexpected sad and empty.
她还在这个城市吗？还是早就离去？
Is she still in this city, or, has she left long ago?
但是，他们却…
逗过同一只黄色小花猫，喂过同一只流浪狗，
在阳光微弱的早晨，听到同一只乌鸦的叫声。
But, they…
teased the same yellow kitten, gave food to the same homeless dog,
listened to the singing of the same crow in the dim mornings.
逗过同一个宝宝，都知道她有一顶两个长耳朵的绿色小呢帽…
They teased the same little baby. They both remember she has a green toque with long bunny ears…
10月26日 风吹过，叶子摇摇晃晃的掉下来。
对彼此的记忆， 只剩下一张被雨淋湿的电话号码。
Oct.26. Windy. Leaves begin to drop.
The phone numbers blurred by the rain
are the only memory for each other.
12月6日 天气泾寒。
如此靠近却又如此遥远。
Dec.26. Freezing cold.
So close while so faraway.
12月17日 又是看不见太阳、星星、月亮的一天。
城市犹如没有围墙的囚房，令人疲惫、窒息…
Dec. 17. A day without sun, star and moon.
The city feels like a jail without walls. Tired and suffocated…
12月22日 毛毛细雨好像永远下不停。
决定离开这个荒寒的城市。
到一个阳光灿烂的地方旅行。
Dec.22. The sprinkle seems never to stop.
Decide to leave this deserted and cold city
for a place with sunshine everyday.
12月23日 开始飘雪，这个城市已经有好多年不曾下雪了。
Dec.23. Snow. It has not snowed for many years in this city.
他还是习惯向右走。
He is still used to walking on the right.
她还是习惯向左走。
She is still used to walking on the left.
雪，静静的落下…
Snowflakes keep on falling quietly…
那年的冬天特别寒冷， 整个城市笼罩在阴湿的雨里。
灰蒙蒙的天空，迟迟不见着阳光， 让人感到莫名的沮丧，
常常走在街上就有一种落泪的冲动…
但是冬天总是会过去，春天总是会来…
That winter was extremely cold.
The damp rain mantled the whole city.
Gray sky, and no sunshine.
Inexplicably depressed.
Sometimes, tears just can’t help trickling down
while walking on the street…
But the winter will be over, the spring will come after all…
