債 The Debt

債Debt

债

他一向就住在妻子家裏，因爲他除妻子以外，沒有別的親戚．妻家底人愛他底He had always lived at his wife's family home, for besides his wife he had no other kin. His wife's family loved him for his

他一向就住在妻子家里，因为他除妻子以外，没有别的亲戚．妻家底人爱他底

聰明，也憐他底伶仃，所以萬事都尊重他．cleverness, and pitied his solitariness, so in all things they showed him respect.

聪明，也怜他底伶仃，所以万事都尊重他．

他底妻子早已去世，膝下又沒有子女．他底生活就是念書、寫字，有時還彈彈七絃：他决不是一個書獃子，因爲他常要在書內求理解，不像書獃子只求多念．His wife had long since passed away, and he had no children of his own. His life consisted of reading, writing, and sometimes playing the seven-stringed zither: he was by no means a bookworm, for he always sought understanding in his books, unlike a bookworm who seeks only to read widely.

他底妻子早已去世，膝下又没有子女．他底生活就是念书、写字，有时还弹弹七弦：他决不是一个书呆子，因为他常要在书内求理解，不像书呆子只求多念．

妻子底家裏有很大的花園供他游玩；His wife's family had a large garden for him to stroll in;有許多奴僕聽他使令．但他從沒有特意and many servants at his beck and call. But he never made a point of

妻子底家里有很大的花园供他游玩；有许多奴仆听他使令．但他从没有特意

到園裏游玩；going to the garden to stroll about;也沒有呼喚過一個僕人．nor had he ever summoned a single servant.

到园里游玩；也没有呼唤过一个仆人．

在一個陰鬱的天氣裏，人無論在什麽地方都不舒服底．岳母叫他到屋裏閒談，On a gloomy day, when a person feels ill at ease no matter where he is, his mother-in-law called him into the house to chat,

在一个阴郁的天气里，人无论在什么地方都不舒服底．岳母叫他到屋里闲谈，

不曉得爲什麼緣故就勸起他來．岳母說：『我覺得自從儷兒去世以後，你就比前格and for some unknown reason began to counsel him. His mother-in-law said, 'I feel that since our daughter passed away, you have become more

不晓得为什么缘故就劝起他来．岳母说：『我觉得自从俪儿去世以后，你就比前格

外客氣．我勸你毋須如此，因爲外人不知道都要怪我．看你穿成這樣，還不如家裏底formal than before. I urge you there is no need for this, for outsiders who don't understand will all blame me. Look how you are dressed — not even as well as the household's

外客气．我劝你毋须如此，因为外人不知道都要怪我．看你穿成这样，还不如家里底

僕人，若有生人來到，叫我怎樣過得去？servants; if a stranger were to come, how could I bear the shame of it?儻或有人欺負你，說你這長那短，儘可以告訴我，我責罰他給你看．』If anyone should ever bully you, saying this or that about you, you may certainly tell me, and I shall punish him in front of you.'

仆人，若有生人来到，叫我怎样过得去？傥或有人欺负你，说你这长那短，尽可以告诉我，我责罚他给你看．』

『我那里懂得客氣？'How would I know anything about formality?不過我只覺得我欠底債太多，不好意思多要什麽．』It is only that I feel the debts I owe are too many, and I am too embarrassed to ask for anything more.'

『我那里懂得客气？不过我只觉得我欠底债太多，不好意思多要什么．』

『什麼債？'What debts?有人問你算帳麽？Has anyone come demanding payment from you?唉，你太過見外了！Ah, you are far too distant with me!我看你和自己底子姪一樣，你短I regard you just the same as my own nephew; whatever you lack

『什么债？有人问你算帐么？唉，你太过见外了！我看你和自己底子姪一样，你短

了什麽，儘管問管家底要去；you should simply go and ask the steward for;若有人敢說閒話；and if anyone dares to gossip about it,我定不饒他．』I will certainly not let him off.'

了什么，尽管问管家底要去；若有人敢说闲话；我定不饶他．』

『我所欠底是一切的債，我看見許多貧乏人、愁苦人，就如該了他們無量數的'What I owe are debts of every kind. When I see the many poor and sorrowful people, it is as if I owed them a debt beyond counting.

『我所欠底是一切的债，我看见许多贫乏人、愁苦人，就如该了他们无量数的

債一般．我有好的衣食，總想先償還他們．世間若有一個人喫不飽足，穿不煖和，住不Whenever I have fine food and clothing, I always think first of repaying them. If there is even one person in this world who cannot eat his fill, cannot keep warm, or cannot live

债一般．我有好的衣食，总想先偿还他们．世间若有一个人吃不饱足，穿不煖和，住不

舒服，我也不敢公然獨享這具足的生活．』in comfort, I dare not openly enjoy this life of abundance all by myself.'

舒服，我也不敢公然独享这具足的生活．』

『你說得太��了！』她說過這話，停了半晌才接着點頭說，『很好，這才是讀書'You speak far too abstrusely!' Having said this, she paused a good while, then nodded and went on, 'Very good — this is truly the spirit of the scholar who

『你说得太𤣥了！』她说过这话，停了半晌才接着点头说，『很好，这才是读书

人「先天下之憂而憂」底精神．……is "first to grieve for the world's troubles." ...然而你要什麽時候才還得淸呢？But when do you mean to finish paying it all off?你有淸還底計Do you have a plan for

人「先天下之忧而忧」底精神．……然而你要什么时候才还得淸呢？你有淸还底计

畫沒有？』clearing the debt, or not?'

画没有？』

『唔……'Um...唔……』他心裏從來沒有想到這個，所以不能囘答．Um...' He had never once thought of this in his mind, and so he could not answer.

『唔……唔……』他心里从来没有想到这个，所以不能囘答．

『好孩子，這樣的債自來就沒有人能還得清，你何必自尋苦惱？'My good child, debts of this sort have never, since ancient times, been paid off by anyone — why trouble yourself over it?我想，你還是做一個小小的債主罷．說到具足生活，也是沒有涯岸底：我們今日所謂具足，焉知不是I think you had better be a small-time creditor instead. As for a life of sufficiency, it too is without bounds: how do we know that what we call sufficiency today is not

『好孩子，这样的债自来就没有人能还得清，你何必自寻苦恼？我想，你还是做一个小小的债主罢．说到具足生活，也是没有涯岸底：我们今日所谓具足，焉知不是

明日底缺陷？tomorrow's deficiency?你多念一點書就知道生命卽是缺陷底苗圃，是煩惱底秧田；Read a little more and you will know that life itself is the seedbed of deficiency, the nursery plot of vexation;若要補修and if one wished to mend

明日底缺陷？你多念一点书就知道生命即是缺陷底苗圃，是烦恼底秧田；若要补修

缺陷，拔除煩惱，除棄絕生命外，沒有別條道路．然而，我們那能辦得到？its deficiencies and root out its vexations, there is no way but to renounce life itself. And yet, how could we ever manage that?個個人都那麽Every single person is so

缺陷，拔除烦恼，除弃绝生命外，没有别条道路．然而，我们那能办得到？个个人都那么

怕死！afraid of death!你不要作這種非非想，還是順着境遇做人去罷．』Do not entertain such wild fancies — better to go along with your circumstances and simply live.'

怕死！你不要作这种非非想，还是顺着境遇做人去罢．』

『時間，……'Time...計畫，……a plan...做人……』這幾個字從岳母口裏發出，他底耳鼓就如to simply live...' As these words came from his mother-in-law's mouth, his eardrums felt as if

『时间，……计画，……做人……』这几个字从岳母口里发出，他底耳鼓就如

受了極猛烈的椎擊．他想來想去，已想昏了．他爲解决這事，好幾天沒有出來．they had received the most violent hammer-blow. He turned it over and over in his mind, until his thoughts grew dizzy. To settle this matter, he did not come out of his room for several days.

受了极猛烈的椎击．他想来想去，已想昏了．他为解决这事，好几天没有出来．

那天早晨，女傭端粥到他房裏，沒見他，心中非常疑惑．因爲早晨，他沒有什麽地That morning, when the maidservant carried porridge to his room, she did not find him there, and her heart was filled with great puzzlement. For in the mornings he had nowhere in

那天早晨，女佣端粥到他房里，没见他，心中非常疑惑．因为早晨，他没有什么地

方可去：海邊呢？particular to go: to the seaside?他是不輕易到底，花園呢？He was not one to go there lightly. To the garden?他更不願意在早晨去．因爲丫頭們都在那He was even less willing to go there in the morning. Because the servant girls were all there at

方可去：海边呢？他是不轻易到底，花园呢？他更不愿意在早晨去．因为丫头们都在那

個時候到園裏爭摘好花去獻給她們幾位姑娘．他最怕見底是人家毀壞現成的東that hour, going into the garden to vie for picking the finest flowers to present to their young mistresses. What he most dreaded seeing was people spoiling things

个时候到园里争摘好花去献给她们几位姑娘．他最怕见底是人家毁坏现成的东

西．as they already were.

女傭四團一望，驀地看見一封信被留針刺在門上．她忙取下來，給別人一看，原The maidservant looked all around, and suddenly saw a letter pinned to the door with a needle. She hurriedly took it down and showed it to someone else, and it turned out

女佣四团一望，蓦地看见一封信被留针刺在门上．她忙取下来，给别人一看，原

來是給老夫人底．to be addressed to the old lady.

来是给老夫人底．

她把信拆開，遞給老夫人．上面寫着：She opened the letter and handed it to the old lady. On it was written:

她把信拆开，递给老夫人．上面写着：

『親愛的岳母:'Dear Mother-in-law:

『亲爱的岳母:

你問我底話，教我實在想不出好囘答．而且，因你這一問，使我越發覺得The question you asked me, I truly could not think of a good answer to. And moreover, your asking made me feel all the more that

你问我底话，教我实在想不出好囘答．而且，因你这一问，使我越发觉得

我所負底債更重．我想做人若不能還債，就得避債，决不能敎債主把他揪住；the debt I owe is heavier still. I think that if a person cannot repay his debts, he must flee them, and must never let the creditor seize hold of him,

我所负底债更重．我想做人若不能还债，就得避债，决不能教债主把他揪住；

使他受苦．若論還債，依我底力量、才能，是不濟事底．我得出去找幾個幫忙底and make him suffer. As for repaying debts, going by my own strength and ability, it simply cannot be done. I must go out and find some people to help me;

使他受苦．若论还债，依我底力量、才能，是不济事底．我得出去找几个帮忙底

人．如果不能找着，再想法子．現在我去了，多謝你栽培我這麽些年．我底前途，and if I cannot find any, I shall think of some other way. I am leaving now. My thanks to you for raising and nurturing me all these years. As for my future,

人．如果不能找着，再想法子．现在我去了，多谢你栽培我这么些年．我底前途，

望你記念；I hope you will keep it in your thoughts;我底往事，願你忘卻．我也要時時祝你平安．壻容融留字』as for my past, I wish you would forget it. I too shall pray always for your peace. Left in writing by your son-in-law, Rongrong.'

望你记念；我底往事，愿你忘却．我也要时时祝你平安．壻容融留字』

老夫人念完這信．就非常愁悶，以後每想起她底女壻，便好幾天不高興．但不高When the old lady finished reading this letter, she grew extremely melancholy, and afterward, whenever she thought of her son-in-law, she would be unhappy for days on end. But unhappy

老夫人念完这信．就非常愁闷，以后每想起她底女壻，便好几天不高兴．但不高

興儘管不高興，女壻至終沒有囘來．as she might be, her son-in-law never came back after all.

兴尽管不高兴，女壻至终没有囘来．