为丁香花季节而歌唱
Warble me now for joy of lilac-time,
(returning in reminiscence,)
Sort me O tongue and lips for Nature’s sake, souvenirs of
earliest summer,
Gather the welcome signs,
(as children with pebbles or stringing shells,)
Put in April and May, the hylas croaking in the ponds, the
elastic air,
Bees, butterflies, the sparrow with its simple notes,
Blue bird and darting swallow, nor forget the high-hole
flashing his golden wings,
The tranquil sunny haze, the clinging smoke, the vapor,
Shimmer of waters with fish in them, the cerulean above,
All that is jocund and sparkling, the brooks running,
The maple woods, the crisp February days and the
sugar-making,
The robin where he hops, bright-eyed, brown-breasted,
With musical clear call at sunrise, and again at sunset,
Or flitting among the trees of the apple-orchard, building
the nest of his mate,
The melted snow of March, the willow sending forth its
yellow-green sprouts,
For spring-time is here! the summer is here! and what is this
in it and from it?
Thou, soul, unloosen’d—the restlessness after I know not
what;
Come, let us lag here no longer, let us be up and away!
O if one could but fly like a bird!
O to escape, to sail forth as in a ship!
To glide with thee O soul, o’er all, in all as a ship O’er
the waters;
Gathering these hints, the preludes, the blue sky, the grass,
the morning drops of dew,
The lilac-scent, the bushes with dark green heart-shaped
leaves,
Wood-violets, the little delicate pale blossoms called
innocence,
Samples and sorts not for themselves alone, but for their
atmosphere,
To grace the bush I love—to sing with the birds,
A warble for joy of lilac-time, returning in
reminiscence.
为丁香花季节而歌唱
为我歌唱丁香花季节的喜悦吧，
(它正在怀念中归来，)
为了大自然，请与我一起吧，灵巧的唇舌，初夏的留念，
与我一起收集那些可爱的音符，
(如孩童收集卵石或成串的贝壳，)
将它们放进四月五月，这些池塘里鸣叫的雨蛙，轻快的微风，
蜜蜂，蝴蝶，歌声单调的麻雀，
蓝鸟和疾飞的燕子，也别忘了那扇着金色翅膀的天宇，
那宁静的彩霞，缭绕的烟霭和水雾，
鱼儿畅游的湖海的波光，头上蔚蓝的天色，
那容光焕发的一切，奔流的小河，
那枫树林，那清新的二月天和酿糖的日子，
那跳跃着的、眼睛发亮的褐胸知更鸟，
它在日出时清脆悦耳地鸣啭，日落时又歌唱，
或在苹果园的树木中飞动，给它的爱侣筑巢，
三月里融化的雪，杨柳刚抽出的嫩绿的柔条，
因为春天到了！夏天快来了！
它孕育着什么，又会产生些什么呢？
你，灵魂得到解放——我不知道还在急切地追求什么；
来吧，让我们不再在这里逗留，让我们奋起前进！
啊，但愿一个人能像一只鸟一样飞翔！
啊，能够逃逸，像乘着快艇出航！
同你的灵魂，越过一切，寓于一切，像一只船划过海洋；
收集起预示和征兆，这蓝天、野草、清晨的露珠，
这丁香花的芬芳，这披着暗绿色心形叶片的灌木林，
这木本紫罗兰，这名叫“天真”的娇小的淡淡的花卉，
这种种的草木不只是为它们自己，而是为了它们的四周，
为了装饰我所爱的丛林——为了与百鸟一起吟哦，
唱一支深情的歌，为这回忆中归来的丁香花季节的欢乐。
中英双语：朱自清经典散文之背影
与父亲不相见已二年余了，我最不能忘记的是他的背影。
I have not seen my father for more than two years. What impresses me most
is the sight of his back.
那年冬天，祖母死了，父亲的差使也交卸了，正是祸不单行的日子。我从北京到徐州，打算跟着父亲奔丧回家。到徐州见着父亲，看见满院狼籍的东西，又想起祖母，不禁簌簌地流下眼泪。父亲说：“事已如此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路！”
I remember it was winter that year, when my grandmother passed away.
Misfortune never comes alone. My father was out of work. At that time, I went to
Xuzhou City from Beijing, planning to go back home with Father to deal with the
affairs about my grandmother. When seeing father in Xuzhou and witnessing
everything was messy in the backyard, I could not help thinking of the death of
my grandmother and tearing heavily. Father said to me, “Everything has been set
now, so we do not need to feel sad. Luckily, there will always be a way out.”
回家变卖典质，父亲还了亏空；又借钱办了丧事。这些日子，家中光景很是惨淡，一半为了丧事，一半为了父亲赋闲。丧事完毕，父亲要到南京谋事，我也要回北京念书，我们便同行。
After coming back home, Father sold out all our possessions to pay the
loans, but we were still in debt. Worse still, we had to again borrow some money
to bury my grandmother. Therefore, during those days, our situation was less
than worse due to the funeral affairs and my dad’s unemployment. After all was
done, Father set out to Nanjing to hunt for a job, while I had to go back to
Beijing to finish my education, so we went together.
到南京时，有朋友约去游逛，勾留了一日；第二日上午便须渡江到浦口，下午上车北去。父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房陪我同去。他再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。但他终于不放心，怕茶房不妥贴；颇踌躇了一会。其实我那年已二十岁，北京已来往过两三次，是没有什么要紧的了。他踌躇了一会，终于决定还是自己送我去。我再三劝他不必去；他只说：“不要紧，他们去不好！”
After reaching Nanjing, some friends invited me for a trip around the
city, so we stayed in the city for a day. The next day in the morning, I must
take a ferry across the river to Pukou, and in the afternoon I must take a train
for Beijing. Father had originally told me he would not see me off because of
his busy affairs. He had asked one of his acquaintances in the hotel to
accompany me to the railway station. However, he was still in great concern
about me, and after hesitating for a while, he decided to go with me. Actually I
was already 20 years old then and had been commuting between Beijing and Nanjing
for several times. So I tried to persuade him not to go with me, but he
insisted, saying, “It does not matter. I will go with you. I am afraid they
cannot take good care of you.”
我们过了江，进了车站。我买票，他忙着照看行李。行李太多了，得向脚夫行些小费才可过去。他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。我那时真是聪明过分，总觉他说话不大漂亮，非自己插嘴不可，但他终于讲定了价钱；就送我上车。他给我拣定了靠车门的一张椅子；我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺好座位。他嘱我路上小心，夜里要警醒些，不要受凉。又嘱托茶房好好照应我。我心里暗笑他的迂；他们只认得钱，托他们只是白托！而且我这样大年纪的人，难道还不能料理自己么？唉，我现在想想，那时真是太聪明了！
After sailing across the river, we entered the railway station. I went to
buy a ticket when he kept an eye on the luggage. As our luggage is too heavy, we
had to employ a porter to carry it onto the train. So dad was busy bargaining
with them about the price. I was kind of displeased with his bargaining over
pennies, so I always interrupted. Finally, he managed to settle the price and
accompanied me to the train. He picked a seat by the door for me and I stretched
the large-sized purple coat made by him across the seat. He enjoined me to be
alert all the way for fear to catch a cold at night. Again he asked the servant
to take good care of me. I was then laughing ironically at him in heart, for it
was known to all that those servants merely recognized nothing but money.
Besides, I was old enough to take good care of myself. Now looking back on that
day, I have to laugh at myself for being too clever!
我说道：“爸爸，你走吧。”他往车外看了看说：“我买几个橘子去。你就在此地，不要走动。”我看那边月台的栅栏外有几个卖东西的等着顾客。走到那边月台，须穿过铁道，须跳下去又爬上去。父亲是一个胖子，走过去自然要费事些。我本来要去的，他不肯，只好让他去。我看见他戴着黑布小帽，穿着黑布大马褂，深青布棉袍，蹒跚地走到铁道边，慢慢探身下去，尚不大难。可是他穿过铁道，要爬上那边月台，就不容易了。他用两手攀着上面，两脚再向上缩；他肥胖的身子向左微倾，显出努力的样子，这时我看见他的背影，我的泪很快地流下来了。我赶紧拭干了泪。怕他看见，也怕别人看见。我再向外看时，他已抱了朱红的橘子往回走了。过铁道时，他先将桔子散放在地上，自己慢慢爬下，再抱起橘子走。到这边时，我赶紧去搀他。他和我走到车上，将橘子一股脑儿放在我的皮大衣上。于是扑扑衣上的泥土，心里很轻松似的。过一会说：“我走了，到那边来信！”我望着他走出去。他走了几步，回过头看见我，说：“进去吧，里边没人。”等他的背影混入来来往往的人里，再找不着了，我便进来坐下，我的眼泪又来了。
I said to him, “Dad, you can leave now.” He looked out of the window and
said, “I am going to buy some oranges. You should stay here.” I looked to the
railway platform, over whose fences there were several sellers waiting for
customers. One should walk across a railroad, jumped down and then jumped up to
the platform before he reached the sellers. Father was very fat, so it would be
more painstaking for him to go there. I intended to go by myself, but he did not
permit, so I just let him go. I saw him wearing a big black coat and deep green
cotton clothing, staggering to the railroad. It was not difficult then. But when
he tried to walk across the road and climb to the platform, it was no easy
thing. He had to climb to the top of platform with his bare hands, legs lifted
upward, massy body wavering to the left with great strength. At the sight of his
back, I could not help tearing cats and dogs. But without a second of
hesitation, I swiftly wiped the tear off my face in case that he, as well as
others would see it. When I looked out of the window again, he was walking back
towards me with oranges in his arms. When crossing the railroad, he had to put
all the oranges down and climbed down the platform, then picked them up again
and went on to walk towards me. When he approached me, I quickly went to hold
him by the arm. After we boarded on the train, he put down all the oranges onto
my coat and pretended to be relaxed when patting off the dust on his clothes.
After a while, he said to me, “I have to leave now. Remember to write a letter
to me when you arrive!” I was watching him going out. He looked back to me and
said, “Go into the train. Nobody is there to attend to your luggage!” I still
kept watching until the sight of his back disappeared in the crowd. Then I went
on the train and sat down, tearing again.
近几年来，父亲和我都是东奔西走，家中光景是一日不如一日。他少年出外谋生，独立支持，做了许多大事。哪知老境却如此颓唐！他触目伤怀，自然情不能自已。情郁于中，自然要发之于外；家庭琐屑便往往触他之怒。他待我渐渐不同往日。但最近两年不见，他终于忘却我的不好，只是惦记着我，惦记着我的儿子。我北来后，他写了一信给我，信中说道：“我身体平安，惟膀子疼痛厉害，举箸提笔，诸多不便，大约大去之期不远矣。”我读到此处，在晶莹的泪光中，又看见那肥胖的、青布棉袍黑布马褂的背影。唉！我不知何时再能与他相见！
These years, Father and I went on the trip all the time. Our family
condition is worsening day by day. He went out to make a living when young, and
has made a lot of achievements with great independence. Who could predict our
situation would become so awkward with time passing by? Therefore, he often
sinks in great agony and can hardly control his emotion. In order to vent his
sentiment and dissatisfaction, he will easily lose temper on daily trifles. He
treated me differently from the past. But these two years, we seldom met each
other and he finally forgot my drawbacks and simply keeps missing me and my son.
After I arrived in Beijing, he wrote a letter to me, saying, “I am in good
condition overall and only suffering a great pain in my shoulders. It is
considerably inconvenient for me to use chopsticks or pens. Maybe I am near my
end!” Reading this sentence, through my crystal tears, I can seemingly spot the
back with green cotton clothes and black coat. I have to sigh when I can meet
him again!