木心：《从前慢》

记得早先少年时

Remember the old days

大家诚诚恳恳

when everyone was sincere

说一句 是一句

one's word is one's bond

清早上火车站

The dawn of the train station

长街黑暗无行人

the dark street with no sign of pedestrian

卖豆浆的小店冒着热气

and the steam from the soy-milk stall

从前的日色变得慢

The nighfalls used to come late in the past

车，马，邮件都慢

Everything was slow, the bike,

the horse, and the post

一生只够爱一个人

a lifetime was all but enough to be

in love with one

从前的锁也好看

The old-school lock was beautiful

钥匙精美有样子

and the key exquisite looking

你锁了 人家就懂了

once locked, the others understood