The Mountain That Listens
我的村子后面有一座小山。
My (POSS) village back have one (M) small mountain.
Behind my village stands a small mountain.
山不高，也不远，从小路慢慢地走，半个小时就能到山顶。
Mountain not high, also not far, from small road slowly (ADV) walk, half (M) hour then can reach mountain-top.
It isn't tall or far — half an hour up the small path, and you reach the top.
从我七岁那年开始，每年生日，我都要爬上去一次。
From my seven year that year begin, every year birthday, I all must climb-up one time.
From the age of seven, every birthday I climbed it once.
那是奶奶教我的。
That is grandmother teach me (POSS).
It was my grandmother who taught me to.
她说：“这座山是我们家最老的朋友。生日的时候，你可以对它说说话。”
She say: "This (M) mountain is our family most old (POSS) friend. Birthday (POSS) time, you can toward it speak-speak word."
She said, “This mountain is our family's oldest friend. On your birthday, you can talk to it.”
第一年，我只是大声地说：“你好！我七岁了！”
First year, I only is loud-voice (ADV) say: "You good! I seven year (PERF)!"
The first year, I only shouted out loud, “Hello! I'm seven!”
山没有回答。可是风吹过来，吹动了我的头发，我觉得它听见了。
Mountain not have answer. But wind blow (EXP) come, blow-move (PERF) my (POSS) hair, I feel it hear (PERF).
The mountain did not answer. But the wind came and stirred my hair, and I felt it had heard me.
八岁那年，我问：“为什么爷爷不在了？”
Eight year that year, I ask: "Why grandfather not at (PERF)?"
At eight, I asked, “Why is grandfather gone?”
十岁那年，我问：“我以后会做什么样的人？”
Ten year that year, I ask: "I after will become what kind (POSS) person?"
At ten, I asked, “What kind of person will I become?”
十五岁那年，我问：“为什么我喜欢的女孩不喜欢我？”
Fifteen year that year, I ask: "Why I like (POSS) girl not like me?"
At fifteen, I asked, “Why doesn't the girl I like, like me back?”
二十岁那年，我问：“我应该留在村子里，还是去大城市？”
Twenty year that year, I ask: "I should stay at village inside, or go big city?"
At twenty, I asked, “Should I stay in the village, or go to the city?”
每一年，我把问题轻轻地说出来，然后等。
Every one year, I (BA) question softly (ADV) say-out, then wait.
Every year I spoke the question softly, and waited.
山没有声音。我也没有期待它真的回答。
Mountain not have sound. I also not have expect it really answer.
The mountain made no sound. And I never truly expected it to.
可是说出来以后，我心里总会变得安静一点。
But say-out after, my heart inside always will become quiet one bit.
But after speaking, something inside me always grew a little quieter.
我离开了村子，去了南方的大城市。
I leave (PERF) village, go (PERF) south (POSS) big city.
I left the village and went south, to a big city.
在那里，我学了一份工作，认识了一些人，谈过一次恋爱。
At there, I learn (PERF) one (M) work, know (PERF) some people, talk (EXP) one time love-affair.
There I learned a trade, met people, fell in love once.
可是不管走多远，每年生日，我都坐火车回村子，爬上那座小山。
But not matter walk how far, every year birthday, I all sit train return village, climb-up that (M) small mountain.
But no matter how far I went, every birthday I took the train home and climbed the small mountain.
三十岁那年，我的生活有些难。
Thirty year that year, my (POSS) life have some difficult.
At thirty, life had become hard.
我失去了工作。我爱的人离开了我。
I lose (PERF) work. I love (POSS) person leave (PERF) me.
I had lost my job. The one I loved had left.
我一个人坐火车回到村子，那一路上我什么也没吃。
I one person sit train return village, that one road on I anything also not eat.
I rode the train back alone, and ate nothing on the way.
那天是阴天，山上没有别的人。
That day is cloudy day, mountain on not have other (POSS) person.
It was a cloudy day, and no one else was on the mountain.
我慢慢地爬到山顶，坐在那块熟悉的石头上。
I slowly (ADV) climb-to mountain-top, sit at that (M) familiar (POSS) stone on.
I climbed slowly to the top and sat on the familiar stone.
我看着下面的村子，看了很久。
I look (CONT) below (POSS) village, look (PERF) very long.
For a long while, I gazed down at the village.
我说：“我已经没有问题要问你了。”
I say: "I already not have question must ask you (PERF)."
I said, “I have no more questions to ask you.”
“我只想问最后一件事：你这些年，真的在听吗？”
"I only want ask last one (M) matter: you these year, really at listen (Q)?"
“I only want to ask one last thing: have you really been listening, all these years?”
我闭上眼睛，准备走下山。
I close eye, prepare walk-down mountain.
I closed my eyes, ready to walk back down.
就在那时候，我听见了一个声音。
Just at that time, I hear (PERF) one (M) sound.
It was then that I heard a voice.
那不像人的声音，可是我能完全听懂。
That not like person (POSS) sound, but I can completely hear-understand.
It was not quite a human voice, but I understood every word.
它说：“是的，我一直在听。”
It say: "Yes, I continuously at listen."
It said, “Yes. I have been listening.”
“而且，我每年也都回答过你了。”
"Moreover, I every year also all answer (EXP) you (PERF)."
“And every year, I have answered you, too.”
“你八岁那年的春天，看见一片小小的花，那是答案。”
"You eight year that year (POSS) spring, see one (M) small-small (POSS) flower, that is answer."
“The little flower you saw in spring when you were eight — that was an answer.”
“你十五岁那年走过的那座桥下，水流的方向，也是答案。”
"You fifteen year that year walk (EXP) (POSS) that (M) bridge below, water flow (POSS) direction, also is answer."
“The way the water flowed beneath the bridge you crossed at fifteen — that was an answer.”
“你二十岁那年在火车上遇到的那位老人，跟你说的几句话，也是答案。”
"You twenty year that year at train on meet (PERF) (POSS) that (M) old-person, with you say (POSS) several (M) word, also is answer."
“The few words that an old man on the train spoke to you at twenty — those were answers, too.”
“你都注意到了，可是当时你没明白。”
"You all notice-to (PERF), but at-time you not understand."
“You noticed them all, but at the time you didn't understand.”
我没动，也没说话。眼泪流了下来。
I not move, also not speak. Tear flow (PERF) down.
I did not move or speak. Tears ran down my face.
山没有再说话。
Mountain not have again speak.
The mountain did not speak again.
可是这一次，我没有等。
But this one time, I not have wait.
But this time, I did not wait.
我站起来，慢慢地走下山。
I stand up, slowly (ADV) walk-down mountain.
I stood up and walked slowly down.
走的路是同一条，可是我感觉自己是另外一个人了。
Walk (POSS) road is same one (M), but I feel self is another one (M) person (PERF).
The path was the same as ever, but I felt I had become someone else.