Code of Changes
What's the body alive for?
For being tortured at thirty,
For being exercised at sixty.
Immature even when ninety?
Nothing is forgotten but the cries of air,
Nothing is forgotten but haste and stagger.
For fear of pain, we are enduring.
For fear of dark, we get excited.
Is fear of death more fearful than death?
Fifty steps are not one hundred steps.
We live one life, after another
In that code-protected country,
The young are gloomy and gray,
The old love giggles and gurgles.
June 26, 2018
Chinese text by Bai Hua
Aug.6, 2018
Translated into English by Li Fukang
易经
身体在世为了什么？
为了三十岁的摧残，
为了六十岁的保健。
到九十岁还没成熟？
只是忘了空气之哭，
忘了着急必将出丑。
怕痛，就忍了过来。
怕黑，就有种兴奋。
怕死比死更骇人吗？
五十步不等于百步。
我们一生，又一生
在那个保密的国家，
年轻人是阴郁的人，
老人是笑扯扯的人。
注释一：何谓“空气之哭”？参见莎士比亚《李尔王》：“当我们嗅到尘世的第一缕空气时，我们都号啕大哭。”
2018年6月26日
