THE SOUL 靈魂

1. On a dark night, Kindled in love with yearnings--oh, happy chance!--
I went forth without being observed, My house being now at rest.
在綿情愛火點燃的暗夜裡--啊，真幸運--我神出鬼沒地前往，我的寓所正在安息。

2. In darkness and secure, By the secret ladder, disguised--oh, happy chance!--In darkness and in concealment, My house being now at rest.
無光無憂，拾級掩飾的暗梯--啊，真幸運--黑暗而隱蔽，我的寓所正在安息。

3. In the happy night, In secret, when none saw me,
Nor I beheld aught, Without light or guide, save that which burned in my heart.
快活斯夜，秘而不宣，人渺物空，沒有光明，也無嚮導，只有那燃燒的心事。

4. This light guided me, More surely than the light of noonday
To the place where he (well I knew who!) was awaiting me-- A place where none appeared.
這光指引我，比午正的陽光更確實，抵達他(嘿，我知他是誰！)等我的地方--一片絕無人跡之地。

5. Oh, night that guided me, Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,
Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover, Lover transf-o-r-med in the Beloved!
啊，一路領我的夜晚；啊，比黎明更可愛的夜晚；啊，心上人與情侶成婚的夜晚，情侶脫胎換骨，在心上人那裡。

6. Upon my flowery breast, Kept wholly for himself alone,
There he stayed sleeping, and I caressed him, And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze.
在我全然為他獨守、貞如花錦的胸脯上，他繼續安睡，我撫摸他，雪松濤濤，送來微風習習。

7. The breeze blew from the turret As I parted his locks;
With his gentle hand he wounded my neck And caused all my senses to be suspended.
風從塔樓吹來，我解開他如鎖的環抱，他用溫柔的手，劃傷了我的脖子，讓我失去了全部的感知。

8. I remained, lost in oblivion; My face I reclined on the Beloved.
All ceased and I abandoned myself, Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.
我不走了，流連在健忘里。我把臉貼緊心上人，萬籟俱寂，忘情無我，煩惱撒落一地，百合花叢替我收拾。

(英詩取自St.John of the Cross著作Dark Night of the Soul，新民應852之邀而翻譯。2004/9/10初稿，次日最後定稿)