The Bookmark That Traveled
那个星期六的早上，我在一个旧货市场里看见了一本旧小说。
That (M) Saturday (POSS) morning, I at one (M) old-goods market inside see (PERF) one (M) old novel.
That Saturday morning, at a flea market, I saw an old novel.
书的颜色已经变成了浅黄色，封面有一点点湿。
Book (POSS) color already become (PERF) light yellow color, cover have one bit-bit wet.
Its pages had yellowed, and the cover was a little damp.
我翻开看了一下，里面有一张手画的书签。
I flip-open look (PERF) one bit, inside have one (M) hand-paint (POSS) bookmark.
I flipped it open and found a hand-drawn bookmark inside.
书签上画着一只小小的鸟，正在飞过一片云。
Bookmark on paint (CONT) one (M) small-small (POSS) bird, (CONT) fly-over one (M) cloud.
On the bookmark was a small bird flying through a cloud.
我很喜欢这个书签，就把书买了回家。
I very like this (M) bookmark, then (BA) book buy (PERF) return home.
I loved the bookmark, and so I bought the book and brought it home.
那天晚上，我开始读这本小说。
That day evening, I begin read this (M) novel.
That evening I began to read.
我从书签的位置开始往后读。
I from bookmark (POSS) position begin toward back read.
I read from the page where the bookmark lay.
第一句话就让我停下来：“有些事，等你失去以后才会明白。”
First (M) sentence then make me stop down: "Have some matter, wait you lose after only will understand."
The first sentence made me stop: “Some things you only understand after losing them.”
那时候，我刚刚和母亲吵过架，已经几个月没回家了。
That time, I just-just with mother quarrel (EXP) fight, already several (M) month not return home (PERF).
I had just quarreled with my mother, and hadn't been home in months.
我读不下去，就把书放在桌子上，去睡觉了。
I read-not-down-go, then (BA) book place at table on, go sleep (PERF).
I couldn't read on, so I left the book on the table and went to bed.
第二天早上，我打开书，发现书签不在原来的位置了。
Second day morning, I open book, discover bookmark not at original (POSS) position (PERF).
The next morning I opened the book and found the bookmark no longer where I had left it.
它移到了后面几十页的地方。
It move-to (PERF) back several-ten page (POSS) place.
It had moved many pages forward.
我以为是风吹的，可是窗子整夜都关着。
I think is wind blow (POSS), but window whole night all close (CONT).
I thought the wind had moved it, but the window had been shut all night.
我打开新的那一页，看见这样一句话：
I open new (POSS) that one page, see this kind one (M) sentence:
I opened to the new page and read these words:
“写一封信比说一句话容易，可是说出来的话才能让爱的人听见。”
"Write one (M) letter compared say one (M) word easy, but say-out (POSS) word only can make love (POSS) person hear."
“A letter is easier than a spoken word, but only spoken words reach the ones we love.”
我看着那句话，看了很久。
I look (CONT) that (M) sentence, look (PERF) very long.
I looked at that line for a long time.
那天下午，我坐上火车，回老家看了母亲。
That day afternoon, I sit-up train, return old-home see (PERF) mother.
That afternoon I took the train home to see my mother.
过了几个月，我的好朋友离婚了，心里很难过。
Pass (PERF) several (M) month, my (POSS) good friend divorce (PERF), heart inside very sad.
A few months later, my best friend went through a divorce and was very low.
我把那本小说借给她，告诉她：“你只读书签那一页就好。”
I (BA) that (M) novel lend-give her, tell her: "You only read bookmark that one page then good."
I lent her the novel and said, “Just read the page where the bookmark is.”
几个星期后，她把书还给我，眼睛红红的。
Several (M) week after, she (BA) book return-give me, eye red-red (POSS).
A few weeks later, she returned the book to me, her eyes red.
她说：“你怎么知道我需要听这句话？”
She say: "You how know I need hear this (M) sentence?"
She said, “How did you know I needed those words?”
我打开书，发现书签又移动了——它现在停在小说的最后几页。
I open book, discover bookmark again move (PERF) — it now stop at novel (POSS) last several page.
I opened the book and saw the bookmark had moved again — now near the very end.
那一页上写着：“原谅自己，比原谅别人还要难。”
That one page on write (CONT): "Forgive self, compared forgive other-person still must hard."
On that page it said: “Forgiving yourself is harder than forgiving anyone else.”
她说，那不是她需要的话；那是她当时给孩子读过的话。
She say, that not is her need (POSS) word; that is she at-time give child read (EXP) (POSS) word.
She said it wasn't the line she had needed — it was the line she had read aloud to her own child.
“可是书签停在那里的时候，”她说，“好像我心里也轻了一点。”
"But bookmark stop at there (POSS) time," she say, "seem my heart inside also light (PERF) one bit."
“But when the bookmark stopped there,” she said, “something inside me felt a little lighter.”
我开始明白：这不是普通的书签，也不是普通的书。
I begin understand: this not is ordinary (POSS) bookmark, also not is ordinary (POSS) book.
I began to understand: this was no ordinary bookmark, and no ordinary book.
它会自己找到读者需要听的那句话。
It will self find reader need hear (POSS) that (M) sentence.
It found, on its own, the line each reader needed to hear.
后来我把书送给了一位年纪很大的同事。
Later I (BA) book give (PERF) one (M) age very big (POSS) colleague.
Later I gave the book to a much older colleague at work.
他要回老家照顾生病的妻子，心里很怕。
He must return old-home take-care sick (POSS) wife, heart inside very afraid.
He was going home to care for his sick wife, and was very afraid.
几个月后，他回来上班，把书放在我桌子上。
Several (M) month after, he return come start-work, (BA) book place at my table on.
Months later he returned to work and set the book on my desk.
他什么也没说，只是轻轻地拍了拍我的肩膀。
He anything also not say, only is softly (ADV) pat (PERF) pat my (POSS) shoulder.
He said nothing, only gave my shoulder a gentle pat.
书签又移动了——这次到了书的最前面。
Bookmark again move (PERF) — this time to (PERF) book (POSS) most front.
The bookmark had moved again — this time to the very front of the book.
第一页上有一行字：“爱不会因为一个人走了就结束。”
First page on have one (M) word: "Love not will because one (M) person go (PERF) then end."
On the first page were the words: “Love does not end because someone leaves us.”
我把书继续送给了下一个人——一位刚成为父亲的朋友。
I (BA) book continue give (PERF) next one (M) person — one (M) just become father (POSS) friend.
I passed the book on to the next person — a friend who had just become a father.
然后是一个在医院工作的年轻女孩，再后来是一位很久没联系的老师。
Then is one (M) at hospital work (POSS) young girl, again later is one (M) very long not contact (POSS) teacher.
Then to a young woman who worked at a hospital, then to an old teacher I hadn't seen in years.
每一次，书签都自己找到合适的那一页。
Every one time, bookmark all self find suitable (POSS) that one page.
Each time, the bookmark found, on its own, the right page.
每一次，那一页正是这个读者那段日子最需要的话。
Every one time, that one page just is this (M) reader that (M) day most need (POSS) word.
Each time, that page held the words that reader most needed to hear.
现在那本书已经不在我手里了。
Now that (M) book already not at my hand inside (PERF).
The book is no longer in my hands.
我不知道它现在在谁那里，也不知道下一个读它的人是谁。
I not know it now at who there, also not know next one (M) read it (POSS) person is who.
I don't know who has it now, or who will read it next.
可是我相信，那只小小的鸟，还在飞，还在替我们找需要它的人。
But I believe, that (M) small-small (POSS) bird, still at fly, still at replace us find need it (POSS) person.
But I believe that small bird is still flying — still searching, for us, for the next person who needs it.