《人間四月天》里有這樣一個情節泰戈爾訪華,請一襲白衣的林徽因朗誦他的《最初的茉莉》。他說他覺得林徽因如潔白的茉莉般美好，徐志摩做的同聲翻譯。

傍晚， 徐志摩敲開林徽因的家門，把長衫前襟里的一捧新鮮的茉莉花抖落在林徽因的手心 一言未發，轉身離去。林徽因把茉莉花泡在一碗水中。幾天后，她為茉莉花換了最后一次水。

徐志摩陪同泰戈爾周游中國，而林徽因也嫁做他人婦 ，林徽因茉莉般清純 ，但終不是茉莉般溫婉的女子。

The First Jasmine

Tagore

AH, these jasmines, these white jasmines!

I seem to remember the first day when I filled my hands

with these jasmines, these white jasmines.

I have loved the sunlight, the sky and the green earth;

I have heard the liquid murmur of the river

through the darkness of midnight;

Autumn sunsets have come to me at the bend of the road

in the lonely waste, like a bride raising her veil

to accept her lover.

Yet my memory is still sweet with the first white jasmines

that I held in my hands when I was a child.

Many a glad day has come in my life,

and I have laughed with merrymakers on festival nights.

On grey mornings of rain

I have crooned many an idle song.

I have worn round my neck the evening wreath of

BAKULAS woven by the hand of love.

Yet my heart is sweet with the memory of the first fresh jasmines

that filled my hands when I was a child.

最初的茉莉花

泰戈爾

呵,這些茉莉花,這些白的茉莉花!

我仿佛記得我第一次雙手滿捧著這些茉莉花,

這些白的茉莉花的時候。

我喜愛那日光,那天空,那綠色的大地;

我聽見那河水淙淙的流聲,在黑漆的午夜里傳過來;

秋天的夕陽,在荒原上大路轉角處迎我,

如新婦揭起她的面紗迎接好的愛人。

但我想起孩提時第一次捧在手里的白茉莉,心里充滿著甜蜜的回憶。

我生平有過許多快活的日子,在節日宴會的晚上,

我曾跟著說笑話的人大笑。

在灰暗的雨天的早晨,我吟哦過許多飄逸的詩篇。

我頸上戴過愛人手織的醉花的花圈,作為晚裝。

但我想起孩提時第一次捧在手里的白茉莉,心里充滿著甜蜜的回憶。