最近才发现，Don McLean那首著名的《Vincent》（文森特，又名《星月夜》），说的是梵高啊！我好无知，原来那些意象深远的歌词与梵高的名画一一对应，这是一位艺术家对另一位艺术家的最高礼赞。网上找来翻译，再根据我的理解改进了一下：

Starry, starry night               
繁星点点的夜晚
Paint your palette blue and gray          
为你的调色盘涂上灰与蓝
Look out on the summer’s day           
你在那夏日向外远眺
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul     
用你那双能洞悉我灵魂的双眼
Shadows on the hills               
山丘上的阴影
Sketch the trees and the daffodils          
描绘出树木与水仙的轮廓
Catch the breeze and the winter chills        
捕捉微风与冬日的冷洌
In colors on the snowy linen land          
以色彩呈现在雪白的画布上

Now I understand what you tried to say to me    
如今我才明白你想对我说的是什么
How you suffered for your sanity          
为你的清醒承受了多少的痛苦
How you tried to set them free           
你多么努力的想解放他们

They would not listen              
但他们却拒绝理会
They did not know how             
那时他们不知道该如何倾听
Perhaps they’ll listen now             
或许他们现在会愿意听

Starry, starry night                
繁星点点的夜晚
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze         
火红的花朵明艳耀眼
Swirling clouds in violet haze           
卷云在紫色的薄霭里飘浮
Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue        

映照在文森特湛蓝的瞳孔中
Colors changing hue              
色彩变化万千
Morning fields of amber grain           
清晨里琥珀色的田野
Weathered faces lined in pain           
满布风霜的脸孔刻画着痛苦
Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand      

在艺术家充满爱的画笔下得到了抚慰

Now I understand what you tried to say to me    
如今我才明白你想对我说的是什么
How you suffered for your sanity          
你为自己的清醒承受了多少的痛苦
How you tried to set them free          
你多么努力的想解放他们

They would not listen              
但是他们却拒绝理会
They did not know how            
那时他们不知道该如何倾听
Perhaps they’ll listen now             
或许他们现在会愿意听

For they could not love you            
因为他们当时无法爱你
But still your love was true            
可是你的爱仍诚挚

And when no hope was left in sight         
而当你眼中见不到任何的希望
On that starry, starry night            
在那个繁星点点的夜晚
You took your life as lovers often do        
你像许多绝望的恋人般结束了自己的生命
But I could have told you, Vincent        
可我多么希望能有机会告诉你，文森特   
This world was never meant for one        
这个世界根本配不上       
As beautiful as you               
像你如此美好的一个人

        Starry, starry night              
繁星点点的夜晚
Portraits hung in empty halls           
空旷的大厅里挂这一幅幅画像
Frameless heads on nameless walls         
无框的肖像倚靠在无名的壁上
With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget    

眼睛注视人世而无法忘怀

Like the strangers that you’ve met         
就像你曾见过的陌生人
The ragged men in ragged clothes         
那些衣着褴褛，境遇堪怜的人
The silver thorn of bloody rose          
就像血红玫瑰上的银刺
Lie crush and broken on the virgin snow      
零落碾碎后躺在刚飘落的雪地上

Now I think I know what you tried to say to me   
如今我想我已明白你想对我说的是什么
How you suffered for your sanity         
你为自己的清醒承受了多少的苦痛
How you tried to set them free          
你多么努力的想解放他们

They would not listen             
但是他们却拒绝理会
They’re not listening still           
他们依然没有在倾听
Perhaps they never will             
或许他们永远也不会理解

而Don McLean的另一首歌《Empty Chair》（空椅子），歌词也是诗意美妙到无法形容，要怎样对生活敏感的人才能写出这样的词句？朴实无华，却痛彻心扉。我的翻译可有捕捉到半点？

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night

无眠的夜刺痛着颤抖的我
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright

明亮的月光爬过我的指缝
Beams of blue come flickering through my windowpane

闪烁的蓝光穿透我的窗玻璃

Like gypsy moths that dance around the candleflame

如同吉普赛飞蛾绕着烛光起舞

And I wonder if you know

你可知？
That I never understood

我原来不懂
That although you said you'd go

你虽说你要走
Until you did, I never thought you would

不想你竟真会离去

Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face
月光曾经沐浴着你的脸轮廓

While chestnut hair fell all around the pillowcase

栗色长发披在枕上
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head

我枕在你的花朵的芳香上
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead
这是你留下的花束，哀悼已逝爱情

Never thought the words you said were true
没想到你实话实说

Never thought you said just what you meant

没想到你口吐真言
Never knew how much I needed you
没想到我那么的需要你

Never thought you'd leave, until you went
没想到你真的会离开，直到你远走

Morning comes and morning goes, with no regret

晨来晨去，时光不待
And evening brings the memories I can't forget

夜晚我却无法失忆
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs

空荡的房间里回响着我的脚步
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

空空的衣服，坠落在空椅子上

(民谣歌曲的平静贴切，尽在歌词中，两首歌都可在我博客私人电台上找到)