The river is famous to the fish.

鱼儿熟知河流。

The loud voice is famous to silence,

which knew it would inherit the earth

before anybody said so.

寂静熟知高声。

寂静知道，在任何人发声前，

它会接管地球。

The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds

watching him from the birdhouse.

鸟儿熟知睡在围墙上的猫。

它在笼中注视着猫的一举一动。

The tear is famou briefly¹, to the cheek.

脸颊熟知眼泪，纵使短暂。

The idea you carry close to your bosom²

is famous to your bosom.

你的心熟知，

你心头的想法。

The boot is famous to the earth,

more famous than the dress shoe,

which is famous only to floors.

大地熟知靴子，

而不怎么了解皮鞋和高跟鞋，

因为那些高贵的鞋履只为地板所熟知。

The bent³ photograph is famous to the one who carries it

and not at all famous to the one who is pictured.

陈旧卷曲的照片为随身携带它的那个人所熟知，

而并非为照片里的主角所熟知。

I want to be famous to shuffling⁴ men

who smile while crossing street

sticky children in grocery line

famous as the one who smiled back.

我想为那些微笑着穿过街道的过客们所熟知。

那些在杂货店里排着队身子粘乎乎的孩子，

熟知我是那个会向他们报以微笑的人。

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous

or a buttonhole,

not because it did anything spectacular,

but because it never forgot what it could do.

我想像个滑轮，

或是钮扣眼那样为人所熟知。

其名声并非来自什么惊人之举，

而只因其从未忘记自己的职责。