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| 《鲁滨孙漂流记》（中英文对照，第一部分） |
| 来源：5D互动论坛英语角 作者: pepperoni 作者：佚名 时间：2006-9-1 16:35:51 字号选择：大 中 小 |
《鲁滨孙漂流记》是英国作家丹尼尔·笛福的作品，因此它的英文版本也是原汁原味的地道英国风格。
不过没有想到的是，国内的中文版居然有N多的版本，主要区别在于一些细节文字和分段的不同。
我这次插分完全按照英文版的段落来组合，因此可能会与国内中文版的段落有所不同。当然，我不能保证我重新插分的段落中没有错误，希望大家能多提意见，指正错误。
I was born in the Year 1632, in the City of York, of a good Family, tho' not of that Country, my Father being a Foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull: He got a good Estate by Merchandise, and leaving off his Trade, lived afterward at York, from whence he had married my Mother, Relations were named Robinson, a very good Family at Country, and from whom I was called Robinson Keutznaer; but by the usual Corruption of Words in England, we are now called, nay we call our Selves, and writer Name Crusoe, and so my Companions always call'd me.
一六三二年，我生在约克市一个上流社会的家庭。我们不是本地人。父亲是德国不来梅市人。他移居英国后，先住在赫尔市，经商发家后就收了生意，最后搬到约克市定居，并在那儿娶了我母亲。母亲娘家姓鲁滨孙，是当地的一家名门望族，因而给我取名叫鲁滨孙·克罗伊茨内。由于英国人一读"克罗伊茨内"这个德国姓，发音就走样，结果大家就叫我们"克罗索"，以致连我们自己也这么叫，这么写了。所以，我的朋友们都叫我克罗索。
I had two elder Brothers, one of which was Lieutenant Collonel to an English Regiment of Foot in Flanders, formerly commanded by the famous Coll. Lockhart, and was killed at the Battle near Dunkirk against the Spaniards: What became of my second Brother I never knew any more than Father or Mother did know what was become of me.
我有两个哥哥。大哥是驻佛兰德的英国步兵团中校。著名的洛克哈特上校曾带领过这支部队。大哥是在敦刻尔克附近与西班牙人作战时阵亡的。至于二哥的下落，我至今一无所知，就像我父母对我后来的境况也全然不知一样。
Being the third Son of the Family, and not bred to any Trade, my Head began to be fill'd very early with rambling Thoughts: My Father, who was very ancient, had given me competent Share of Learning, as far as House-Education, and a Country Free-School generally goes, and design'd for the Law; but I would be satisfied with nothing but go to Sea, and my inclination to this led me so strongly against the Will, nay the Commands of my Father, and against all the Entreaties and Perswasions of my Mother and other Friends, that there seem'd to be something fatal in Propension of Nature tending directly to the Life of Misery which was to befal me.
我是家里的小儿子，父母亲没让我学谋生的手艺，因此从小只是喜欢胡思乱想，一心想出洋远游。当时，我父亲年事已高，但他还是让我受了相当不错的教育。他曾送我去寄宿学校就读，还让我上免费学校接受乡村义务教育，一心一意想要我将来学法律。但我对一切都没有兴趣，只是想航海。
我完全不顾父愿，甚至违抗父命，也全然不听母亲的恳求和朋友们的劝阻。我的这种天性，似乎注定了我未来不幸的命运。
My Father, a wise and grave Man, gave me serious excellent Counsel against what he foresaw was my Design. He call'd me one Morning into his Chamber, where he confined by the Gout, and expostulated very warmly me upon this Subject: He ask'd me what Reasons more a meer wandring inclination I had for leaving my Father House and my native Country, where I might be well introduced, and had a Prospect of raising my Fortunes Application and Industry, with a Life of Ease and Pleasure He told me it was for Men of desperate Fortunes on one Hand, or of aspiring, Superior Fortunes on the other, who went abroad upon Adventures, to rise by Enterprize, and make themselves famous in Undertakings of a Nature out of the common Road; that these things were all either too far above me, or too far below me; that mine was the middle State, or what might be called the upper Station of Low Life, which he had found by long Experience was the best State in the World, the most suited to human Happiness, not exposed to the Miseries and Hardships, the Labour and Sufferings of the mechanick Part of Mankind, and not embarass'd with the Pride, Luxury, Ambition and Envy of the upper Part of Mankind. He told me, I might judge of the Happiness of this State, by this one thing, viz. That this was the State of Life which all other People envied, that Kings have frequently lamented the miserable Consequences of being born to great things, and wish'd they had been placed in the Middle of the two Extremes, between Mean and the Great; that the wise Man gave his Testimony to this as the just Standard of true Felicity, when he pray to have neither Poverty or Riches.
He bid me observe it, and I should always find, that the Calamitles of Life were shared among the upper and lower Part of Mankind; but that the middle Station had the fewest Disasters, and was not expos'd to so many Vicisitudes as the higher or lower Part of Mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many Distempers and Uneasiness either of Body or Mind, as those were who, by vicious Living, Luxury and Extravagancies on one Hand, or by hard Labour, Want of Necessaries, and mean or insufficient Diet on the other Hand, bring Distempers upon themselves by the natural Consequences of their Way of Living; That the middle Station of Life was calculated for, all kind of Vertues and all kinds of Enjoyments; that Peace and Plenty were the Hand-maids of a middle Fortune; that Temperance, Moderation, Quietness, Health, Society, all agreeable Diversions, and all desirable Pleasures, were the Blessings attending the middle Station of Life; that this Way Men went silently and smoothly thro' the World, and comfortably out of it, not embarass'd with the Labours of the Hands or of the Head, not sold to the Life of Slavery for daily Bread, or harrast with perplex'd Circumstances, which rob the Soul of Peace, and the Body of Rest; not enrag'd with the Passion of Envy, or secret burning Lust of Ambition for great things; but in easy Circumstances sliding gently thro' the World, and sensibly tasting the Sweets of living, without the bitter, feeling that they are happy, and learning by every Day's Experience to know it more sensibly.
我父亲头脑聪明，为人慎重。他预见到我的意图必然会给我带来不幸，就时常严肃地开导我，并给了我不少有益的忠告。一天早晨，他把我叫进他的卧室；因为，那时他正好痛风病发作，行动不便。他十分恳切地对我规劝了一番。他问我，除了为满足我自己漫游四海的癖好外，究竟有什么理由要离弃父母，背井离乡呢？在家乡，我可以经人引荐，在社会上立身。如果我自己勤奋努力，将来完全可以发家致富，过上安逸快活的日子。他对我说，一般出洋冒险的人，不是穷得身无分文，就是妄想暴富；他们野心勃勃，想以非凡的事业扬名于世。但对我来说，这样做既不值得，也无必要。就我的社会地位而言，正好介于两者之间，即一般所说的中间地位。从他长期的经验判断，这是世界上最好的阶层，这种中间地位也最能使人幸福。他们既不必像下层大众从事艰苦的体力劳动而生活依旧无着；也不会像那些上层人物因骄奢淫逸、野心勃勃和相互倾轧而弄得心力交瘁。他说，我自己可以从下面的事实中认识到，中间地位的生活确实幸福无比；这就是，人人羡慕这种地位，许多帝王都感叹其高贵的出身给他们带来的不幸后果，恨不得自己出生于贫贱与高贵之间的中间阶层。明智的人也证明，中间阶层的人能获得真正的幸福。《圣经》中的智者也曾祈祷："使我既不贫穷，也不富裕。"他提醒我，只要用心观察，就会发现上层社会和下层社会的人都多灾多难，唯中间阶层灾祸最少。中间阶层的生活，不会像上层社会和下层社会的人那样盛衰荣辱，瞬息万变。而且，中间地位不会像阔佬那样因挥霍无度、腐化堕落而弄得身心俱病；也不会像穷人那样因终日操劳、缺吃少穿而搞得憔悴不堪。唯有中间地位的人可享尽人间的幸福和安乐。中等人常年过着安定富足的生活。适可而止，中庸克己，健康安宁，交友娱乐，以及生活中的种种乐趣，都是中等人的福份。这种生活方式，使人平静安乐，怡然自得地过完一辈子，不受劳心劳力之苦。他们既不必为每日生计劳作，或为窘境所迫，以至伤身烦神；也不会因妒火攻心，或利欲薰心而狂躁不安。中间阶层的人可以平静地度过一生，尽情地体味人生的甜美，没有任何艰难困苦；他们感到幸福，并随着时日的过去，越来越深刻地体会到这种幸福。
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