小王子中英对照翻译chapter04
2014-12-16 09:38阅读：
[ Chapter 4 ]
- the narrator speculates as to which asteroid from which the
little prince came
这个讲述者推测小王子来自哪个星球
I had thus learned a second fact of great importance:
我了解到了另外一个重要情况：
this was that the planet the little prince came from was scarcely
any larger than a house!
小王子来的星球还没有一所房子大
But that did not really surprise me much.
但是那并不是最让我惊讶的
I knew very well that in addition to the great planets-- such as
the Earth
我还知道很多其他已经命名的大星球：例如，地球
Jupiter
木星
Mars
火星
Venus-- to which we have given names
金星
there are also hundreds of others
还有很多其它的
some of which are so small that one has a hard time seeing them
through the telescope.
有些很小，通过望远镜都很难看见
When an astronomer discovers one of these he does not give it a
name
当天文学家发现还未命名的行星，只是给它
but only a number. He might call it
for example
Asteroid 325.
只是叫它No.325
I have serious reason to believe that the planet from which the lit
tle prince came is the asteroid known as B-612.
我可以很确定小王子来的行星叫 B-612.
This asteroid has only once been seen through the telescope. That
was by a Turkish astronomer
in 1909.
1909年，一位土耳其天文学家通过天文望远镜看到过它一次
On making his discovery
为了纪念他的发现
the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical
Congress
他向国际天文学协会郑重的报告了他的发现
in a great demonstration. But he was in Turkish costume
但是因为他穿着土耳其服装
and so nobody would believe what he said.
所以没有人相信他
Grown-ups are like that...
成年人总是那样...
Fortunately
however
for the reputation of Asteroid B-612
a Turkish dictator made a law that his subjects under pain of death
should change to European costume.
幸好，土耳其的一个独裁者，为了小行星B612的声誉，迫使他的人民都要穿欧式服装，否则就处以死刑。
So in 1920 the astronomer gave his demonstration all over
again
dressed with impressive style and elegance.
所以在1920年，天文学家穿着非常优雅，再次陈述了他的报告
And this time everybody accepted his report.
这一次大家接受了他的报告
If I have told you these details about the asteroid
如果我告诉你这个小行星的细节
and made a note of its number for you
写下他的编号给你
it is on account of the grown-ups and their ways.
主要还是因为成年人的思维方式
When you tell them that you have made a new friend
当你告诉他们你交了一个新朋友
they never ask you any questions about essential matters.
他们不会问任何重要的相关问题
They never say to you What does his voice sound like?
他们从来不会问他的声音听起来如何?
What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?
他喜欢什么？他喜欢收集蝴蝶吗？
Instead
they demand: 'How old is he? How many brothers has he? How much
does he weigh? How much money does his father make?'
而是问：“他多大了？有几个兄弟？多重？父亲赚多少钱？”
Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything
about him.
他们认为通过这些就能了解他了。
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
如果你跟大人们说：“我看见一座美丽的房子，玫瑰色的砖，窗前种了天竺葵，屋顶有鸽子
they would not be able to get any idea of that house at all.
他们对这些完全没有概念
You would have to say to them:I saw a house that cost
$20000.'
如果你说：我看见一所房子值2万美元。”
Then they would exclaim: 'Oh, what a pretty house that is!'
他们会惊呼：“多么美丽的房子！”
Just so
因此
you might say to them: 'The proof that the little prince existed is
that he was charming that he laughed and that he was looking for a
sheep.
你可以说：“小王子笑起来很可爱，他在寻找一只羊。
If anybody wants a sheep that is a proof that he exists.'
这就可以说明他的存在。”
And what good would it do to tell them that?
这样说会有什么样的回应呢？
They would shrug their shoulders and treat you like a child.
他们会耸耸肩，认为你只是个小孩
But if you said to them: 'The planet he came from is Asteroid
B-612
但是如果你跟他们说：“他是来自B-612行星的，
then they would be convinced
他们会信
and leave you in peace from their questions.
并且没有任何疑问
They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children
should always show great forbearance toward grown-up people.
他们总是那样。不能有人反对他们。大人们不喜欢孩子们反驳他们
But certainly
for us who understand life figures are a matter of
indifference.
但是，我们知道那其实无关紧要
I should have liked to begin this story in the fashion of the
fairy-tales.
我应该用童话的形式来说这个故事
I should have like to say:
我应该说：
Once upon a time there was a little prince who lived on a planet
从前有以为小王子居住在一个星球上
that was scarcely any bigger than himself and who had need of a
sheep...'
那里和他自己差不多大小，并且他需要一只羊
To those who understand life
that would have given a much greater air of truth to my
story.
For I do not want any one to read my book carelessly.
我不喜欢任何人粗略的读我的书
I have suffered too much grief in setting down these
memories.
在忘记过去的过程中，我经历了很多痛苦
Six years have already passed since my friend went away from me
with his sheep.
我的朋友和他的羊已经离开我6年了
If I try to describe him here it is to make sure that I shall not
forget him.
我这里这样说只是为了确定我还没有忘记
To forget a friend is sad.
忘记朋友是悲伤的
Not every one has had a friend.
不是所有人都有朋友
And if I forget him I may become like the grown-ups who are no
longer interested in anything but figures...
如果我忘记他，我可能会变得像大人们一样，除了标识之外，其他都不感兴趣
It is for that purpose
again
that I have bought a box of paints and some pencils.
我又拿起了纸笔
It is hard to take up drawing again at my age
我这个年纪再画画已经很难了
when I have never made any pictures except those of the boa
constrictor from the outside and the boa constrictor from the
inside
since I was six.
尤其是我一个只是在6岁的时候画过蟒蛇的人
I shall certainly try to make my portraits as true to life as
possible.
我应该尽量保证我的话的真实
But I am not at all sure of success.
但是我丝毫不确定我会成功
One drawing goes along all right and another has no resemblance to
its subject.
一张还不错，另一张却没有任何相似之处
I make some errors too in the littl e prince's height:
我不记得小王子的身高了：
in one place he is too tall and in another too short.
一个地方很高，另外一个地方却很矮
And I feel some doubts about the color of his costume.
我还不确定他的外套颜色
So I fumble along as best I can
now good
now bad
and I hope generally fair-to-middling.
我尽力做到不变
In certain more important details I shall make mistakes also.
在一些细节上，我可能还是会出错的
But that is something that will not be my fault.
但那不是我的错
My friend never explained anything to me.
我的朋友从来不跟我解释
He thought perhaps that I was like himself.
他认为我和他一样
But I also do not know how to see sheep through the walls of boxes.
但我还是不知道如何通过盒子看羊
Perhaps I am a little like the grown-ups. I have had to grow
old.
可能我像个成人。我不得不成长
