評論
打印
Omelas sounds in my words like a city-in a fairy tale, long ago and far away, once upon a time. Perhaps it would be best if you imagined it as your own fancy bids,
叫我說來，奧米勒斯城就似乎是很久很久以前存在于童話世界的某個遙遠地方的一座城市。倘若讀者有足夠的想象力的話，最好還是自己去想象奧米勒斯城的情形吧。
assuming it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all.
因為讓我一個人來描述，肯定是難合所有讀者的口味。
For instance, how about technology?
比如，奧米勒斯城的科技發展狀況如何?
I think that there would be no oars or helicopters in and above the streets; this follows from the fact that the people of Omelas are happy people.
我認為那兒的街道上不會有汽車奔馳，空中不會有飛機盤旋。其依據是這樣的事實：奧米勒斯人民是快樂幸福的人民。
Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive.
快樂幸福的基礎是能分辨什么是生活必需之物，什么是既不必需又無危害之物，以及什么是有害之物。
In the middle category, however—that of the unnecessary but undestructive, that of comfort, luxury, exuberance, etc.they could perfectly well have central heating, subway trains, washing machines, and all kinds of marvelous devices not yet invented here, floating light-sources, fuelless power, a cure for the common cold.
奧米勒斯人自然不會要汽車、飛機等有害之物。不過，在第二類物品中--那些雖不必需但卻無害的物品，即那些給人帶來舒適享受的奢侈品中--他們卻完全可能擁有中央空調、地鐵火車、洗衣機以及其他各種各樣尚未發明出來的東西，如流動光源、無燃料動力、治療傷風感冒的秘方等等。
Or they could have none of that: it doesn't matter.
也許他們根本沒有這些玩意，那也無關緊要。就由你自己去想象吧。
As you like it. One thing I know there is none of in Omelas is guilt.But what else should there be?
有一樣東西我確知是奧米勒斯城所沒有的，那就是罪惡。除此以外還有些什么呢?
I thought at first there were no drugs, but that is puritanical.
我想，首先是他們沒有毒品，但那樣他們的生活又顯得太像苦行僧了。
For those who like it, the faint insistent sweetness of drooz may perfume the ways of the city, drooz which first brings a great lightness and brilliance to the mind and limbs,
如果人們喜歡的話，城區的街道上也可以聞到一種稱作"德魯斯"的麻醉藥品散發出的清淡而沁人心脾的香味。服了這種麻醉品后最初的反應是四肢變得十分輕靈，頭腦變得十分靈活;
and then after some hours a dreamy languor, and wonderful visions at last of the very arcana and inmost secrets of the Universe,
過幾個小時以后，便昏昏沉沉地進入一種夢境，并產生各種各樣奇妙的幻覺，使人得以窺視宇宙間最玄妙、隱藏最深的奧秘;
as well as ex-citing the pleasure of sex beyond all belief; and it is not habit-forming.
另外，它還能極大的增強性交的快感。
