One Hundred Love Sonnets - by Pablo Neruda

One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII
by Pablo Neruda

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I do not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is mine,
so close that your eyes close with my dreams.

第17首十四行诗
巴勃罗·聂鲁达
(覃学岚 译)

我爱你，但不会像爱刺激的玫瑰、黄玉
或者康乃馨火舌般的花蕊那样。
我爱你，像爱某些隐秘可爱的东西那样，
在阴影与灵魂之间，偷偷地爱你。

我爱你，就像爱从不开花，身上却透着
看不见的花的光芒的植物那样；
由于你的爱，某种纯真的香味
自大地升起，隐隐活在我体内。

我爱你，对爱的方式，时间，起点概不知晓。
我爱你，爱得直截了当，既不复杂也不骄傲；
我爱你，因为除了爱你，我不知道
别的办法：你我形影相随，唇齿相依，
亲密得我胸口上你与我的手莫辨彼此，
亲密得我进入梦乡，你也会双眼紧闭。