In the uncertain hour before the morning
在黎明来临前无法确知的时刻
Near the ending of interminable night
漫漫长夜行将结束
At the recurrent end of the unending
永无终止又到了终点
After the dark dove with the flickering tongue had passed below the horizon of his homing
当黑黝黝的鸽子喷吐着忽隐忽现的火舌在地平线下掠飞归去以后
While the dead leaves still rattled on like tin over the asphalt where no other sound was
在硝烟升腾的三个地区之间再没有别的声息只有枯叶像白铁皮一般
Between three districts whence the smoke arose
嘎嘎作响地扫过沥青路面
I met one walking, loitering and hurried
这时我遇见一个在街上闲荡的行人

As if blown towards me like the metal leaves before the urban dawn wind unresisting.
像被不可阻挡的城市晨风吹卷的金属薄片急匆匆地向我走来。
And as I fixed upon the down-turned face
当我用锐利而审视的目光打量他那张低垂的脸庞
That pointed scrutiny with which we challenge the first-met stranger in the waning dusk
就像我们盘问初次遇见的陌生人那样在即将消逝的暮色中
I caught the sudden look of some dead master
我瞧见一位曾经相识、但已淡忘的已故的大师
Whom I had known, forgotten, half recalled both one and many; in the brown baked features
突然显现的面容，我恍惚记得他既是一个又是许多个；晒黒的脸上
The eyes of a familiar compound ghost
一个熟识的复合的灵魂的眼睛
Both intimate and unidentifiable.
既亲密又不可辨认。