纪录片《非洲》 第64期:撒哈拉沙漠（5）（在线收听）

The sun not only bakes the land,

烈日不仅炙烤着大地

it warps its appearance.

也肆意地扭曲着地貌

The superheated air, rising upward from the desert surface,

过热的空气从沙漠的地面上升起

distorts the distant scene.

扭曲了远处的景象

A reflection of the sky shimmers on the sands,

天边的映像在沙漠中闪烁

a mirage.

呈现出海市蜃楼

The sun is an illusionist.

太阳就是一位迷幻大师

To thirsty travellers,

对饥渴的旅者来说

a mirage can resemble a lake

海市蜃楼呈现出湖的幻像

which agonisingly recedes as it's approached.

每将接近它时 它却后退 令人苦闷

And swaying camels coming to the rescue

而摇摇摆摆前来救援的骆驼

transform into dry, spiny acacia trees.

却变成了干枯多刺的刺槐

To cross this confused, shimmering landscape,

要穿越这个迷惑闪烁的沙漠

many swallows will need to find real water amongst the mirages.

家燕需要在海市蜃楼间寻找真正的水源