評(píng)論
打印
Hafid pushed aside the half-eaten loaf of bread
海菲把啃了一半的面包推到一旁，
and considered his unhappy fate.
想著自己坎坷的命運(yùn)，
Tomorrow would be his fourth day in Bethlehem
明天就是他抵達(dá)伯利恒的第四天了，
and the single red robe that he had carried so confidently away from the caravan
他滿懷信心帶來的那件紅袍子，
was still in the pack on the back of his animal,
仍然原封不動(dòng)地放在牲口背上的包袱里。
now tethered to a stake in the cave behind the inn.
牲口已經(jīng)拴在客棧后面的山洞里了。
He heard not the noise that surrounded him in the overcrowded dining hall
客棧里人聲嘈雜，他卻像全然不知，
as he scowled at his unfinished meal.
只皺著眉，愣愣地看著桌上沒吃完的晚餐。
Doubts that have assailed every seller
那些有史以來困擾著每個(gè)推銷員的問題，
since the beginning of time passed through his mind:
向他襲來。
"Why will the people not listen to my story?
“為什么人們不愿聽我說什么？
How does one command their attention?
怎樣才能引起他們的注意？
Why do they close their door before I have said five words?
為什么不等我開口，他們就把門關(guān)上了？
Why do they lose interest in my talk and walk away?
為什么他們對(duì)我的話不感興趣？
Is everyone poor in this town?
這個(gè)小鎮(zhèn)上的人都那么窮嗎？
What can I say when they tell me they like the robe
要是他們說喜歡我的袍子，
but cannot afford it?
可是買不起，那我又能說什么呢？
Why do so many tell me to return at a later date?
為什么好多人都叫我過幾天再去？
How do others sell when I cannot?
我賣不掉這袍子的話，別人能賣掉嗎？
What is this fear that seizes me when I approach a closed door
每次要敲門的時(shí)候，心中就有說不出的恐懼，這到底是怎么回事？
and how can I overcome it?
怎么才能克服這種恐懼？
Is my price not in line with the other sellers?"
是不是我比別人賣得貴了？
He shook his head in disgust at his failure.
他搖著頭，對(duì)自己的失敗很不滿意。
Perhaps this was not the life for him.
也許他不適合干這行，
Perhaps he should remain a camel boy
也許他還是應(yīng)該回去重新喂養(yǎng)駱駝，
and continue earning only coppers for each day's labor.
繼續(xù)做每天只能賺取幾個(gè)銅板的苦工。
As a seller of goods
要是他能把袍子賣掉，
he would indeed be fortunate
回去見到主人，
if he returned to the caravan with any profit at all.
該有多么風(fēng)光！
What had Pathros called him?
柏薩羅叫他什么來著？
A young soldier?
年輕的勇士？
He wished, momentarily, that he were back with his animals.
此時(shí)此刻，他多么希望自己能帶著成群的牲口衣錦還鄉(xiāng)啊！
Then his thoughts turned to Lisha
他又想到了麗莎，
and to her stern father, Calneh,
想到她那勢(shì)利眼的父親卡奈。
and the doubts quickly left ... his mind.
于是，他很快打消了這些猶豫不決的念頭。
Tonight he would again sleep in the hills
再在山上將就一夜吧，
to conserve his funds
看好行李，
and tomorrow he would sell the robe.
明天一早再去碰碰運(yùn)氣。
