黑人谈河流

我熟悉河流ˇ

我熟悉ˇ世界一样古老的河流。

比奔腾在人类血管里的血液更古老的河流。

我的灵魂已变得似河流般深沈。

我沐浴在幼发拉底河中ˇ在晨光微明的时分。

我把小屋盖在刚果河畔ˇ潺潺的水声诱我进入梦ˇ。

我观赏尼罗河ˇ在河边建立金字塔。

我听见密西西比河的歌唱ˇ当埃布尔ˇ林肯顺流直下

  新奥尔良ˇ我看见

它浑浊的胸膛在夕照中闪着金光。

我熟悉河流ˇ

古老、苍茫的河流。

我的灵魂已变得似河流般深沈。

    我也

我也歌唱美国。

我就是那肤色较黑的弟兄。

当客人来访ˇ

他们便让我到厨房吃饭。

可是我笑了ˇ

吃得很ˇˇ

长得很健壮。

明天ˇ当客人来访

我将坐在餐桌旁。

到那时ˇ

没人敢

对我讲ˇ

“去厨房吃饭。”

此外ˇ

他们将看到我是多么漂亮

从而感到羞惭ˇˇ

我ˇ也是美国。

I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and
            older than the
      flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were
            young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me
            to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids
            above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe
            Lincoln
     went down to New Orleans, and I've seen
            its muddy
     bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I, Too
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides.
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed一
I, too, am America.