《人间四月天》里有这样一个情节泰戈尔访华,请一袭白衣的林徽因朗诵他的《最初的茉莉》。他说他觉得林徽因如洁白的茉莉般美好，徐志摩做的同声翻译。
傍晚， 徐志摩敲开林徽因的家门，把长衫前襟里的一捧新鲜的茉莉花抖落在林徽因的手心 一言未发，转身离去。林徽因把茉莉花泡在一碗水中。几天后，她为茉莉花换了最后一次水。
徐志摩陪同泰戈尔周游中国，而林徽因也嫁做他人妇 ，林徽因茉莉般清纯 ，但终不是茉莉般温婉的女子。
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
泰戈尔
呵,这些茉莉花,这些白的茉莉花!
我仿佛记得我第一次双手满捧着这些茉莉花,
这些白的茉莉花的时候。
我喜爱那日光,那天空,那绿色的大地;
我听见那河水淙淙的流声,在黑漆的午夜里传过来;
秋天的夕阳,在荒原上大路转角处迎我,
如新妇揭起她的面纱迎接好的爱人。
但我想起孩提时第一次捧在手里的白茉莉,心里充满着甜蜜的回忆。
我生平有过许多快活的日子,在节日宴会的晚上,
我曾跟着说笑话的人大笑。
在灰暗的雨天的早晨,我吟哦过许多飘逸的诗篇。
我颈上戴过爱人手织的醉花的花圈,作为晚装。
但我想起孩提时第一次捧在手里的白茉莉,心里充满着甜蜜的回忆。