這首歌描述了一個夢境。
英中對照:
Hello darkness my old friend. 喂,黑暗,我的老夥伴。
I've come to talk with you again. 我又來了,再和你談談。
Because a vision softly creeping. 因為有個悄然而入的幻影
Left its seeds while I was sleeping. 像種子一樣種在了我夢裡。
And the vision that was planted in my brain. 這個植入我腦中的幻影啊
Still remains. 至今仍留在
Within the sound of silence ! 這寂靜之聲裡!
In restless dreams I walked alone. 在這些不詳的夢裡,我一個人獨行。
Narrow streets of cobble stone. 獨行在狹窄的鵝卵石街上。
Neath the halo of a street lamp. 籠罩在街燈的昏暗光暈裡。
I turned my collar to the cold and damp. 我豎起衣領以抗禦寒冷潮濕。
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light. 突然一道虛幻的閃光刺得我
睜不開眼。
That split the night. 這閃光劈開了夜空。
And touched the sound of silence. 觸動了這寂靜之聲。
And in the naked light I saw. 在赤裸的光影中我看到了
Ten thousand people maybe more. 隱約萬人之眾
People talking without speaking. 有談論卻不動嘴的眾人
People hearing without listening. 有傾聽卻不用耳的眾人。
People writing songs that voices never share. 有寫著從不會傳唱的歌曲的眾人。
And no one dare. 但沒有一個人膽敢
Disturb the sound of silence. 打擾這寂靜之聲。
"Fools" said I, "You do not know. “愚人們啊”,我說,“你們不知道 ”
Silence like a cancer grows. 寂靜像癌症般生長。
Hear my words that I might teach you. 聽取我指點你們的話語吧。
Take my arms that I might reach you. 抓住我伸給你們的手臂吧。
But my words like silent rain-drops fell. 但是我的話卻如寂靜的雨滴落下。
And echoed in the wells of silence. 迴響在寂靜之井。
And the people bowed and prayed. 人們頂禮膜拜。
To the neon God they made. 自己塑造的虛幻之神。
And the sign flashed out its warning. 一個符號閃現出一個警示。
In the words that it was forming. 用它本身所生成的言語。
And the sign said "The words of the prophets. 符號顯示:先知的話語
Are written on the subway walls and tenement halls. 寫滿地鐵牆壁以及住戶的廳堂。
And whispered in the sounds of silence. 悄然耳語在寂靜之聲裡。