The Sadness in August

八月的忧愁

Phyllis Lin

林徽因

In the Yellow Water Pond swim ducks white;

黄水塘里游着白鸭，

The sorghum stalks dark green have reached overhead.

高粱梗油青的刚高过头，

How can the jumping heart set all right

这跳动的心怎样安插，

The thin lane in the field, this sadness in August?

田里一窄条路，八月里这忧愁？

The sky washed last night, the mound

天是昨夜雨洗过的，山岗

Has got another shade from the sun;

照着太阳又留一片影；

The sheep behind the shepherd enter the village, turning around;

羊跟着放羊的转进村庄，

A big tree casts a shade on the well; like a heart it does seem!

一大棵树荫下罩着井，又像是心！

Nobody has said anything about August at all,

从没有人说过八月什么话，

The summer is gone, and not yet here is the fall.

夏天过去了，也不到秋天。

But I gaze into the field and the melon on the wall,

但我望着田垄，土墙上的瓜，

Still don’t understand how life is linked to a dream.

仍不明白生活同梦怎样的连牵。