SH22b翻译对比: 祝福（鲁迅）2of4

然而我的惊惶却不过暂时的事，随着就觉得要来的事，已经过去，
(a)         Yet my shock was only temporary and I felt what needed to happen had become things of the past.
(b)         However, my agitation was only short-lived, for now that something I had felt imminent had already taken place,
并不必仰仗我自己的“说不清”和他之所谓“穷死的”的宽慰，
(a)         It was not necessary for me to count on excuses such as my “can’t tell” and his so called “die from poverty” to ease my mind.
(b)         I no longer had to take refuge in my "I'm not sure," or the servant's ex*pression "dying of poverty" for comfort.
心地已经渐渐轻松；
(a)         Gradually I became more relieved.
(b)         My heart already felt lighter.
不过偶然之间，还似乎有些负疚。
(a)         But at times I still felt somehow I was burdened with a guilty conscience.
(b)         Only from time to time something still seemed to weigh on it.
晚饭摆出来了，四叔俨然的陪着。
(a)         After dinner was set on the table, Fourth Uncle ate with me carrying a stern face.
(b)         Dinner was served, and my uncle solemnly accompanied me.
我也还想打听些关于祥林嫂的消息，但知道他虽然读过“鬼神者二气之良能也”，而忌讳仍然极多，当临近祝福时候，是万不可提起死亡疾病之类的话的，
(a)         I thought about digging for more information about Sister Xianglin. Even though I knew Fourth Uncle had come across the old saying “ghosts and deities are extensions of superb lunar and solar energies”, yet there were still taboos on the topic that should be avoided. In particular when the time for exchanging well-wishes was fast approaching, staying away from talks of death, sickness and similar matters was imperative.
(b)         I wanted to ask about Hsiang Lin's Wife, but knew that although he had read, “Ghosts and spirits are properties of Nature,” he had retained many superstitions, and on the eve of this sacrifice it was out of the question to mention anything like death or illness.
倘不得已，就该用一种替代的隐语，可惜我又不知道，因此屡次想问，而终于中止了。
(a)         If discussion on such matter was necessary, it should be brought out through insinuation which regrettably was something I did not know how to go about. Several times I wanted to ask but ended up giving up.
(b)         In case of necessity one could use veiled allusions, but unfortunately I did not know how to, so although questions kept rising to the tip of my tongue, I had to bite them back.
我从他俨然的脸色上，又忽而疑他正以为我不早不迟，偏要在这时候来打搅他，也是一个谬种，便立刻告诉他明天要离开鲁镇，进城去，趁早放宽了他的心。
(a)         From his strict face, I suspected he could have categorized me as an absurd breed for my untimely visit. So I immediately told him I was going to leave Lu Village tomorrow for the city in order to put his mind at ease.
(b)         From his solemn ex*pression I suddenly suspected that he looked on me as choosing not earlier nor later but just this time to come and trouble him, and that I was also a bad character; therefore to set his mind at rest I told him at once that I intended to leave Luchen the next day and go back to the city.
他也不很留。这佯闷闷的吃完了一餐饭。 
(a)         He did not ask me to stay a while longer and dinner was finished uneventfully.
(b)         He did not press me greatly to stay. So we quietly finished the meal.
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冬季日短，又是雪天，
(a)         That winter day was short and snowy.
(b)         In winter the days are short and, now that it was snowing, darkness already enveloped the whole town.
夜色早已笼罩了全市镇。人们都在灯下匆忙，但窗外很寂静。雪花落在积得厚厚的雪褥上面，听去似乎瑟瑟有声，使人更加感得沉寂。
(a)         Night fell on the entire town early in the day and people got busy doing their things under lamp lights. It was quiet outside the windows, and snowflakes falling on a thick bed of snow were making rustling sounds. The setting put people in an increasingly somber mood.
(b)         Everybody was busy beneath the lamplight, but outside the windows it was very quiet. Snow-flakes fell on the thickly piled snow, as if they were whispering, making me feel even more lonely.
我独坐在发出黄光的莱油灯下，想，这百无聊赖的祥林嫂，被人们弃在尘芥堆中的，看得厌倦了的陈旧的玩物，先前还将形骸露在尘芥里，从活得有趣的人们看来，恐怕要怪讶她何以还要存在，现在总算被无常打扫得于干净净了。
(a)         In sitting alone under yellow light of a rapeseed oil lamp, I thought about the empty and meaningless life of Sister Xianglin who was a mere worn-out pawn (2) abandoned in the dust by the world. Still visible in the dust just a short while ago was her physical form which was jeered at by people with interesting lives in wondering why she would bother to stay on surviving. At long last everything was wiped clean by the Messenger of Death.
(b)         I sat by myself under the yellow gleam of the vegetable oil lamp and thought, "This poor woman, abandoned by people in the dust as a tiresome and worn-out toy, once left her own imprint in the dust, and those who enjoy life must have wondered at her for wishing to prolong her existence; but now at least she has been swept clear by eternity.
魂灵的有无，我不知道；然而在现世，则无聊生者不生，即使厌见者不见，为人为己，也还都不错。
(a)        I still would not know whether soul existed or not. Yet in this life, people who had no means to live on might as well die off so that others who detested the sight of them would not have to see` them again. This way it would not be too bad for themselves and others.
(b)         Whether spirits exist or not I do not know; but in the present world when a meaningless existence ends, so that someone whom others are tired of seeing is no longer seen, it is just as well, both for the individual concerned and for others."
我静听着窗外似乎瑟瑟作响的雪花声，一面想，反而渐渐的舒畅起来。 
(a)         I mused as I listened quietly to the seemingly rustling sounds of snowflakes outside the windows. More and more I felt relieved.
(b)         I listened quietly to see if I could hear the snow falling outside the window, still pursuing this train of thought, until gradually I felt less ill at ease.
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然而先前所见所闻的她的半生事迹的断片，至此也联成一片了。 
(a)         Nonetheless the bits and pieces over half the lifetime of Sister Xianglin from what I heard in the past had integrated into one piece.
(b)         Fragments of her life, seen or heard before, now combined to form one whole.
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她不是鲁镇人。
(a)         She was not a Lu Village local.
(b)         She did not belong to Luchen.
有一年的冬初，四叔家里要换女工，做中人的卫老婆子带她进来了，
(a)         One year at the beginning of winter Fourth Uncle wanted a replacement maid and Old Lady Wei, an employment agent, brought her in.
(b)         One year at the beginning of winter, when my uncle's family wanted to change their maidservant, Old Mrs. Wei brought her in and introduced her.
头上扎着白头绳，乌裙，蓝夹袄，月白背心，脸色青黄，但两颊却还是红的。年纪大约二十六七，
(a)         She wore white strings on her head, a black skirt, a blue lined jacket, and a white vest. Her age was approximately twenty-six to twenty-seven. The complexion was bluish-yellow but her cheeks were rosy.
(b)         Her hair was tied with white bands, she wore a black skirt, blue jacket and pale green bodice, and was about twenty-six, with a pale skin but rosy cheeks.
卫老婆子叫她祥林嫂，说是自己母家的邻舍，死了当家人，所以出来做工了。
(a)         Old Lady Wei called her Sister Xianglin and said she was a neighbor of her mother. Her husband passed away and so she came out to work.
(b)         Old Mrs. Wei called her Hsiang Lin's Wife, and said that she was a neighbour of her mother's family, and because her husband was dead she wanted to go out to work.
四叔皱了皱眉，四婶已经知道了他的意思，是在讨厌她是一个寡妇。
(a)         Fourth Uncle frowned a little. Fourth Aunt knew what he meant. Apparently he was repulsed  by Sister Xianglin’s status as a widow.
(b)         My uncle knitted his brows and my aunt immediately understood that he disapproved of her because she was a widow.
但是她模样还周正，手脚都壮大，又只是顺着限，不开一句口，很像一个安分耐劳的人，
(a)         But she looked decent and had strong hands and feet. Also the duration of her employment could be adjusted to what she could do. She kept her mouth shut and appeared to be a hard worker who would mind her own business.
(b)         She looked very suitable, though, with big strong feet and hands, and a meek ex*pression; and she had said nothing but showed every sign of being tractable and hard-working.
便不管四叔的皱眉，将她留下了。
(a)         So Fourth Aunt ignored Fourth Uncle’s frowning and took her in.
(b)        So my aunt paid no attention to my uncle's frown, but kept her.
试工期内，她整天的做，似乎闲着就无聊，又有力，简直抵得过一个男子，所以第三天就定局，每月工钱五百文。 
(a)         During the trial period she worked all day as if she would be bored if she had nothing to do. She was strong and her strength could measure up to that of a man. So on the third day she was hired as a permanent staff at the rate of five hundred coins a month.
(b)         During the period of probation she worked from morning till night, as if she found resting dull, and she was so strong that she could do a man's work; accordingly on the third day it was settled, and each month she was to be paid five hundred cash.    
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大家都叫她祥林嫂；
(a)         Everybody called her Sister Xianglin.
(b)         Everybody called her Hsiang Lin's Wife.
没问她姓什么，但中人是卫家山人，既说是邻居，那大概也就姓卫了。
(a)         No one asked her for her family-name. The employment agent was a Wei Clan Mountain person and since it was mentioned Sister Xianglin was her neighbor, likely her surname was Wei as well.
(b)         They did not ask her her own name; but since she was introduced by someone from Wei Village who said she was a neighbour, presumably her name was also Wei.
她不很爱说话，别人问了才回答，答的也不多。
(a)         She didn’t seem to enjoy talking a lot and only responded with few words to what others asked her.
(b)         She was not very talkative, only answering when other people spoke to her, and her answers were brief.
直到十几天之后，这才陆续的知道她家里还有严厉的婆婆，一个小叔子，十多岁，能打柴了；
(a)         It was not until after ten days or so later that people knew she had at home a very hardhearted mother-in-law and a teenage brother-in-law who was old enough to harvest firewood.
(b)         It was not until a dozen days or so had passed that they learned little by little that she still had a severe mother-in-law at home and a younger brother-in-law more than ten years old, who could cut wood.
她是春天没了丈夫的；他本来也打柴为生，比她小十岁：
(a)         She lost her husband in spring. He also harvested firewood for a living and was ten years her junior.
(b)         Her husband, who had been a woodcutter too, had died in the spring. He had been ten years younger than she.
大家所知道的就只是这一点。 
(a)         Those were all others knew about her.
(b)         This little was all that people learned from her.
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日子很快的过去了，
(a)         Time passed quickly.
(b)         The days passed quickly.
她的做工却毫没有懈，食物不论，力气是不惜的。
(a)         She did not slack off at work, was not fuzzy on what she ate, and went all out in using her muscles.
(b)         She worked as hard as ever; she would eat anything, and did not spare herself.
人们都说鲁四老爷家里雇着了女工，实在比勤快的男人还勤快。
(a)         People praised Lu Fourth Master for hiring a maid who worked harder and faster than man.
(b)         Everybody agreed that the Lu family had found a very good maidservant, who really got through more work than a hard-working man.
到年底，扫尘，洗地，杀鸡，宰鹅，彻夜的煮福礼，全是一人担当，竟没有添短工。
(a)         At the end of the year, she took on all the work in dusting, floor-washing, chicken-slaughtering, geese-butchering, and all-night cooking of well-wish tribute dishes—without the help of additional casual worker.
(b)         At the end of the year she swept, mopped, killed chickens and geese and sat up to boil the sacrificial meat, single-handed, so the family did not have to hire extra help.
然而她反满足，口角边渐渐的有了笑影，
(a)         Yet she was satisfied. Slowly smiles sneaked across her lips.
(b)         Nevertheless she, on her side, was satisfied; gradually the trace of a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
脸上也白胖了。 
(a)         Her face looked fairer and fuller.
(b)         She became plumper and her skin whiter.
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新年才过，她从河边掏米回来时，忽而失了色，说刚才远远地看见几个男人在对岸徘徊，很像夫家的堂伯，恐怕是正在寻她而来的。
(a)         One day shortly after Chinese New Year, her face was pale when she came back from washing rice in the river. She said just now she saw a few men wandering around on the opposite shore of the river, and she was afraid they were cousins from the deceased husband’s family looking for her.
(b)         New Year was scarcely over when she came back from washing rice by the river looking pale, and said that in the distance she had just seen a man wandering on the opposite bank who looked very like her husband's cousin, and probably he had come to look for her.
四婶很惊疑，打听底细，她又不说。
(a)         Fourth Aunt was alarmed and baffled. She asked for more details but Sister Xianglin refused to say more.
四叔一知道，就皱一皱眉，道：“这不好。恐怕她是逃出来的。” 
(a)         When Fourth Uncle knew about it, he scowled and said:  “This is not good. I’m afraid she is a runaway.”
(b)        My aunt, much alarmed, made detailed enquiries, but failed to get any further information. As soon as my uncle learned of it he frowned and said, "This is bad. She must have run away from her husband's family."
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她诚然是逃出来的，不多久，这推想就证实了。
(a)         Indeed she escaped from her home, and this speculation was confirmed to be true before long. 
(b)         Before long this inference that she had run away was confirmed.
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此后大约十几天，大家正已渐渐忘却了先前的事，
(a)         After ten days or so everyone gradually had forgotten about the previous incident.
(b)         About a fortnight later, just as everybody was beginning to forget what had happened,
卫老婆子忽而带了一个三十多岁的女人进来了，说那是详林嫂的婆婆。
(a)         Old Lady Wei suddenly came in with a lady thirty and somewhat years old who claimed to be the mother-in-law of Sister Xianglin.
(b)         Old Mrs. Wei suddenly called, bringing with her a woman in her thirties who, she said, was the maidservant's mother-in-law.
那女人虽是山里人模样，然而应酬很从容，说话也能干，
(a)         Even though the woman looked like she was from the mountain, yet she handled herself very well in mannerism and conversation.
(b)         Although the woman looked like a villager, she behaved with great self-possession and had a ready tongue in her head.
寒暄之后，就赔罪，说她特来叫她的儿媳回家去，因为开春事务忙，而家中只有老的和小的，人手不够了。 
(a)         After exchanging greetings, she said apologetically that she specifically came to asked for her daughter-in-law’s return because at home, the old and young family members were not enough manpower to handle the busy workload during early spring.
(b)         After the usual polite remarks she apologized for coming to take her daughter-in-law home, saying there was a great deal to be done at the beginning of spring, and since there were only old people and children at home they were short-handed.
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“既是她的婆婆要她回去，那有什么话可说呢。”四叔说。 
(a)         Fourth Uncle said: “Since her mother-in-law asked for her return, there is nothing we could say.”
(b)         "Since it is her mother-in-law who wants her to go back, what is there to be said?" was my uncle's comment.
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于是算清了工钱，一共一千七百五十文，她全存在主人家，一文也还没有用，
(a)         Her wages calculated at one-thousand-seven-hundred-and-fifty coins were left with her employer and she did not spend any of it.
(b)         Thereupon her wages were reckoned up. They amounted to one thousand seven hundred and fifty cash, all of which she had left with her mistress without using a single coin.
便都交给她的婆婆。那女人又取了衣服，道过谢，出去了。
(a)         The money was given to the mother-in-law. She also took all the clothes and left after she said thanks.
(b)         My aunt gave the entire amount to her mother-in-law. The latter also took her clothes, thanked Mr. and Mrs. Lu and went out.
其时已经是正午。 
(a)         It was around noon at that time.
(b)         By this time it was already noon.
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“阿呀，米呢？
(a)          “Oh, where is rice?
(b)         "Oh, the rice!
祥林嫂不是去淘米的么？……”好一会，四婶这才惊叫起来。
(a)         Didn’t Sister Xianglin went to wash rice?” Fourth Aunt said with an upset tone after some time had passed.
(b)         Didn't Hsiang Lin's Wife go to wash the rice?" my aunt exclaimed some time later.
她大约有些饿，记得午饭了。
(a)         Likely she got a bit hungry and that reminded her of lunch.
(b)         Probably she was rather hungry, so that she remembered lunch.
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于是大家分头寻淘箩。
(a)         So everybody spread out to locate the rice-washing basket.
(b)         Thereupon everybody set about looking for the rice basket.
她先到厨下，次到堂前，后到卧房，全不见掏箩的影子。
(a)         Fourth Aunt first went to the kitchen, then to the hall front, and finally to the bedroom. The basket was nowhere to be found.
(b)         My aunt went first to the kitchen, then to the hall, then to the bedroom; but not a trace of it was to be seen anywhere.
四叔踱出门外，也不见，一直到河边，才见平平正正的放在岸上，旁边还有一株菜。
(a)         Fourth Uncle went outside of the door and saw nothing. He walked all the way to the riverside and saw the basket lying tidily on shore with a stem of vegetable by its side.
(b)          My uncle went outside, but could not find it either; only when he went right down to the riverside did he see it, set down fair and square on the bank, with a bundle of vegetables beside it.
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看见的人报告说，河里面上午就泊了一只白篷船，篷是全盖起来的，不知道什么人在里面，但事前也没有人去理会他。
(a)         Someone who saw the whole thing recounted a boat with white canopy was moored in the river early that afternoon. The canopy covered up the entire cabin of the boat and no one could see who was inside. But then no one was paying attention to it before things happened.
(b)         Some people there told him that a boat with a white awning had moored there in the morning, but since the awning covered the boat completely they did not know who was inside, and before this incident no one had paid any attention to it.
待到祥林嫂出来掏米，刚刚要跪下去，那船里便突然跳出两个男人来，像是山里人，一个抱住她，一个帮着，拖进船去了。
(a)         When Sister Xianglin came out to wash rice and was about to drop to her knees, suddenly two men who looked like mountain folks jumped out from the boat. One man grabbed her and the other was providing help. They dragged her into the boat.
(b)         But when Hsiang Lin's Wife came to wash rice, two men looking like country people jumped off the boat just as she was kneeling down and seizing hold of her carried her on board.
样林嫂还哭喊了几声，此后便再没有什么声息，大约给用什么堵住了罢。
(a)         At the beginning Sister Xianglin gave out a few wailing cries, but afterwards the sounds went dead possibly her mouth was muffled.
(b)         After several shouts and cries, Hsiang Lin's Wife became silent: they had probably stopped her mouth.
接着就走上两个女人来，一个不认识，一个就是卫婆于。窥探舱里，不很分明，她像是捆了躺在船板上。 
(a)         Then two women came along. One was an unfamiliar face and the other was Old Lady Wei. They peeked inside the cabin. It was not too clear but it seemed Sister Xianglin was tied up and laid on the cabin floor.
(b)         Then two women walked up, one of them a stranger and the other Old Mrs. Wei. When the people who told this story tried to peep into the boat they could not see very clearly, but Hsiang Lin's Wife seemed to be lying bound on the floor of the boat.
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“可恶！然而……。”四叔说。
(a)          “Damn it, but then…,” said Fourth Uncle. 
(b)         "Disgraceful! Still ..." said my uncle.
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这一天是四婶自己煮中饭；他们的儿子阿牛烧火。
(a)         On this day Fourth Aunt cooked lunch herself, and their son Ah Niu handled the fire for cooking. 
(b)         That day my aunt cooked the midday meal herself, and my cousin Ah Niu lit the fire.
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午饭之后，卫老婆子又来了。 
(a)         After lunch, Old Lady Wei came again.
(b)         After lunch Old Mrs. Wei came again.
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“可恶！”四叔说。 
(a)          “Damn it!” said Fourth Uncle.
(b)         "Disgraceful!" said my uncle.
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“你是什么意思？亏你还会再来见我们。”四婶洗着碗，一见面就愤愤的说，
(a)          “What’s the meaning of all these? I’m surprised you would show your face here again here,” said Fourth Aunt angrily as she was washing the dishes.
(b)         "What is the meaning of this? How dare you come here again!" My aunt, who was washing dishes, started scolding as soon as she saw her.
“你自己荐她来，又合伙劫她去，闹得沸反盈天的，大家看了成个什么样子？
(a)          “You recommended her to come here to work, and then you ganged up with some people to kidnapped her away. Everything was turned upside down and what would people say when they see all these?
(b)         "You recommended her yourself, and then plotted to have her carried off, causing all this stir. What will people think?
你拿我们家里开玩笑么？” 
(a)         Are you making a fool of our entire family?”
(b)         Are you trying to make a laughing-stock of our family?"
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“阿呀阿呀，我真上当。
(a)          “Oh no, I was really tricked.
(b)         "Aiya, I was really taken in!
我这回，就是为此特地来说说清楚的。
(a)         This time I come here specially to explain all these.
(b)         Now I have come specially to clear up this business.
她来求我荐地方，我那里料得到是瞒着她的婆婆的呢。
(a)         She came to me for my recommendation to find her a job and how could I possibly know she did it behind her mother-in-law’s back.
(b)         When she asked me to find her work, how was I to know that she had left home without her mother-in-law's consent?
对不起，四老爷，四太太。
(a)         I am terribly sorry, Master Fourth and Lady Fourth.
(b)         I am very sorry, Mr. Lu, Mrs. Lu.
总是我老发昏不小心，对不起主顾。
(a)         I lost my sense of discretion at my old age and did something regretful to my client.
(b)         Because I am so old and foolish and careless, I have offended my patrons.
幸而府上是向来宽洪大量，不肯和小人计较的。
(a)         Luckily your family is always forgiving and do not make a mental note of mistakes by little old me.
(b)         However, it is lucky for me that your family is always so generous and kind, and unwilling to be hard on your inferiors.
这回我一定荐一个好的来折罪……。” 
(a)         This time I definitely will find someone good to make up for the mistake.”
(b)         This time I promise to find you someone good to make up for my mistake."
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“然而……。”四叔说。 
(a)          “Nevertheless…” said Fourth Uncle.
(b)         "Still . . ." said my uncle.
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于是祥林嫂事件便告终结，不久也就忘却了。 
(a)          So Sister Xianglin’s episode came to an end and was forgotten after a short time.
(b)         Thereupon the business of Hsiang Lin's Wife was concluded, and before long it was also forgotten.
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只有四嫂，因为后来雇用的女工，大抵非懒即馋，或者馋而且懒，左右不如意，所以也还提起祥林嫂。
(a)          Only Fourth Aunt did not put Sister Xianglin out of her mind. It was because every maid who was hired afterwards was either indolent or voracious, or both. None of them was up to par and so Sister Xianglin was always mentioned.
(b)         Only my aunt, because the maidservants taken on afterwards were all lazy or fond of stealing food, or else both lazy and fond of stealing food, with not a good one in the lot, still often spoke of Hsiang Lin's Wife.
每当这些时候，她往往自言自语的说，“她现在不知道怎么佯了？” 意思是希望她再来。
(a)          At each of those disgruntled incident, Fourth Aunt would mumble to herself, “I wonder how she is doing right now?” What that meant was she was hoping she would come back again.
(b)         On such occasions she would always say to herself, "I wonder what has become of her now?" meaning that she would like to have her back.
但到第二年的新正，她也就绝了望。 
(a)          But when there was no sign of her by the first month of the next lunar year, she gave up hope completely. 
(b)         But by the following New Year she too gave up hope.
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新正将尽，卫老婆子来拜年了，已经喝得醉醺醺的，自说因为回了一趟卫家山的娘家，住下几天，所以来得迟了。
(a)          When the first lunar month was about over, an intoxicated Old Lady Wei came to extend New Year greetings. She said she went back to stay for a few days at her mother’s home at Wei Clan Mountain and that was why she was late in coming over to visit.
(b)         The New Year's holiday was nearly over when Old Mrs. Wei, already half tipsy, came to pay her respects, and said it was because she had been back to Wei Village to visit her mother's family and stayed a few days that she had come late.
她们问答之间，自然就谈到祥林嫂。 
(a)          Naturally their conversation touched on Sister Xianglin.
(b)         During the course of conversation they naturally came to speak of Hsiang Lin's Wife.
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