我与地坛（三）

如果以一天中的时间来对应四季，当然春天是早晨，夏天是中午，秋天是黄昏，冬天是夜晚。

If we correspond the time of day to the four seasons, then of course spring would be the morning, summer would be noon, autumn would be dusk, and winter would be night.

如果以乐器来对应四季，我想春天应该是小号，夏天是定音鼓，秋天是大提琴，冬天是圆号和长笛。

If we relate musical instruments to the four seasons, I think spring should be the trumpet, summer the timpani, autumn the cello, and winter the horn and flute.

要是以这园子里的声响来对应四季呢？

What if we correspond the sounds in this garden to the four seasons?

那么，春天是祭坛上空漂浮着的鸽子的哨音，夏天是冗长的蝉歌和杨树叶子哗啦啦地对蝉歌的取笑，秋天是古殿檐头的风铃响，冬天是啄木鸟随意而空旷的啄木声。

Then spring would be the whistle of doves floating above the altar, summer would be the lengthy song of cicadas and the rustling of poplar leaves mocking the cicadas’ song, autumn would be the sound of wind chimes at the eaves of the ancient temple, and winter would be the random and hollow pecking sounds of a woodpecker.

以园中的景物对应四季，春天是一径时而苍白时而黑润的小路，时而明朗时而阴晦的天上摇荡着串串杨花；

If we associate the scenery in the garden with the seasons, then spring is a narrow path that alternates between pale and dark, and the sky sways with strings of catkins that sometimes shine brightly and other times are shrouded in gloom;

夏天是一条条耀眼而灼人的石凳，或阴凉而爬满了青苔的石阶，阶下有果皮，阶上有半张被坐皱的报纸；

Summer is a series of dazzling and scorching stone benches, or cool stone steps covered in moss, with fruit peels on the steps, and half-crumpled newspapers being sat upon;

秋天是一座青铜的大钟，在园子的西北角上曾丢弃着一座很大的铜钟，铜钟与这园子一般年纪，浑身挂满绿锈，文字已不清晰；

Autumn is a large bronze bell that was once discarded in the northwest corner of the garden, coeval with this garden, its surface adorned with green rust, the inscriptions now unclear;

冬天，是林中空地上几只羽毛蓬松的老麻雀。

Winter is a few old sparrows with fluffed-up feathers in the clearing of the woods.

以心绪对应四季呢？

What if we relate emotions to the four seasons?

春天是卧病的季节，否则人们不易发觉春天的残忍与渴望；

Spring is the season of illness; otherwise, it's difficult for people to perceive the cruelty and longing of spring;

夏天，情人们应该在这个季节里失恋，不然就似乎对不起爱情；

In summer, lovers should experience heartbreak during this season; otherwise, it seems they do not honor love;

秋天是从外面买一棵盆花回家的时候，把花搁在阔别了的家中，并且打开窗户把阳光也放进屋里，慢慢回忆慢慢整理一些发过霉的东西；

Autumn is the time for buying a potted flower from outside and placing it in a home that has been long absent, opening the windows to let in the sunlight and slowly reminisce and sort through some moldy things;

冬天伴着火炉和书，一遍遍坚定不死的决心，写一些并不发出的信。

Winter is spent by the fireplace with a book, repeatedly affirming a tenacious resolve and writing letters that will never be sent.

还可以用艺术形式对应四季，这样春天就是一幅画，夏天是一部长篇小说，秋天是一首短歌或诗，冬天是一群雕塑。

We can also correspond art forms to the seasons: spring would be a painting, summer a lengthy novel, autumn a short song or poem, and winter a collection of sculptures.

以梦呢？以梦对应四季呢？

What about dreams? How do dreams correspond to the four seasons?

春天是树尖上的呼喊，夏天是呼喊中的细雨，秋天是细雨中的土地，冬天是干净的土地上的一只孤零的烟斗。

Spring is the cry at the tips of the trees, summer is the gentle rain amidst the cries, autumn is the earth beneath that gentle rain, and winter is a solitary pipe resting on the clean ground.

因为这园子，我常感恩于自己的命运。

Because of this garden, I often feel grateful for my fate.

我甚至现在就能清楚地看见，一旦有一天我不得不长久地离开它，我会怎样想念它，我会怎样想念它并且梦见它，我会怎样因为不敢想念它而梦也梦不到它。

Even now, I can clearly see that once I must leave it for a long time, I will deeply miss it, I will dream of it, and I will struggle to even dare to think of it, making it impossible to dream of it.