評論
打印
There was once a pretty chicken;
從前有只漂亮的小公雞，
But his friends were very few,
他的朋友卻沒幾個；
For he thought that there was nothing in the world but what he knew:
因為他認為這個世界上沒有什么是他不知道的；
So he always, in the farmyard ,
所以在農(nóng)家小院里，
Had a very forward way,
總看見他直沖向前大言不慚
Telling all the hens and turkeys
告訴所有母雞和火雞，
What they ought to do and say.
什么該說，什么該干。
"Mrs. Goose," he said,
他說：“鵝太太，”
I wonder that your goslings you should let
我想你太不應(yīng)該，讓小鵝們到外面玩耍；
Go out paddling in the water;
他們在水里撲騰嬉戲，
It will kill them to get wet.
全身濕透隨時會沒命的呀。
I wish, my old Aunt Dorking,
我希望，我親愛的道根雞阿姨，
He began to her, one day,
有一天，他又對道根雞開口：
"That you wouldn't sit all summer
你不要整個夏天都坐著不動，
In your nest upon the hay.
老在干草上蹲窩有什么意思！
Won't you come out to the meadow,
難道你就不想在草地上走走？
Where the grass with seeds is filled?"
那里多的是種子藏在草里。
"If I should," said Mrs. Dorking,
“如果我走開，”道根雞阿姨回答他，
"Then my eggs would all get chilled.
“那我的蛋全都會凍死。
"No, they won't," replied the chicken,
“不，它們不會的，”小公雞接話，
"And no matter if they do;
就算它們凍壞也沒問題。
Eggs are really good for nothing;
那些蛋一點好處也沒有，
What's an egg to me or you?
對你對我又有什么意義？
"What's an egg!" said Mrs. Dorking,
“蛋有什么意義！”道根雞大聲說，
Can it be you do not know
它可以是你不知道的一切。
You yourself were in an eggshell
你可知短短一個月之前的自己，
Just one little month ago?
還在蛋殼里沒來到這個世界？
And, if kind wings had not warmed you,
如果不是有慈愛的翅膀給你溫暖，
You would not be out to-day,
今天你就不會在這里出現(xiàn)，
Telling hens, and geese, and turkeys,
對著母雞、火雞和鵝媽媽，
What they ought to do and say!
說它們什么該說，什么該干！”
To be very wise, and show it,
做個聰明人到處炫耀，
Is a pleasant thing, no doubt;
毫無疑問你會感覺愉快；
But, when young folks talk to old folks,
可是當(dāng)年輕人面對長者說話，
They should know what they're about.
最好他們說的東西要自己先明白。”
