中英文互譯簡單文章
中英文互譯簡單文章
中英文互譯的文章,能夠有效幫助讀者在看英語文章的時候更好的理解文章的內(nèi)容,下面就是學(xué)習(xí)啦小編給大家整理的中英文互譯簡單文章,希望大家喜歡。
中英文互譯簡單文章篇1:My Mother's Gift
母親的禮物
Suzanne Chazin
蘇珊娜·蔡津
I grew up in a small town where the elementary school was a ten-minute walk from my houseand in an age , not so long ago , when children could go home for lunch and find their motherswaiting.
我是在一個小鎮(zhèn)上長大的,從鎮(zhèn)上的小學(xué)校到我家,只需步行10分鐘。離當(dāng)前不算太太久遠(yuǎn)的那個時代,小學(xué)生可以回家吃午飯,而他們的母親,則會老早在家等候著。
At the time, I did not consider this a luxury, although today it certainly would be. I took it forgranted that mothers were the sandwich-makers, the finger-painting appreciators and thehomework monitors. I never questioned that this ambitious, intelligent woman, who had hada career before I was born and would eventually return to a career, would spend almost everylunch hour throughout my elementary school years just with me.
這一切對如今的孩子來說,無疑是一種奢望了,可是那時的我,卻并不以為然。我覺得做母親的給她的孩子制作三明治,鑒賞指畫,檢查他們的家庭作業(yè),都是理所當(dāng)然的事。我從來沒有想過:像我母親這樣一個頗有抱負(fù)又很聰明的女人,在我降生之前,她有一份工作,而且后來她又謀了份差事,可是,在我上小學(xué)那幾年,她卻幾乎天天陪著我吃午飯,一同打發(fā)午餐時的每一分鐘。
I only knew that when the noon bell rang, I would race breathlessly home. My mother would bestanding at the top of the stairs, smiling down at me with a look that suggested I was the onlyimportant thing she had on her mind. For this, I am forever grateful.
只記得,每當(dāng)午時鈴聲一響,我就一口氣地往家里跑。母親總是站在門前臺階的最高層,笑盈盈地望著我--那神情分明表示:我便是母親心目中唯一最重要的東西了。為此,我一輩子都要感謝我的母親。
Some sounds bring it all back: the highpitched squeal of my mother's teakettle, the rumble ofthe washing machine in the basement and the jangle of my dog's license tags as shebounded down the stairs to greet me. Our time together seemed devoid of thegerrymandered schedules that now pervade my life.
如今,每當(dāng)我聽到一些聲音,像母親那把茶壺水開時發(fā)出的尖叫聲,地下室洗衣機(jī)的隆隆聲,還有,我那條狗蹦下臺階沖我搖頭擺尾時它脖子上那牌照發(fā)出的撞擊聲,便會勾起我對往事的回憶。和母親在一起的歲月,全然沒有充斥于我的生活中的、事先做好的安排往往任意改動??墒牵湍赣H在一起的那些歲月里,這樣的現(xiàn)象似乎根本不存在。
One lunchtime when I was in the third grade will stay with me always. I had been picked to bethe princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had painstakingly rehearsed my lineswith me. But no matter how easily I delivered them at home, as soon as I stepped onstage,every word disappeared from my head.
我永遠(yuǎn)忘不了在我上三年級時的那一頓午飯。在那天之前,我被學(xué)校選中,要在一個即將演出的小劇中扮演公主的角色。一連好幾個禮拜,母親總是不辭辛勞地陪著我,一起背誦臺詞。可是,不管在家里怎么背得滾瓜爛熟,只要一上舞臺,我的腦子里就成了一片空白。
Finally, my teacher took me aside. She explained that she had written a narrator's part to theplay, and asked me to switch roles. Her word, kindly delivered, still stung, especially when I sawmy part go to another girl.
終于,老師把我叫到了一邊。她說劇中旁白這個角色的臺詞已寫好了,想把我替換下來當(dāng)旁白。盡管老師這些話說得和和氣氣,可還是刺痛了我的心,特別是當(dāng)我發(fā)覺自己扮演的公主角色讓另外一個女孩頂替時,更是如此。
I didn't tell my mother what had happened when I went home for lunch that day. But shesensed my unease, and instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked If I wanted towalk in the yard.
那天回家吃午飯時我沒有把這事告訴母親。然而,母親見我心神不定,因此沒有再提練習(xí)背臺詞的事兒,而是問我愿意不愿意到院子里散散步。
It was a lovely spring day and the rose vine on the trellis was turning green. Under the hugeelm trees, we could see yellow dandelions popping through the grass in bunches, as if a painterhad touched our landscape with dabs of gold .I watched my mother casually bend down byone of the clumps. "I think I'm going to dig up all these weeds, "she said, yanking a blossomup by its roots. "From now on, we'll have only roses in this garden. "
那真是一個可愛的春日,棚架上薔薇的藤蔓正在轉(zhuǎn)青。在一些高大的榆樹下面,我們可以看到,一叢叢黃色的蒲公英冒出草坪,仿佛是一位畫家為了給眼前的美景增色而著意加上的點(diǎn)點(diǎn)金色。我看到母親在一簇花叢旁漫不經(jīng)心地彎下身來。“我看得把這些野草都撥了,”她說著,一邊使勁把一叢蒲公英連根撥出。“往后咱這園子里只讓長薔薇花。”
"But I like dandelions, " I protested. "All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions. "
“可是我喜歡蒲公英,”我不滿地說,“凡是花都好看--蒲公英也不例外。”
My mother looked at me seriously. "Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn't it?"She asked thoughtfully. I nodded, pleased that I had won her over. "And that is true of peopletoo, " she added. "Not everyone can be a princess, but there is no shame in that.
母親嚴(yán)肅地看著我。“噢,這么說,每朵花都自有它令人賞心悅目的地方嘍?”她若有所思地問道。我點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭,總算說服了母親,這使我很得意。“可是人也一樣呀,”母親接著又發(fā)話,“不見得人人都能當(dāng)公主,但當(dāng)不了公主并不丟臉。”
Relieved that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry as I told her what had happened. Shelistened and smiled reassuringly.
母親猜到了我的苦惱,這使我的情緒安定下來。我哭了起來,把事情的經(jīng)過講給母親聽。母親專注地聽著,臉上帶著安詳?shù)奈⑿Α?/p>
"But you will be a beautiful narrator, " she said , reminding me of how much I loved to readstories aloud to her . "The narrator's part is every bit as important as the part of a princess. "
“但你會成為一名頂呱呱的解說員,”母親又說。她說平常我是多么喜歡朗誦故事給她聽,還說“從哪方面看,旁白這個角色都和公主那個角色一樣重要”。
Over the next few weeks, with her constant encouragement, I learned to take pride in therole. Lunchtimes were spent reading over my lines and talking abut what I would wear.
往后的幾個星期,在母親的一再鼓勵下,我漸漸地以擔(dān)任旁白的角色感到驕傲。利用午飯時間,我們又一起念臺詞,議論到時候我該穿什么樣的演出服裝。
Backstage the night of the performance, I felt nervous. A few minutes before the play, myteacher came over to me. "Your mother asked me to give this to you, " she said, handing me adandelion. Its edges were already beginning to curl and it flopped lazily from its stem. But justlooking at it, knowing my mother was out there and thinking of our lunchtime talk, made meproud .
到了演出那個晚上,當(dāng)我登上后臺,心里還感到緊張。離演出還有幾分鐘的時候,老師朝我走了過來。“你母親讓我把這個交給你,”說著她遞過來了一朵蒲公英。那花兒四周已開始打蔫,花瓣兒從梗上向下有氣無力地耷拉著。可是,只要看一眼,知道母親就在外面呆著,回想起和母親用午飯時說的那些話,我就感到胸有成竹。
After the play , I took home the flower I had stuffed in the apron of my costume . My motherpressed it between two sheets of paper toweling in a dictionary , laughing as she did it that wewere perhaps the only people who would press such a sorry-looking weed .
演出結(jié)束后,我把塞在演出服圍裙里的那朵蒲公英拿回了家。母親將花接了過去,用兩張紙巾將它壓平,夾在了一本字典里。她一邊忙碌著,一邊笑,想到也許只有我們倆會珍藏這么一朵打了蔫的野草花。
I often look back on our lunchtimes together , bathed in the soft midday light . They were thecommas in my childhood , the pauses that told me life is not savored in premeasuredincrement , but in the sum of daily rituals and small pleasures we casually share with lovedones . Over peanut-butter sandwiches and chocolate-chip cookies , I learned that love , firstand foremost , means being there for the little things .
我常常回想起和母親在一起度過的那些沐浴在和煦陽光之中的午餐時光。它們是我孩提時代的一個個小插曲,告訴我一個道理:人生的滋味,就在于和我們所愛的人在一起不經(jīng)意地共度的日常生活、分享的點(diǎn)點(diǎn)滴滴的歡樂,而不在于某種事先測量好的“添加劑”。在享用母親做的花生醬、三明治和巧克力碎末小甜餅的時候,我懂得了,愛就體現(xiàn)在這些細(xì)微這處。
A few months ago , my mother came to visit , I took off a day from work and treated her tolunch. The restaurant bustled with noontime activity as businesspeople made deals and glancedat their watches . In the middle of all this sat my mother , now retired , and I . From her face Icould see that she relished the pace of the work world .
幾個月前,母親又來看我。我特意請了天假,陪母親吃午飯。中午,飯館里熙熙壤攘,做生意的人忙不迭地從事交易活動,他們不時地看看手表。如今已經(jīng)退休的母親和我就坐在這群人中間。從母親的表情中,我看得出,母親打心眼里喜歡上班族這種生活的節(jié)奏。
"Mom , you must have been terribly bored staying at home when I was a child , " I said .
“媽,我小的時候,您老呆在家里一定覺得很煩吧?”我說。
"Bored? Housework is boring . But you were never boring . "
“煩?做家務(wù)是令人心煩,不過,你從來沒使我感到心煩過。”
I didn't believe her , so I pressed . "Surely children are not as stimulating as a career. "
我不相信這是實(shí)話,于是我又想法子套她的話。“看孩子哪會像工作那樣富有刺激性呢?”
"A career is stimulating , " she said . "I'm glad I had one . But a career is like an open balloon.It remains inflated only as long as you keep pumping . A child is a seed . You water it . You carefor it the best you can . And then it grows all by itself into a beautiful flower . "
“工作是富有刺激性的,”母親答道,“很高興我也有過工作??墒枪ぷ骱帽乳_了口的氣球,你只有不停地充氣,它才能鼓著勁??墒且粋€孩子就是一粒種子,你澆灌了它,全心全意地愛護(hù)它,然后,它就會獨(dú)立自主地開出美麗的花朵來。”
Just then , looking at her , I could picture us sitting at her kitchen table once again , and Iunderstood why I kept that flaky brown dandelion in our old family dictionary pressed betweentwo crumpled bits of paper towel.
此時此刻,我凝視著母親,腦海里又浮現(xiàn)兒時和母親一起坐在飯桌旁的情景,同時也明白了我為什么仍要把那朵已經(jīng)發(fā)黑、一碰就碎的蒲公英用兩片皺紙巾夾起來,珍藏在祖?zhèn)鞯哪潜九f詞典里。
中英文互譯簡單文章篇2:My Father's Music
我父親的音樂
Wayne Kalyn
韋恩·卡林
I remember the day Dad first lugged the heavy accordion up our front stoop,taxing his smallframe. He gathered my mother and me in the living room and opened the case as if it were atreasure chest. "Here it is,"he said. "Once you learn to play, it'll stay with you for life."
我還記得那天,爸爸豁出瘦小的身軀,第一次把那沉甸甸的手風(fēng)琴拖上我們家的門廊。他把媽姆和我召到客廳,打開箱子,好像那是個百寶箱似的.“給,”。他說,“你一學(xué)會拉它,它就跟你終身做伴。”
If my thin smile didn't match his full-fledged grin, it was because I had prayed for a guitar or apiano. It was 1960, and I was glued to my AM radio,listening to Del Shannon and ChubbyChecker. Accordions were nowhere in my hit parade. As Ilooked at the shiny white keys andcream-colored bellows, I could already hear my friends' squeeze box jokes.
我淡淡一笑,滿不像他那么喜笑顏開,可那是因?yàn)椴靡恢卑屯幸话鸭?,或一架鋼琴。?dāng)時是1960年,我迷上了在調(diào)幅廣播里收聽戴爾·香農(nóng)和查比·切克的音樂。手風(fēng)琴在我的流行曲目里根本排不上號??粗前谆位蔚那冁I和奶油色的風(fēng)箱,我都可以聽到伙伴們嘲弄這玩意兒的聲音。
For the next two weeks, the accordion was stored in the hall closet. Then one evening Dadannounced that I would start lessons the following week. In disbelief I shot my eyes towardMom for support. The firm set of her jaw told me I was out of luck.
后來的兩個禮拜,手風(fēng)琴一直擱在門廳的壁櫥里。有天晚上,爸爸宣布,’下周起我就開始上手風(fēng)琴課。狐疑中我直向母親遞眼色,求她幫忙??伤o閉著嘴,就是說我這次倒了霉了。
Spending 0 for an accordion and per lesson was out of character for my father. He waspractical always-something he learned growing up on a Pennsylvania farm. Clothes, heat andsometimes even food were scarce.
花300元買架手風(fēng)琴,每上一課還得交五元,這可不合我父親的性格。他向來都很講究實(shí)際——這是他自小在賓夕法尼亞州的農(nóng)場學(xué)來的。當(dāng)時穿的,取暖的,有時候連吃的都很少。
Before I was born, he and my mother moved into her parents' two-story home in Jersey City,N.J. I grew up there on the second floor; my grandparents lived downstairs. Each weekday Dadmade the three-hour commute to and from Long Island, where he was a supervisor in acomparty that serviced jet engines. Weekends, he tinkered in the cellar, turning scraps ofplywood into a utility cabinet or fixing a broken toy with spare parts. Quiet andshy, he wasnever more comfortable than when at his workbench.
我出生前,父母搬進(jìn)了新澤西州澤西城外公外婆家一樓一底的房子。我就是在那兒的樓上長大的,外公他們住樓下。爸爸每天去長島上班來回要坐三個小時的車。他在那兒的一家飛機(jī)發(fā)動機(jī)維修公司做監(jiān)督,周末他就在地窖里東修西補(bǔ),不是把零星的膠合板拼湊成多用柜,就是找些個零部件修理破玩具。他生性沉靜靦腆,只有坐在工作凳上時他才最為自在。
Only music carried Dad away from his world of tools and projects. On a Sunday drive, he turnedthe radio on immediately. At red lights, I'd notice his foot tapping in time. He seemed to hangon every note.
只有音樂可以使爸爸陶醉,忘卻他那個近視工具和活計(jì)的天地。星期天只要一開車,他便打開收音機(jī)。遇見紅燈,就見他的腳及時地輕輕打起拍子。他好像不放過每一個音符。
Still, I wasn't prepared when, rummaging in a closet, I found a case that looked to me like a tinyguitar's. Opening it, I saw the polished glow of a beautiffil violin. "It's your father's," Mom said. "His parents bought it for him. I guess he got too busy on the farm to ever learn to play it." Itried to imagine Dad's rough hands on this delicate instrument-and couldn't. .
然而,我還是沒有料到,又一次翻一個壁櫥,竟發(fā)現(xiàn)一只盒子,我看像個小吉他盒。打開一看,卻是把漂亮的小提琴,光滑锃亮的。“那是你父親的,”媽媽說,“他父母給他買的。怕是農(nóng)場上太忙了吧,他壓根兒就沒顧上學(xué)。”我盡量想象爸爸那雙粗手在擺弄這把精巧的小提琴——可就是想象不出來。
Shortly after, my lessons began with Mr. Zelli at the Allegro Accordion School tucked betweenan old movie theater and a pizza parlor. On my first day, with straps straining my shoulder, Ifelt clumsy in every way. "How did he do?" my father asked when it was over. "Fine for the firstlesson,"said Mr.ZeUi. Dad glowed with hope.
不久,我在手風(fēng)琴速成學(xué)校跟澤里先生上起課來了,那個學(xué)校夾在一家舊電影院和一家餡餅店之間。第一天,我肩上勒緊了兩條皮帶,怎么都覺得別扭。“他怎么樣?”過后父親問老師。“第一課嘛,還可以。”澤里先生說。爸爸看有希望,神采奕奕。
I was ordered to practice half an hour every day, and every day I tried to get out of it. Myfuture seemed to be outside playing ball, not in the house mastering songs I would soonforget, but my parents hounded me to practice.
按規(guī)定我每天的練半小時的琴,而我每天都沒法躲過去。我看我的前途是在戶外打球,不是呆在屋里練很快就會遺忘的曲子,可父母逼著我練。
Gradually, to my surprise, I was able to string notes together and coordinate my hands toplay simple songs. Often, after supper, my father would requesta tune or two. As he sat in hiseasy chair, I would fumble through "Lady of Spain" and "Beer Barrel Polka."
想不到我漸漸可以把各個音符串起來,兩手配合著拉起簡單的歌曲了。晚飯后,父親常常要我拉上一兩段曲子。他坐在安樂椅里,我就笨手笨腳地拉完《西班牙女郎》和《啤酒桶波爾卡》
"Very nice, better than last week," he'd say. Then I would segue into a med-ley of his favorites, "Red River Valley" and "Home on the Range," and he would drift off to sleep, the newspaperfolded on his lap. I took it as a compliment that he could relax under the spell of my playing.
“很好,比上星期強(qiáng)。”他會說。于是我一口氣拉下去,把他最喜歡的歌曲《紅河谷》和《家在牧場》混在一起,于是他不知不覺地睡去,報(bào)紙還攤在膝上。他能在我的演奏感召之下,也輕松一下算是對我的贊賞吧。
One July evening I was giving an almost flawless rendition of "Come Back to Sorrento,"and myparents called me to an open window. An elderly neighbor, rarely seen outside her house, wasleaning against our car humming dreamily to the tune. When I finished, she smiled broadly andcalled out, "I remember that song as a child in Italy. Beautiful, just beautiful."
有年七月的一天傍晚,我正在拉《重歸蘇連托》,幾乎是無懈可擊,父母把我叫到一扇窗口。一個上了年紀(jì)的鄰居,很少見她出門,這時正依在我家車旁,恍恍惚惚地跟著曲子哼著。我拉完了,她笑瞇瞇地喊道:“我小時候在意大利就記得這首歌。好聽,真好聽。”
Throughout the summer, Mr. Zelli's lessons grew more difficult. It took me a week and a half tomaster them now. All the while I could hear my buddies outside playing heated games ofstickball. I'd also hear an occasional taunt: "Hey, where's your monkey and cup?
整個夏天,澤里先生的課越上越難?,F(xiàn)在要花一個半星期才能學(xué)會。我一邊學(xué)琴一邊可以聽到伙伴們在外面玩棍球玩得好熱鬧,不時還聽到句把損人的話:“喂!你那猴兒罐兒呢?”
Such humiliation paled, though, beside the impending fall recital, I would have to play a soloon a local movie theater's stage. I wanted to skip the whole thing. Emotions boiled over in thecar one Sunday afternoon.
不過,眼看秋季演奏會就要到來,這么糟踐人也就不算個事了。強(qiáng)得耷本地一家電影院上臺獨(dú)奏。我想賴掉這差事。個星期天下午在車上,我們都動了感情,都發(fā)火了。
"I don't want to play a solo," I said.
我不想獨(dú)奏。”我說。
"You have to," replied my father.
你就得獨(dú)奏。”父親答道。
"Why?" I shouted. "Because you didn't get to play your violin when you were a kid? Whyshould I have to play this stupid instrument when you never had to play yours7"Dad pulled thecar over and pointed at me.
“為啥?”我吼道,“就因?yàn)槟阈r候沒能拉成小提琴?你不拉就行我干嗎就非得拉這笨乎乎的玩意兒?爸爸剎住車,面對著我。
"Because you can bring people joy. You can touch their hearts. That's a gift I won't let youthrow away." He added softly, "Someday you'll have chance I never had: you'll play beautifulmusic for your family. And you understand why you've worked so hard."
“就因?yàn)槟憧梢越o別人帶來歡樂。你可以打動他們的心。,那是給人的一份禮物,我不許你白扔了。”他又輕聲說,“總有一天你會有我從來沒有的機(jī)會:你會給你的妻子兒女演奏美麗動聽的音樂。那時候你就會明白你干嗎要這么苦練了。”
I was speechless. I had rarely heard Dad speak with such feeling about anything, much less theaccordion. From then on, I practiced without parents' making me.
我無言以對。我很少聽到父親說話這么動情,更何況是說的手風(fēng)琴。從此我練琴不用父母逼了。
The evening of the concert Mom wore glittery earrings and more makeup than I couldremember. Dad got out of work early, put on a suit and tie, and slicked down his hair withVitalis. They were an hour early, so we sat in the living room chatting nervously. I got theunspoken message that playing this one song was a dream come true for them.
音樂會那天晚上,媽媽戴上亮晶晶的耳環(huán),臉上沒見她這么打扮過。爸爸早早就下了班,扎上領(lǐng)帶,一身套裝,頭發(fā)用發(fā)油梳得溜光。他們提前一小時就打扮完了,我們便坐在客廳里緊張地聊天。這時我得到一個無言的啟示:演奏這么一首歌是實(shí)現(xiàn)他倆的一個夢想。
At the theater nervousness overtook me as I realized how much I wanted to make my parentsproud. Finally, it was my turn. I walked to the lone chairon stage and performed "Are YouLonesome Tonight?" without a mistake. The applause spilled out, with a few hands still clappingafter others hadstopped. I was lightheaded, glad my ordeal was over.
在電影院,我意識到我是真想使父母感到自豪時,簡直緊張死了。終于輪到我上場了。我走向臺上孤零零的椅子,演奏了《今晚你可寂寞?》沒出一點(diǎn)兒錯。一時掌聲四起,落下后還有幾個人在拍手。我高興得輕飄飄的,總算熬到頭了。
After the concert Mom and Dad came backstage. The way they walked—heads high, facesflushed—I knew they were pleased. My mother gave me a big hug. Dad slipped an arm aroundme and held me close. "You were just great," he said. Then he shook my hand and was slow tolet it go.
音樂會散后媽媽和爸爸來到后臺。瞧他們走路那神氣——昂首挺胸,紅光滿面,我就知道他們很高興。母親緊緊擁抱了我。爸爸伸過一只胳臂摟住我不放。“你真是好樣兒的!”他說,然后又握住我的手,久久不松開。
As the years went by, the accordion drifted to the background of my life. Dad asked me to playat family occasions, but the lessons stopped. When I went to college, the accordion stayedbehind in the hall closet next to my father's violin.
隨著歲月的流逝,那架手風(fēng)琴在我的生活中也漸漸隱退了。爸爸只要我在家有節(jié)慶的時候拉一拉,課是不上了。我上大學(xué),那琴就放在門廳的壁櫥里,挨著父親的小提琴。
A year after my graduation, my parents moved to a house in a nearby town. Dad, at 51, finallyowned his own home. On moving day, I didn't have the heart to tell him he could dispose ofthe accordion, so I brought it to my own home and put it in the attic.
我畢業(yè)一年后,父母搬到了附近一個鎮(zhèn)上。父親在51歲終于有了自己的房子。搬家那天,我不忍心告訴他可以把手風(fēng)琴賣了,于是我把它拿回我自己的家,放在閣樓上。
There it remained, a dusty memory until one afternoon several years later when my two childrendiscovered it by accident. Scott thought it was secret treasure; Holly thought a ghost livedinside. They were both right.
它就呆在那兒,一件灰塵撲撲的紀(jì)念物,直到好幾年后的一天下午,我的兩個孩子偶然發(fā)現(xiàn)了它。司各特以為是個秘藏的珍寶,荷里以為里頭住了個精靈。他倆都講對了。
When I opened the case, they laughed and said, "play it, play it." Reluctantly,I strapped on theaccordion and played some simple songs. I was surprised! my skills hadn't rusted away. Soonthe kids were dancing in circles and giggluig. Even my wife, Terri, was laughing and clapping tothe beat. I wa samazed at their unbridled glee.
我一打開箱子,他們就笑了,說道:“拉拉,拉拉嘛。”我勉強(qiáng)套上琴的背帶,拉了一些簡單的歌曲。沒想到我的琴法竟然沒有荒疏。很。陜孩子們就轉(zhuǎn)著圈子跳呀笑個不停。連我妻子特麗也樂呵呵地和著節(jié)奏拍起手來。他們那興高采烈的痛快勁兒真讓我吃驚。
My father's words came back to me: "Someday you'll have the chance I never had. Then you'IIunderstand."I finally knew what it meant to work hard and sacrifice for others. Dad had beenright all along: the most precious gift is to touch the hearts of those you love.
這時,父親的話又回到我的腦海:“總有一天你會有我從來沒有的機(jī)會。那時你就會明白的。” 我終于明白了為他人努力工作和做出犧牲的意義。爸爸始終是對的:打動你所愛的人的心才是最寶貴的禮物。
Later I phoned Dad to let him know that, at long last, I understood. Fumbling for the rightwords, I thanked him for the legacy it took almost 30 years to discover. "You're welcome," hesaid, his voice choked with emotion.
事后我打電話給爸爸,告訴他我終于明白過來了。我拙嘴笨舌地不知說什么好,只說我花了差不多30年的工夫才發(fā)現(xiàn)了他留給我的這筆財(cái)富,為此我感謝他。“不客氣。”他說,嗓音因激動而哽咽了。
Dad never learned to coax sweet sounds from his violin. Yet he was wrong to think he wouldnever for his family. On that wonderful evening, as my wife and children laughed and danced,they heard my accordion. But it was my father's music.
爸爸從未學(xué)會從他那小提琴上撥出甜美的聲音。但他以為他永遠(yuǎn)都不會為他的家人演奏樂曲,那是他錯了。就在那個美妙的夜晚,我的妻兒又笑又跳,聽著我拉手風(fēng)琴。可那是我父親的音樂。
中英文互譯簡單文章篇3:My Average Uncle
艾默大叔——一個普普通通的人
Robert P. Tristram Coffin
羅伯特·P.T.科芬
He stood out splendidly above all my uncles because he did not stand out at all. That was hisdistinction. He was the averagest man I ever knew.
在我眾多的叔叔大爺中,他是最突出的一個,原因就在于他從不突出自己。這就是他與眾不同之處。他是我見過的最普通的人。
You would never pick him out in a crowd. He became just another man the minute he was inone. So many more pounds of man. Good solid pounds,but just pounds. You would neverremember his hair or his chin, or the shape of his ears. If he said something, you would agreewith it, and, an hour later, you would be sure you had said it yourself.
他在人群里一點(diǎn)也不顯眼。他一混人人海就和周圍的人沒什么兩樣了,他長得敦敦實(shí)實(shí),體重超過常人許多磅,但也僅此而已。你永遠(yuǎn)也想不起他頭發(fā)是什么顏色,他的下巴、耳朵是什么樣子。如果他說些什么,你會表示同意,過一個小時,你會覺得這話就是你自己說的。
Sometimes I think men like that get along about the best . They are the easiest on theirhouses, their wives, and their children. They are easiest on the world. They slide along withouthaving to do anything about it as small boys do on their breeches after they have slid on themenough to wear them down smooth. The world is all so much pine needles under them.
有時我想,正是這種人才活得輕松自在。他們對住房、對妻子、對兒女總是那么寬宏大量,從不挑剔。他們是世界上最寬容的人。他們總是那么順其自然地活著,從不為任何事情操心,就像小孩子坐滑梯把褲襠磨破了也不在乎。這個世界就像鋪在身子底下的松針一樣,柔軟舒適。
Uncle Amos was easy on his wives and children. He had three of them, in all. Wives, I mean. Inever did get the count of his children straight, there were too many assortments of them.Three wives. It seemed surprising to me at the time. With all the trouble I had, myself, havingto stand on my head and work my legs, or bung stones at cherrybirds, to keep the attention ofjust one girl for a month. I often wondered how Uncle Amos, who never stood on his head orwhittled out even a butterpat, could attract so many women as he did. Wlth hair a little thin onhis head, and legs that could not possibly do more than three and a half miles an hour on theroad, there he was with three families behind him. Of course, he had the families spaced. Thewives of Uncle Amos did not come all at once. They were drawn out . One batch of children grewpretty well up by the time the next batch hove insight, waddling and falling on thek faces-tosave their hands-as waddling children do.
艾默大叔對妻子兒女和和氣氣。他總共有三個。我是說他有三個妻子。我從來數(shù)不準(zhǔn)他到底有多少孩子,他們太多了。而且各種各樣。居然有三個妻子。那時我覺得這太不可思議了。因?yàn)槲以谶@方面吃過不少苦頭。我曾經(jīng)使出全身本領(lǐng):拿大頂、兔子蹦、投石打鳥,好不容易才使一個女孩注意我一個月。我真不明白,艾默大叔從不拿大頂,甚至連一個黃油球也削不出來,居然能吸引那么多女人。他頭發(fā)有點(diǎn)稀疏,兩條腿一小時走不了十里半路,就這樣一個人,一生居然有過三撥家小。當(dāng)然啦,艾默大叔三房妻子之間都隔著一段時間,不是同時娶來的,而是一個接著一個。一撥孩子已經(jīng)長大,另一撥才呱呱落地。他們蹣跚地走路,常常臉朝下跌倒在地,也不知用手去撐——小孩子學(xué)走路都是這樣。
I knew my Bible, especially the marital parts, in which I took deep interest. I had read the Biblethrough many times under the eye of one particular aunt. I knew a lot about matrimony fromthat. But Uncle Amos had me puzzled. He had broken no commandments. All his marriageswere open and aboveboard. He wasn't like the patriarchs who didn't always wait for one wifeto go before another came. Yet Uncle Amos's status and his children's status were rathercomplicated.
我對圣經(jīng)很熟,對有關(guān)婚娶的章節(jié)尤感興趣。在一位愛挑剔的姑媽監(jiān)督之下曾多次誦讀圣經(jīng),從中學(xué)到許多有關(guān)婚姻的清規(guī)戒律。但艾默大叔卻令我困惑。他沒有觸犯任何一條戒規(guī),每次結(jié)婚都是公開的,光明正大的,不像那些道貌岸然的人,妻子還好好的,就又勾搭上了別的女人。然而艾默大叔的情況和他的孩子們的情況卻頗為復(fù)雜。
The women must have been drawn to him because he was so muchlike whatan average fairhusband would seem to a woman to be.
女人迷戀他,一定是因?yàn)樵谒齻兊男哪恐兴纸咏粋€普通模范丈夫的形象。
This man made no flourishes to attract anybody. He never drove a fast horse. He never woretrousers with checks any larger than an inch square-which,for the time, was conservative. Hishouse never got afire and burned downjust after the fire insurance had run out. Not one of hisboys and girls got drowned or run over by the steamcars. The few that died growing died ofdiphtheria or scarlet fever, which were what children died of then, the usual ways.
他這個人從不嘩眾取寵。他沒騎過快馬,褲子上的方格從不超過一英寸——這在當(dāng)時已是相當(dāng)保守的了。他的房手也從未在火災(zāi)保險(xiǎn)剛過期就失火燒塌過。他的眾多子女中也沒有一個落水溺死或死于車禍的。幾個夭折的,不是死于白喉就是死于猩紅熱,那時許多孩子都得這種病死的,十分常見。
Uncle Amos never had a fight.
艾默大叔從未打過架。
Uncle Amos never lost a pocket-book. At least not one with much money in it.
艾默大叔從未丟過錢包,至少沒丟過里面裝有很多錢的錢包。
Uncle Amos never went even as far as Boston.
艾默大叔甚至連波士頓那么遠(yuǎn)的地方都沒去過。
But there he was, never making much money, but with all the comforts of home around him,eating his stewed eels, sitting in his galluses out in the orchard in the cool of the evening, witha plump baby to climb up in his lap,whenever he felt like having a baby on his lap and had hisold trousers on and didn't care much what happened to him. There he was, shingling his houseonly when it got to leaking so it put the kitchen fire out. Drinking a little ale now and then,when he came by it easy. No big hayfields to worryabout. No wife that craved more than onenew dress a year, and that one she generally ran up herself on her sewing machine. One bestpair of trousers to his name, which the moths got into, but not so deep but what they couldbe healed up with a needle. Not many books to excite him and keep him awake nights, or putideas into his head and make him uneasy. No itch ever spreading out upon him to go out andtake the world by its horns .There he was, in clover!
然而就是這樣一個人,從未掙過大錢,卻盡情享受著家的舒適溫馨,吃著燉鰻魚,穿著背帶褲,涼爽的黃昏,坐在果園里。想抱孩子時,便有個胖娃娃爬到膝頭上來,穿的是舊褲子,所以不怕孩子糟蹋。他就是這樣一個人,屋頂漏雨,廚房里的火都快澆滅了他才去修。要是啤酒來得容易,偶爾也喝上一杯。沒有大塊干草場要他操心。妻子也從不吵著一年要兩件新衣服,就是那一件,還是她親自動手,用縫紉機(jī)做的。在他的名下只有一條像樣的褲子,還讓蛀蟲蛀了,但并不嚴(yán)重,三針兩線就可補(bǔ)好。沒有幾本書使他激動不已,徹夜難眠,或是把各種思想塞進(jìn)他的腦袋里,使他坐立不安。沒有難以抑制的渴望在內(nèi)心泛濫,使他離開家門去闖世界。他就是這樣一個人,日子過得舒舒服服,,安安逸逸!
Amos was a Republican. But then, most everybody around was. It was an average condition.Uncle Amos didn't have much to do except carry a torchlight when the Republican Presidentsgot elected, as they did regularly. And if Uncle Amos got grease on him, it never was very muchgrease, and his current wife took it out of him with her hot iron. Politics passed him by.Greatevents passed him by. And big taxes.
艾默是共和黨人,不過那時周圍的人,哪個不是?當(dāng)時的情形就是這樣。艾默大叔倒也沒干過什么,不過是在共和黨人當(dāng)選總統(tǒng)時,舉舉火把而已(這是他們的慣例)。如果他衣服沾上了油脂,也總是不太嚴(yán)重,他當(dāng)時的妻子會用熱熨斗幫他去掉。政治和他不沾邊,大事沒他的份兒,巨額稅款也輪不到他的頭上。
But we nephews did not pass him by. We were strangely drawn to him. Especially when some ofour specialist uncles wore us down with their crankiness and difference. I spent some of thequietest Sundays of my life in Uncle Amos's yard, lying under apple trees and listening to beesand not listeningto Uncle Amos who was bumbling away at something he did not expect me tolisten to at all.And caterpillars came suddenly down on fine wires shining like gold, and hit UncleAmos on his bald spot, and he brushed them off and went on bumbling. The heat was aburden, and the apple blossoms fell to pieces and drifted down on me, and I could see the roofof the world over the black twigs they came from. These were my solidest hours of pure being. Idid not have to do anything to live up to this quiet, friendly man. He did not expect me to standon my head and show off, or go after his pipe, or keep the flies from lighting on his bald spot.And he always had lemon drops somewhere deep in his roomy pockets? fore or aft, and he likedto give them to me.
但我們這些侄子們卻沒有忽略他,反而被他緊緊地吸引住,特別是在我們那些當(dāng)專家的叔叔們用他們的古怪脾氣和意見分歧搞得我們不耐煩的時候。我的一生中,有許多寧靜的星期天都是在艾默大叔的果園里度過的。躺在蘋果樹下,耳邊響著蜜蜂的嗡嗡聲,無須用心去聽艾默大叔永無休止的嘮叨。他也完全沒有要我聽的意思。毛毛蟲拖著金光閃閃的細(xì)絲掉下來,打在艾默大叔的禿頂上。他揮揮手把蟲子彈掉,又繼續(xù)嘮叨下去。暑熱難當(dāng),蘋果花紛紛揚(yáng)揚(yáng)落在我的身上花兒落了,透過黑乎乎的枝條可以看見高懸的蒼穹。這是我生活中最充實(shí)的時刻,我無須著意做什么來取悅這位安詳?shù)睦先?。他也不指望我拿大頂炫耀宜己,或跑腿為他取煙斗,或?yàn)樗s走禿頂上的蒼蠅。他的寬大的前后農(nóng)袋里總是裝著檸檬糖,而且十分樂意送給我吃。
The only trouble Uncle Amos had in his life was after he had got through with it. When theycame to bury him, they could not fix it so he could lie next to all his three women. He had likedthem all equally well. But there was not enough of Uncle Amos to go round. So they put him onthe end of the row.
艾默大叔一生中遇到的唯一麻煩是在他走完了生命的旅途之后。為他下葬時人們怎么也想不出辦法把他同時和三個女人并排埋在一起。生前這三個女人他都愛,而艾默大叔卻只有一個,沒法平均分給三個女人,只好把他埋在那一排墳的最后。
Uncle Amos did not mind, I am sure. I am sure he sleeps average well.
一我相信艾默大叔是不會介意的,我也相信他會和平時睡得同樣的香甜。
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