評(píng)論
打印
No matter how well the matter has been explained to them, these young spectators are always shocked and sickened at the sight.
不管大人們把這事對(duì)那些青年人怎么解釋?zhuān)@些青年看到那孩子的悲慘情狀都不禁大為震驚并感到惡心。
They feel disgust, which they had thought themselves superior to. They feel anger, outrage, impotence, despite all the explanations.
他們感到厭惡，這是他們?cè)瓉?lái)所沒(méi)有料到的。盡管他們聽(tīng)了許多的解釋?zhuān)麄冞€是感到氣憤、憤怒但又無(wú)能為力。
They would like to do something for the child. But there is nothing they can do.
他們本想為那孩子做點(diǎn)什么的，但卻什么也不能做。
If the child were brought up into the sunlight out of the vile place, if it were cleaned and fed and comforted, that would be a good thing, indeed;
假若能把那孩子弄出那個(gè)悲慘的地方，讓他(她)重見(jiàn)天日，假若能把他(她)洗得干干凈凈，將他(她)喂得飽飽的，并讓他(她)有個(gè)舒舒服服的睡覺(jué)的地方，那無(wú)疑是一件很好的事情。
but if it were done, in that day and hour all the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed.
但只要那樣做了，奧米勒斯的一切，包括她的繁榮氣象、美麗景色和歡樂(lè)生活等都會(huì)立刻化為烏有。
Those are the terms. To exchange all the goodness and grace of every life in Omelas for that single, small improvement:
這是條約上有明文規(guī)定的。為了做那一件微不足道的善事而犧牲善良的奧米勒斯全體眾生，
to throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one: that would be to let guilt within the walls indeed.
為了給一個(gè)人創(chuàng)造幸福的機(jī)會(huì)而破壞千萬(wàn)人的幸福，那無(wú)疑是將罪惡引進(jìn)奧米勒斯城。
The terms are strict and absolute; there may not even be a kind word spoken to the child.
條約上的規(guī)定極其嚴(yán)格，沒(méi)有半點(diǎn)變通的余地。就連對(duì)那孩子講一句仁慈友善的話都在被禁止之列。
Often the young people go home in tears, or in a tearless rage, when they have seen the child and faced this terrible paradox.
當(dāng)那些青年去看了那個(gè)孩子，面對(duì)那種痛苦的矛盾處境后再回到家里時(shí)，他們往往會(huì)痛哭流涕，或是悲憤難抑。
They may brood over it for weeks or years. But as time goes on they begin to realize that even if the child could be released, it would not get much good of its freedom:
他們可能要為此悲傷若干個(gè)星期，甚至若干年。但隨著時(shí)間的推移，他們會(huì)漸漸認(rèn)識(shí)到，即使那孩子獲得釋放，
a little vague pleasure of warmth and food, no doubt, but little more. It is too degraded and imbecile to know any real joy.
他(她)也不會(huì)感受到自由的好處。當(dāng)然，他(她)可能因?yàn)闇仫枂?wèn)題得到解決而感受到一點(diǎn)模模糊糊的愉悅，
It has been afraid too long ever to be free of fear.
再不會(huì)有多少別的好處了。
