有一样东西它不喜欢墙，
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
冻胀了墙下的基础土壤，
That sends the frozen ground-swell under it,
太阳一晒，墙上石块跌落在两旁；
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
墙体开裂，双人并肩而过像穿堂。
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
猎人的行为则是另一番景象：
The work of hunters is another thing:
我要紧随其后修补不停的忙，
I have come after them and made repair
他们拆掉石块却不放回原位上，
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
而是把兔子赶出让它们难躲藏，
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
惹得猎狗叫汪汪。我所说的裂缝
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
没有谁见过其开裂听过其声响，
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
但到春天来修补，眼前已是百孔千疮。
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
我通知了山那边的邻居街坊，
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
约好了一天沿着墙巡查一趟，
And on a day we meet to walk the line
重新垒起我们之间的这堵墙。
And set the wall between us once again.
我们沿着墙各自走在各一方，
We keep the wall between us as we go.
将各自一侧的石块收拾妥当。
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
有些石块成块状，有些近乎于球状，
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
我们不得不口念咒语确保其稳当：
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
“请呆在那儿不要晃，等我们折回来查访！”
"Stay where you are until our backs are turned!"
我们搬弄石块，手指被磨得粗糙无光。
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
啊，这种户外游戏只不过别于它样，
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
玩家各站各一方。这让我若有所想：
One on a side. It comes to little more:
我们在这里并不需要修建这堵墙：
There where it is we do not need the wall:
那边种松木这边种苹果树隔墙相望。
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
我的苹果树永远不会越过这一屏障：
My apple trees will never get across
跑到他松树下去把松果尝，我对他讲。
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
他只好说，“好篱笆会促成好街坊。”
He only says, "Good fences make good neighbors."
春天让我好心伤，我想知道
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
我是否能让他这样去思量：
If I could put a notion in his head:
好篱笆何以能促成好街坊？难道说
"Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it
这是养牛的地方？但这纯粹是说谎。
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
以前修建这堵墙，我就该好好想一想
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
我要把什么东西来设防，
What I was walling in or walling out,
我是否有冒犯谁的地方。
And to whom I was like to give offense.
有样东西它的确不喜欢墙，
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
就像妖鬼想让它倒塌一样，我这样讲。
That wants it down." I could say "Elves" to him,
但准确地说这不是妖鬼，我宁愿
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
他自己说出来是啥名堂。我见他
He said it for himself. I see him there
用双手将石块上端牢牢抓住不放，
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
就像石器时代武装的野蛮人一样。
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
我认为他似乎已坠入黑暗感到迷茫，
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
这黑暗不只是来自树林和树的影像。
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
他不去琢磨父辈曾如何对他讲，
He will not go behind his father's saying,
倒是认为父辈所说的话非常棒，
And he likes having thought of it so well
他接着又说，“好篱笆会促成好街坊。”
He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors."