雙語詩歌翻譯|《火燒裳尾》

大意：有一個(gè)慢性子的人，冬天與別人圍爐取暖，見別人衣服的邊角被火燒著了，于是慢吞吞地對(duì)那人說：“有一件事，我早就發(fā)現(xiàn)了，想對(duì)您說，又怕您沉不住氣；不對(duì)您說，又怕您損失太多，那么到底是說好呢還是不說好呢？”那人問到底是什么事。回答說：“火燒著您的衣服邊了?！蹦侨擞谑勤s快把火滅了，對(duì)他吼道：“既已發(fā)現(xiàn)，為什么不早告訴我？”慢性子人說：“我說您會(huì)性急的吧，果不其然！”

《火燒裳尾》

有人性寬緩，冬日共人圍爐，見人裳尾為火所燒，乃曰：“有一事，見之已久，欲言之，恐君性急；不言，恐君傷太多，然則言之是耶，不言之是耶？”人問何事，曰：“火燒君裳?！彼硎找禄饻纾笈唬骸耙娭?，何不早道？”其人曰：“我言君性急，果是。”

--宋無名氏<<籍川笑林>>

A Fiery Temper

A group of people were sitting around a stove on a wintry day when one man of phlegmatic temperament suddenly announced to one of those present: “I have noticed something going on for some time now, but have hesitated to tell you, since I know you are hot-tempered. Yet should I fail to inform you before long, I fear you may sustain bodily injury. Shall I go ahead and tell you or not?”

“Well, be out with it, man!” the hot-tempered fellow exclaimed. Consequently, the first man shouted: “Your robe is on fire, sir!” The victim of the blaze immediately ripped off his own robe and stamped out the flames. Enraged, he cursed the other, saying: “Since you already knew for some time that my clothing was burning, why the devil didn’t you tell me earlier?” “You see!” the first man chortled. “Just as I have said, I knew you’d get angry no matter what I did!”