After Apology
Wen Yiduo

My friend, how did it all start, and is it going to end like this?
"Who caused it all?" My wish? Or your silent promise?
My friend, between the beginning and the end,
A romantic tragedy has been staged.

Now the show is over,
Let's tear off that page,
What remains is a volume of history,
Perhaps ten times more solemn, one hundred times richer—
To serve as the elixir to resurrect life, a foundation for paradise.

My friend! Let our stage experience, long or short,
Love or hate, go with the rippling waves of time.
Let the embroidered curtain lower
As a wall serving memory forever;
The memory on stage might be severed,
But there was a piece of unfinished writing
That commenced before the show started.
My friend, why don't you just let it grow?
To complete a whole work of art—won't you try to think of that?

My friend! Let us force ourselves to bury our sorrow
Deep down in its tomb, our bosoms.
Let repentance evaporate into damp fog
To moisten our eyes.
But don't ever let our hearts
Grow cold as rocks and stones.
Don't let the frightening sword of pride
Sharpen itself on these stones, single-edged or double-edged.
My friend, do you know the price for a sharpened blade?