英語聽書《白鯨記》 第339期

The whale never figured in any grand imposingway? In one of the mighty triumphs given to aRoman general upon his entering the world's capital,the bones of a whale, brought all the way from theSyrian coast, were the most conspicuous object inthe cymballed procession.

大鯨本身從來就沒有被當做什么大了不起的么?在為一個羅馬將軍進入這個世界的古都所舉行的壯麗的凱旋式上,那根從敘利亞沿海路遠迢迢運來的鯨骨,正是那鐃鈸齊鳴的行列中最引人注目的東西。

See subsequent chapters for something more on thishead.

你既然這樣旁征博引,那就算它是這樣吧;

Grant it, since you cite it; but say what you will, there is no real dignity in whaling.

不過,隨你怎樣說,捕鯨業(yè)可真沒有什么威風。

No dignity in whaling? The dignity of our calling the very heavens attest. Cetus is aconstellation in the South! No more! Drive down your hat in presence of the Czar, and take itoff to Queequeg! No more! I know a man that, in his lifetime has taken three hundred and fiftywhales. I account that man more honorable than that great captain of antiquity who boastedof taking as many walled towns.

捕鯨業(yè)沒有什么威風么?我們這個職業(yè)的威風是只有上天才能加以證實。鯨座就是南方的一個星座!再也不能多了!如果你在沙皇面前得拉掉帽子,那么,你也對魁魁格脫下帽子吧!再也不能多了!我知道一個人,他一生捕到了三百五十條大鯨。我認為那個人遠比那些大吹其奪取了同樣數(shù)目的城邑的古代大酋長還更光榮。

And, as for me, if, by any possibility, there be any as yet undiscovered prime thing in me; if Ishall ever deserve any real repute in that small but high hushed world which I might not beunreasonably ambitious of; if hereafter I shall do anything that, upon the whole, a man mightrather have done than to have left undone; if, at my death, my executors, or more properly mycreditors, find any precious MSS. in my desk, then here I prospectively ascribe all the honorand the glory to whaling; for a whale-ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.

至于說到我,如果萬一在我身上還有一些尚未發(fā)現(xiàn)的最好的東西;如果我在這個小小而非常靜寂的世界上,尚配享受一點我所不想渴求的真實的聲譽;如果一般說來,從此我還能做些別人所愿意做的一點事情;如果在我死后,我所指定的遺囑執(zhí)行人,或者不如更正確地說,我的債權(quán)人,在我的寫字臺里,能夠找到任何珍貴的手稿,那么,我得在這里預(yù)先把一切榮耀都歸之于捕鯨業(yè):因為一艘捕鯨船就是我的耶魯大學和哈佛大學。