I measure every Grief I meet
我测度我遇到的每一种悲痛

I measure every Grief I meet

With narrow, probing, Eyes -

I wonder if It weighs like Mine -

Or has an Easier size.

我测度我遇到的每一种悲痛 ——

用眯起的、刺探的，眼睛 ——

我想知道是否和我的一样重 ——

或者是否有宽松些的尺寸 ——

I wonder if They bore it long -

Or did it just begin -

I could not tell the Date of Mine -

It feels so old a pain -

我想知道他们忍受了多久 ——

也或者，只是刚刚开始 ——

我已说不清我自己的起始日期 ——

只是觉得这痛苦已经古老 ——

I wonder if it hurts to live -

And if They have to try -

And whether - could They choose between -

It would not be - to die -

我想知道它是否有碍于生活 ——

如果，他们不得不试一试 ——

他们是否可以选择折中 ——

不至于是，立刻就死 ——

I note that Some - gone patient long -

At length, renew their smile -

An imitation of a Light

That has so little Oil -

我注意到有些人有长期的病痛 ——

最后，居然又露出了笑容 ——

仿佛，曾经是一盏灯 ——

油，几乎已熬尽 ——

I wonder if when Years have piled -

Some Thousands - on the Harm -

That hurt them early - such a lapse

Could give them any Balm -

我想知道，年复一年累积 ——

几千个年头，累积在病痛之上 ——

对早先的伤害，这样的岁月流逝 ——

能不能收点疗救之功 ——

Or would they go on aching still

Through Centuries of Nerve -

Enlightened to a larger Pain -

In Contrast with the Love -

如果他们还要继续痛下去 ——

要痛过神经的几个世纪 ——

并且启动与爱大相径庭 ——

更大的新的苦痛 ——

The Grieved - are many - I am told -

There is the various Cause -

Death - is but one - and comes but once -

And only nails the eyes -

有人说，悲痛有许多种 ——

各有各的不同的起因 ——

死亡，只有一种，只来一次 ——

只是钉牢一双眼睛 ——

There's Grief of Want - and Grief of Cold -

A sort they call "Despair" -

There's Banishment from native Eyes -

In sight of Native Air -

有匮乏的痛苦，有寒冷的痛苦 ——

有一种人们称为“绝望”——

出生地人的眼睛被禁止 ——

观赏出生地的风光 ——

And though I may not guess the kind -

Correctly - yet to me

A piercing Comfort it affords

In passing Calvary -

这一种，我虽不可能猜得 ——

十分准确，却给了我 ——

刻骨铭心的宽慰 ——

当我从髑髅地经过 —— [髑髅地，耶稣受难处，狄金森常用的形象]

To note the fashions - of the Cross -

And how they're mostly worn -

Still fascinated to presume

That Some - are like My Own -

看到那十字架的式样 ——

已经磨损得多么严重 ——

仍能使我情不自禁设想 ——

有些，和我的有些相同 —— [有些相同，即都是为了爱。耶稣，是由于他爱世人，或是，由于“上帝爱世人”]