When Giving Is All We Have

Track 2

by Alberto Ríos

翻译：箐舞

When Giving Is All We Have

当给予是一切

Track 2

by Alberto Ríos

翻译：箐舞

We give because someone gave to us.

We give because nobody gave to us.

We give because giving has changed us.

We give because giving could have changed注us.

We have been better for it,

We have been1)wounded by it—

Giving has many faces: It is loud and quiet,

Big, though small, diamond in wood-2)nails.

Its story is old, the plot3)worn and the pages too,

But we read this book, anyway,4)over and again:

Giving is， frst and every time， hand to hand，

Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.

Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you

What I had to give—together, we made

Something greater from the difference.

我们给予是因为有人给予我们。

我们给予是因为没人给予我们。

我们给予是因为给予已经改变了我们。

我们给予是因为给予本能够改变我们。

为了它，我们变得更美好，

因为它，我们已伤痕累累—

给予有很多张脸：它是大声的，也是安静的，

庞大，但也渺小，如镶在木钉上的钻石。

它的故事古老，情节老套，纸张也已破损，

但尽管如此，我们依旧反复阅读着这本书：

给予是，第一次和每一次的，手手相传，

我的给予你，你的给予我。

你给予我蓝色，我给予你黄色。

我们一起成为纯粹的绿色。你给予我

你所没有的，我给予你

我必须给予的—我们一起在差异中

创造更伟大的成就。

注：could have done表示“本来能够做成的（却没做成）”。

1) wound [wuːnd] v. 受伤

2) nail [neIl] n. 钉子

3) worn [wɔːn] adj. 用旧的

4) over and again 反复，三番五次