翻译练习《小王子》Day12

The Little Prince Day12

If you were to say to the grown-ups: “I saw a beautiful house made of rosy brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof, ” they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all. You would have to say to then: “I saw a house that cost $20,000.” Then they would exclaim: “Oh, what a pretty that is!”

如果你对大人们说：“我看到一所漂亮的房子，它是由玫瑰色的砖砌成的，窗子上爬满了天竺葵，鸽子在屋顶休憩。”他们对这所房子毫无概念。你应该说：“我看到一所价值$20,000的房子。”这样他们就会惊叹道“哦！它多漂亮啊！”

Just so, you might say to them: “The proof that the little prince existed is that he was charming, that be laughed, and that he was looking for a sheep. If anybody wants a sheep, that is a proof that he exists.” And what good would it do to tell then that? They would it do to tell then that? They would shrug their shoulders, and treat you like a child. But if you said to them: “The planet he came from is Asteroid B-612,” then they would be convinced, and leave you in peace from their questions.

所以，你可能会对他们说：“关于小王子存在的证据是他笑起来很有魅力，他在寻找一只羊，如果谁想要一只羊，那就证明他是存在的。”那这样说了会有什么好处呢？这样说了之后他们会耸耸肩膀，然后把你当成一个小孩子。但是如果你对他们说：“他来自的星球是小行星B612，”这样他们就会相信你，然后你就会和平远离他们的问题。

They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children should always show great forbearance toward grown-up people.

他们就是那样，谁都不能反对他们，孩子们总是需要对大人们给予足够的宽容。

But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference. I should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the fairy-tales. I should have liked to say: “Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet that was scarcely any bigger than himself, and who had need of a sheep…”

但是，当然了，对我们理解生活的人来说，数字毫无意义，按照童话故事的形式我应该这样开始这个故事，我应该说：“从前，有一个小王子，他居住的星球几乎不比他自己大多少，他需要一只羊……”

geraniums

n. 天竺葵( geranium的名词复数 )

exist

英 [ɪgˈzɪst] 美 [ɪɡˈzɪst]

vi. 存在;生存;生活;继续存在

convinced

英 [kənˈvɪnst] 美 [kənˈvɪnst]

adj. 确信的;深信的;有坚定信仰的

v. 说服;使确信(convince的过去分词)

forbearance

英 [fɔ:ˈbeərəns] 美 [fɔ:rˈberəns]

n. 忍耐，克制，宽容

indifference

英 [ɪnˈdɪfrəns] 美 [ɪnˈdɪfərəns, -ˈdɪfrəns]

n. 冷淡;不重视，不在乎，漠不关心;中立，中性;无差

fairy-tales

童话故事

once upon a time

英 [wʌns əˈpɔn ə taim]

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cook up想出

He cooked up a wonderful way to surprise his wife on her birthday.

他想出一个在他太太生日时让她惊喜的妙法。

roll with the punches逆来顺受

You have to roll with the punches if you want to survive in this business.

如果你想在这一行生存下去的话，就得逆来顺受

rightoffthebat立刻

Iwasallpreparedtoputupafight,buthegaveinrightoffthebat.

我正准备和他大打一场，但是他马上就投降了。

getone'sfeetwet参与,开始做

It'snotgoodtoconcentrateallyoureffortsonjustwriting.Youshouldgetyourfeetwetand tryingpaintingorreading 单单写作对你不好。你应该涉猎一下绘画或阅读。