The Gardener
園丁集

1

Servant HAVE mercy upon your servant, my queen!

Queen The assembly is over and my servants are all gone. Why do you come at this late hour?

Servant When you have finished with others, that is my time.

I come to ask what remains for your last servant to do.

Queen What can you expect when it is too late?

Servant Make me the gardener of your flower garden.

Queen What folly is this?

Servant I will give up my other work.

I throw my swords and lances down in the dust. Do not send me to distant courts; do not bid me undertake new conquests. But make me the gardener of your flower garden.

Queen What will your duties be?

仆人 請對你的仆人開恩吧，我的女王！

女王 集會已經開過并且我的仆人們都走了。為什么你來得這么晚呢？

仆人 你與別人談過后，就是我的時間了。

我來問問有什么剩余的工作，好讓你的最后一個仆人去做。

女王 這么晚了你還期望做什么呢？

仆人 讓我做你花園里的園丁吧。

女王 這是什么蠢想法呢？

仆人 我要舍棄別的工作。

我把劍矛扔在塵土里。請不要派遣我去遙遠的宮廷；不要命令我從事新的征討。只求你讓我做花園里的園丁吧。

女王 你的職責是什么呢？

Servant The service of your idle days.

I will keep fresh the grassy path where you walk in the morning, where your feet will be greeted with praise at every step by the flowers eager for death.

I will swing you in a swing among the branches of the saptaparna, where the early evening moon will struggle to kiss your skirt through the leaves.

I will replenish with scented oil the lamp that burns by your bedside, and decorate your footstool with sandal and saffron paste in wondrous designs.

Queen What will you have for your reward?

Servant To be allowed to hold your little fists like tender lotus-buds and slip flower chains over your wrists; to tinge the soles of your feet with the red juice of ask ok a petals and kiss away the speck of dust that may chance to linger there.

Queen Your prayers are granted, my servant, your will be the gardener of my flower garden.

仆人 為你空閑的日子服務。

我將保持你早晨散步的草徑清新舒爽，你每一移步將有甘于就死的繁花來歡迎你的雙足以贊頌。

我將在七葉樹的枝間擺動你的秋千，傍晚的月亮將掙扎著從葉隙里親吻你的衣裙。

我將把你床邊的燈盞添滿香油，我將用檀香和番紅花膏為你的腳凳裝飾上奇妙的圖樣。

女王 你要什么作為報酬呢？

仆人 只要你允許我像握著柔嫩的菡萏一般握住你的小拳，把花串套在你的纖腕上；允許我用無憂花的紅汁來輕染你的腳底，用親吻來拂去那偶然間留在那里的塵埃就可以了。

女王 你的祈禱被接受了，我的仆人，你將是我花園里的園丁。