学文网编 者 按
拉宾德拉纳特·泰戈尔(1861~1941)是印度诗人、哲学家和印度民族主义者，1913年他成为第一位获得诺贝尔文学奖的亚洲人。他的诗中含有深刻的宗教和哲学的见解，泰戈尔的诗在印度享有史诗的地位，代表作《吉檀迦利》，《飞鸟集》。《飞鸟集》包括300余首清丽的小诗。短小的语句道出了深刻的人生哲理，引领世人探寻真理和智慧的源泉。初读这些小诗，如同在暴风雨过后的初夏清晨，推开卧室的窗户，看到一个淡泊清透的世界，一切都是那样的清新、亮丽，可是其中的韵味却很厚实，耐人寻味。
1. Stray birds of summer come to my window to sing and fly away.
And yellow leaves of autumn, which have no songs, flutter and fall there with a sign.
夏天的飞鸟，飞到我的窗前唱歌，又飞去了。
秋天的黄叶，它们没有什么可唱，只叹息一声，飞落在那里。
2. O Troupe of little vagrants of the world, leave your footprints in my words.
世界上的一队小小的漂泊者呀，请留下你们的足印在我的文字里。
3. The trees, like the longings of the earth, stand a tiptoe to peep at the heaven.
群树如表示大地的愿望似的，踮起脚来向天空窥望。
4. It is the tears of the earth that keep her smiles in bloom.
是大地的泪点，使她的微笑保持着青春不谢。
5. The mighty desert is burning for the love of a blade of grass who shakes her head and laughs and flies away.
无垠的沙漠热烈追求一叶绿草的爱，她摇摇头笑着飞开了。
6. If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars.
如果你因失去了太阳而流泪，那么你也将失去群星了。
7. We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.
当我们是大为谦卑的时候，便是我们最接近伟大的时候。
8. The sparrow is sorry for the peacock at the burden of its tail.
麻雀看见孔雀负担着它的翎尾，替它担忧。
9. Thank the flame for its light, but do not forget the lampholder standing in the shade with constancy of patience.
谢谢火焰给你光明，但是不要忘了那执灯的人，他是坚忍地站在黑暗当中呢。
10. Sorrow is hushed into peace in my heart like the evening among the silent trees.
忧思在我的心里平静下去，正如暮色降临在寂静的山林中。
11. Some unseen fingers, like an idle breeze, are playing upon my heart the music of the ripples.
有些看不见的手，如懒懒的微风似的，正在我的心上奏着潺潺的乐声。
12. “What language is thine, O sea?”
“The language of eternal question.”
“What language is thy answer, O sky?”
“The language of eternal silence.”
“海水呀，你说的是什么？”
“是永恒的疑问。”
“天空呀，你回答的话是什么？”
“是永恒的沉默。”
13. Tiny grass, your steps are small, but you possess the earth under your tread.
小草呀，你的足步虽小，但是你拥有你足下的土地。
14. Wrong cannot afford defeat but Right can.
错误经不起失败，但是真理却不怕失败。
15. The infant flower opens its bud and cries, “Dear World, please do not fade.”
幼花的蓓蕾开放了，它叫道：“亲爱的世界呀，请不要萎谢了。”
16. I sit at my window this morning where the world like a passer-by stops for a moment, nods to me and goes.
我今晨坐在窗前，世界如一个路人似的，停留了一会，向我点点头又走过去了。
17. There little thoughts are the rustle of leaves; they have their whisper of joy in my mind.
这些微风思，是树叶的簌簌之声呀；它们在我的心里欢悦地微语着。