Neruda's poetry selection

If God is in My Verse

Translator: Ilan Stavans

Dog of mine,

if God is in my verse,

I am God.

If God is in your distressed eyes,

you are God.

No one exists in this immense world of ours

that might kneel before us two!

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair/

二十首情歌和一首絕望的歌（1924）

15. I Like For You to be Still

Translator: W.S. Merwin

I like for you to be still: it is as though you were absent,

and you hear me from far away and my voice does not touch you.

It seems as though your eyes had flown away

and it seems that a kiss had sealed your mouth.

As all things are filled with my soul

you emerge from the things, filled with my soul.

You are like my soul, a butterfly of dream,

and you are like the word Melancholy.

I like for you to be still, and you seem far away.

It sounds as though you were lamenting, a butterfly cooing like a dove.

And you hear me from far away, and my voice does not reach you:

Let me come to be still in your silence.

And let me talk to you with your silence

that is bright as a lamp, simple as a ring.

You are like the night, with its stillness and constellations.

Your silence is that of a star, as remote and candid.

I like for you to be still: it is as though you were absent,

distant and full of sorrow as though you had died.

One word then, one smile, is enough.

And I am happy, happy that it's not true.

15. 我喜歡你是寂靜的

譯者：李宗榮

我喜歡你是寂靜的，仿佛你消失了一樣。 

你從遠處聆聽我，我的聲音卻無法觸及你。 

好像你的雙眼已經飛離遠去， 

如同一個吻，封緘了你的嘴。 

如同所有的事物充滿了我的靈魂， 

你從所有的事物中浮現，充滿了我的靈魂。 

你像我靈魂，一只夢的蝴蝶， 

你如同憂鬱這個字。 

我喜歡你是寂靜的，好像你已遠去。 

你聽起來像在悲嘆，一只如鴿悲鳴的蝴蝶。 

你從遠處聽見我，我的聲音無法企及你。 

讓我在你的沉默中安靜無聲。 

並且讓我借你的沉默與你說話， 

你的沉默明亮如燈，簡單如指環。 

你就像黑夜，擁有寂靜與群星。 

你的沉默就是星星的沉默，遙遠而明亮。 

我喜歡你是寂靜的，仿佛你消失了一樣， 

遙遠且哀傷，仿佛你已經死了。 

彼時，一個字，一個微笑，已經足夠。 

而我會覺得幸福，因那不是真的而覺得幸福。

15. 我喜歡你默默無言 

譯者：黄燦然

　　　　　

我喜歡你默默無言，仿佛你不在， 

你從遠方聽著我，而我的聲音接觸不到你。 

仿佛你的眼睛已經飛走， 

仿佛有一個吻封住你的嘴巴。 

　　　　　　

就像所有的事物充滿我的靈魂 

你從事物之中浮現，充滿我的靈魂。 

你就像我的靈魂，一只夢的蝴蝶， 

你就像憂傷這個詞。 

　　　　　

我喜歡你默默無言，仿佛你在遠方。 

仿佛你在悲嘆，你蝴蝶的低語如鴿子的輕喚。 

你從遠方聽著我，而我的聲音接觸不到你： 

讓我也默默無言于你的寂靜無聲。 

　　　　　

並讓我拿你的明亮如一盞燈， 

簡單如一個環的寂靜無聲和你交談。 

你就像夜晚，默默無言且布滿星星。 

你的寂靜無聲是星星的寂靜無聲，一樣地遙遠和真實。 

　　　

我喜歡你默默無言，仿佛你不在。 

遙遠而充滿悲哀仿佛你已經死去。 

那麼一句話，一個微笑，就已足夠。 

而我感到幸福，幸福于它的不真實。 

14. Every Day You Play

Translator: W.S. Merwin

Every day you play with the light of the universe.

Subtle visitor, you arrive in the flower and the water.

You are more than this white head that I hold tightly

as a cluster of fruit, every day, between my hands.

You are like nobody since I love you.

Let me spread you out among yellow garlands.

Who writes your name in letters of smoke among the stars of the south?

Oh let me remember you as you were before you existed.

Suddenly the wind howls and bangs at my shut window.

The sky is a net crammed with shadowy fish.

Here all the winds let go sooner or later, all of them.

The rain takes off her clothes.

The birds go by, fleeing.

The wind. The wind.

I can contend only against the power of men.

The storm whirls dark leaves

and turns loose all the boats that were moored last night to the sky.

You are here. Oh, you do not run away.

You will answer me to the last cry.

Cling to me as though you were frightened.

Even so, at one time a strange shadow ran through your eyes.

Now, now too, little one, you bring me honeysuckle,

and even your breasts smell of it.

While the sad wind goes slaughtering butterflies

I love you, and my happiness bites the plum of your mouth.

How you must have suffered getting accustomed to me,

my savage, solitary soul, my name that sends them all running.

So many times we have seen the morning star burn, kissing our eyes,

and over our heads the gray light unwind in turning fans.

My words rained over you, stroking you.

A long time I have loved the sunned mother-of-pearl of your body.

I go so far as to think that you own the universe.

I will bring you happy flowers from the mountains, bluebells,

dark hazels, and rustic baskets of kisses.

I want

to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.

14. 每日妳與宇宙的光、、、 

譯者：李宗榮

每日妳與宇宙的光一起嬉戲。 

靈巧的訪者，在花朵與水之間妳翩然到訪。 

妳比我手中緊握的白色的頭顱， 

更像每日我手中的成簇的果實。 

　　 

妳不像任何人，因為我愛妳。 

讓我把妳灑在眾多花圈之中。 

誰在南方群星裡，以煙的字母寫下妳的名字？ 

喔，在妳存在之前，讓我憶起妳往日的樣子。 

　　 

突然地，風在我緊閉的窗上怒嚎狂擊。 

天空是一張網，塞滿了陰暗的魚。 

全部的風在這裡逐一釋放。全部。 

大雨脫去她的衣服。 

　　 

眾鳥飛逝，逃離。 

風，風。 

我只能與男人的力量相互搏鬥。 

暴風雨讓黑色的樹葉迴旋飄落， 

讓昨夜停泊在天空的船隻逐一散落。 

　　 

妳在這裡。喔，妳並沒有離開。 

妳會回應我直到我最後一個祈求。 

好像受驚嚇般的緊擁住我。 

即使如此，一抹詭異的影子仍掠過妳的雙眼。 

　　 

現在，現在也是，小親親，妳帶給我忍冬樹， 

甚至妳的胸部都可聞到它的味道。 

當哀傷的風開始屠殺蝶群， 

我愛妳，而且我的幸福啃噬妳的梅子的嘴。 

　　 

妳為何非要因順應我而委屈受苦﹖ 

我孤獨與狂野的靈魂，我的釋放它們奔跑的名字。 

我們曾看見晨星燃燒這麼多次，並親吻我們的雙眼， 

在我們的頭頂上，薄暮在旋轉的風扇中逸散。 

　　 

我的話語像大雨淋在妳的身上，輕撫妳。 

許久以來，我愛上妳陽光曬過的珍珠母的身體。 

甚至於相信妳擁有整個宇宙。 

從群山中我將為妳捎來幸福的花束、風鈴草， 

黑榛樹的果實，以及一籃籃的吻。 

我要 

像春天對待櫻桃樹那樣的對待妳。 

20. Tonight I Can Write

Translator: W.S. Merwin

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, "The night is starry

and the stars are blue and shiver in the distance."

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.

I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.

How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.

And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.

The night is starry and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.

My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight tries to find her as though to bring her closer.

My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.

We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.

My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. As she was before my kisses.

Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.

Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms

my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer

and these the last verses that I write for her.

　　 

今夜我可以寫 

譯者：李宗榮

今夜我可以寫下最哀傷的詩句。 

　　 

寫，譬如，「夜鑲滿群星， 

而星星遙遠地發出藍光並且顫抖。」 

　　 

夜風在天空中迴旋並歌唱。 

　　 

今夜我可以寫下最哀傷的詩句。 

我愛她，而且有時她也愛我。 

　　 

如同今晚的夜，我曾擁握她在懷中。 

在無盡的天空下一遍又一遍的吻她。 

　　 

她愛我，有時我也愛她。 

怎麼會不愛上她那一雙沈靜的眼睛呢？ 

　　 

今夜我可以寫下最哀傷的詩句。 

去想我並不擁有她，感覺我已失去她。 

　　 

去聆聽廣闊的夜，因沒有她而更加廣闊。 

而詩句墬在靈魂上，如同露水墜在牧草上。 

　　 

我的愛若不能擁有她又有什麼關係？ 

夜鑲滿群星而且她沒有與我在一起。 

　　 

　　 

這就是一切了。遠處有人唱著歌。遠處。 

我的靈魂因失去了她而失落。 

　　 

我的視線試著要發現她，好像要把她拉近一樣， 

我的心尋找她，而她並沒有與我在一起。 

　　 

相同的夜讓相同的樹林泛白。 

彼時，我們也不再相似如初。 

　　 

我不再愛她，這是確定的，但我曾多愛她！ 

我的聲音試著找尋風來碰觸她的聽覺。 

　　 

別人的，如同她曾接受我的千吻一樣，她將會是別人的了。 

她的聲音，她的潔白的身體。她的無止盡的雙眼。 

　　 

我不再愛她，這是確定的，但也許我愛她。 

愛情如此短暫，而遺忘太長。 

　　 

藉著如同今晚的夜，我曾擁她入懷 

我的靈魂因失去了她而失落。 

　　 

這是她最後一次讓我承受的傷痛。 

而這些﹐便是我為她而寫的最後的詩句。 

Canto General ／一般之歌（１９５０）

AMERICA

Translator:Jack Schmitt

I am, I am surrounded

by honeysuckle and wasteland, by jackal and

lightning,

by the enchained perfume of lilacs:

I am, I am surrounded

by days, months, waters that I alone know,

by fingernails, fish, months that I alone

establish,

I am, I am surrounded

by the slender combatant foam

of the seaboard full of bells.

The scarlet shirt of Indian and volcano,

the road, which the naked foot raised amid the

leaves,

and thorns amid the roots,

comes to my feet at night that I may walk it.

Dark blood like autumn

poured on the ground,

the dreadful banner of death in the jungle,

invading footsteps dissolving, the warriors'

cry, the dormant spear twilight,

the soldiers' startled sleep, the great

rivers in which the alligator's peace splashes,

your recent cities of unforseen mayors,

the chorus of birds of indomitable custom,

in the jungle's rank day, the firefly's

tutelary glow,

when I exist in your womb, in your beaconed

evening, in your repose in the uterus of your

births, in the earthquake,

in the peasant's ox cart, in the ash

that falls from the glaciers, in space,

in pure space, inapprehensible trajectory,

in the condor's bloody talons, in Guatemala's

humiliated peace, in the blacks,

on Trinidad's docks, in La Guayra:

all is my night, all is

my day, all is

my air, all is

whatever I live, suffer, raise and agonize.

America, the syllables that

I sing aren't made of night or light.

The empowered matter of my victory's

radiance and bread is made of earth,

and my dream's not dream but earth.

I sleep surrounded by spacious clay

and when I live a fountain of boundless

land flows through my hands.

And what I drink is not wine but earth,

hidden earth, my mouth's earth,

earth of agriculture with dew,

a gale of luminous vegetables,

cereal stock, granary of gold.

Isla Negra/黑島的回憶（１９５０）

Poetry

Translator: Alastair Reid

And it was at that age... poetry arrived 

in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where 

it came from, from winter or a river.

I don't know how or when,

no, they were not voices, they were not 

words, nor silence,

but from a street it called me,

from the branches of night,

abruptly from the others,

among raging fires

or returning alone,

there it was, without a face, 

and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth 

had no way 

with names, 

my eyes were blind.

something knocked in my soul,

fever or forgotten wings,

and I made my own way,

deciphering 

that fire, 

and I wrote the first, faint line,

faint, without substance, pure 

nonsense,

pure wisdom

of someone who knows nothing;

and suddenly I saw 

the heavens 

unfastened 

and open,

planets,

palpitating plantations,

shadow perforated,

riddled 

with arrows, fire and flowers,

the overpowering night, the universe.

And I, tiny being,

drunk with the great starry 

void,

likeness, image of 

mystery,

felt myself a pure part 

of the abyss, 

I wheeled with the stars,

My heart broke loose with the wind.

詩 

譯者：陳黎

而就是在那種年紀……詩上前來

找我。我不知道，我不知道它

從什麼地方來，從冬天或者河流。

我不知道它怎麼來，什麼時候來，

不，它們不是聲音，它們不是

字，也不是沉默，

從一條街上我被叫走，

從夜的枝椏，

驟然地，從其他事物，

在粗暴的火間

或者獨自歸來

在那兒，一張臉也沒有

而它處及了我。

我不知道該說些什麼，我的嘴

不知道如何

命名，

我的眼睛是瞎的，

某樣東西在我的靈魂內騷動，

狂熱或遺忘的羽翼，

我摸索自己的道路

為了詮釋那股

烈火，

我寫下了第一行微弱的詩句

微弱而不具體，純粹的

無意義，

一個一無所知的人他

單純的智慧，

而突然我看到

天空

鬆解、

洞開，

行星，

悸動的農園，

戳了孔的陰影，

篩分著

箭矢，火與花，

纏捲的夜，宇宙，

而我——無限小的本體，

醉倒在偉大星夜的

空虛裏，

類似，神秘的

映像，

感覺自己在純粹的

深淵中，

與眾星一同轉旋，

我的心向風中逸去。