Chapter 16 The Grave Complaints (Chinese translation by Li Wei)

Tianshen passed by the lifeless cemetery, feeling desolate and desolate spontaneously, as if he saw that the end was approaching.It was a night of spring moon, and the lilacs were all over the place, and the whole cemetery was fragrant. The cemetery began to cry, and the souls in the grave were in agony, restless in deep sleep, dreaming of a great future. The god said: "Sleep! For you, the tomb is the best. It is quiet and comfortable inside. Why do you complain? You have nothing to worry about. All difficulties are like a phantom, causing many living people to sigh. : "Oh, how good it is to die!" You sleep, don't think about the past, and don't regret the past."

A cry came from the tomb, saying: "It's a bright spring on the ground, and we can't sleep peacefully." One of the tombs says: "God, the scent of flowers rushes into my nostrils through the earth, wake me up! Let me think about the appearance of my sweetheart, let me look for her under the jasmine tree. There, we sat and talked, Have a good night together. God, let me stand up, I'll kiss her rosy lips again, and look at her beautiful eyes. "I thought I'd see her after death, but my hopes were dashed; now I'm alone in my grave. God, I can't be alone forever, let me get up and see!"

God said: "Your lover is no longer alive, and the jasmine tree has withered long ago. I saw with my own eyes the last branch of flowers withering and falling off. You'd better sleep well!" After finishing speaking, the god stepped on the grave, and there were a few groans in the grave, and then fell silent. Another tomb cried and said: "I hear the rustling of the leaves and the singing of the water, and I cannot sleep. When I was alive, I began to write a beautiful song; when it was finished, I died. God, please let me rise up and finish this song Song! When it is done, I will give it to all the world; young mothers sing it to lull their sons to sleep, maids sing it to welcome their lovers."

God said: "Your song is gone, only the trees remember it, so they can hear it singing softly. May you and your song sleep well." After speaking, the god stepped on the grave, and then the crying stopped. The third grave cried: "There is so much light beyond the grave that I am not sleepy. I see the light of life, and I yearn for its beauty. People give this light many names, and I don't pay attention to it, but love each of its forms. When I was a child, my mother said to me: 'When I die, I will see that light forever. 'I thought it was true, but the tomb was pitch black and there was no light.God, let me get up and look outside the tomb! "

The god was silent and did not answer a single word. "God," said the tomb again, "answer me, maybe the flames on the ground have been extinguished, I hope I can sleep and rest." The god didn't answer, didn't step on it, and didn't comfort the lonely soul in the grave, but just stood there blankly, hanging his head sadly.Because the cries in the tomb resonated in his heart, and although he felt the same way with it, he was powerless to make it escape from the barren mound. ——"Gibran's Prose Poetry Classics·Treasures" (Yilin 04 Edition)