1、Lesson six,Prose translation,2007年八级考试,暮色中，河湾里落满云霞，与天际的颜色混合一起，分不清哪是流云哪是水湾。也就在这一幅绚烂的图画旁边，在河湾之畔，一群羊正在低头觅食。它们几乎没有一个顾得上抬起头来，看一眼这美丽的黄昏。也许它们要抓紧时间，在即将回家的最后一刻再次咀嚼。这是黄河滩上的一幕(scene)。牧羊人不见了，他不知在何处歇息。只有这些美生灵自由自在地享受着这个黄昏。这儿水草肥美，让它们长得肥滚滚的，像些胖娃娃。如果走近了，会发现它们那可爱的神情，洁白的牙齿，那丰富而单纯的表情。如果稍稍长久一点端详这张张面庞，还会生出无限的怜悯。,暮色中，河湾里落
2、满云霞，与天际的颜色混合一起，分不清哪是流云哪是水湾。In the dusk, the evening sunlight spreading the river bend mingled itself with the color of the sky, which makes indistinct the clouds and waters.,也就在这一幅绚烂的图画旁边，在河湾之畔，一群羊正在低头觅食。Beside this picture with profusions of colors, a group of sheep are lowing their heads, eating b
3、y the river bank.,它们几乎没有一个顾得上抬起头来，看一眼这美丽的黄昏。Almost none of them would spare some time to raise their eyes to have a glance at the beautiful dusk.,也许它们要抓紧时间，在即将回家的最后一刻再次咀嚼。They are, perhaps, taking use of every minute to enjoy their last chew before being driven home.,这是黄河滩上的一幕。牧羊人不见了，他不知在何处歇息。This i
4、s a picture of the Yellow River bank, in which the shepherd disappears, and no one knows where he is resting himself.,只有这些美生灵自由自在地享受着这个黄昏。Only the sheep, however, as free creatures, are joyfully appreciating the dusk.,这儿水草肥美，让它们长得肥滚滚的，像些胖娃娃。The exuberant water plants have nourished the sheep, making
5、 them grow as fat as balls.,如果走近了，会发现它们那可爱的神情，洁白的牙齿，那丰富而单纯的表情。 When approaching near, you would find their lily-white teeth and a variety of innocent facial impressions.,如果稍稍长久一点端详这张张面庞，还会生出无限的怜悯。If you scrutinize their faces more carefully, you will have much mercy on them.,在某些社会中，人们希望拥有孩子是出于所谓的家庭原
6、因：传宗接代，光宗耀祖，博取祖辈的欢心，使那些涉及到整个家族的宗教仪式得以发挥其应有的作用。此类原因在现代世俗化的社会中似显苍白但它们在其他地方曾一度构成并确实仍在构成强有力的理由。,在某些社会中，人们希望拥有孩子是出于所谓的家庭原因：传宗接代，光宗耀祖，博取祖辈的欢心，使那些涉及到整个家族的宗教仪式得以发挥其应有的作用。In some societies people want children for what might be called familial reasons: to extend the family line or the family name, to propiti
7、ate the ancestors; to enable the proper functioning of religious rituals involving thefamily.,此类原因在现代世俗化的社会中似显苍白，但它们在其他地方曾一度构成并确实仍在构成强有力的理由。Such reasons may seem thin in the modern, secularized society but theyhave been and are powerful indeed in other places.,此外，有一类家庭原因与下列类别不无共通之处，这便是：生儿育女是为着维系或改善婚
8、姻;能拴住丈夫或者使妻子不致于无所事事；修复婚姻或为婚姻注入新的活力；多子多孙，以为家庭幸福，惟系于此。这一点更可因其相反情形而得以凸现：在某些社会中，无法生儿育女（或无法生育男孩）于婚姻而言可构成一种威胁，并可作为离婚的一个顺理成章的（或现成 的）缘由。,此外，有一类家庭原因与下列类别不无共通之处，这便是：生儿育女是为着维系或改善婚姻;能拴住丈夫或者使妻子不致于无所事事；修复婚姻或为婚姻注入新的活力；多子多孙，以为家庭幸福，惟系于此。In addition, one class of family reasons shares a border with the followingcateg
9、ory, namely, having children in order to maintain or improve a marriage: to hold the husband or occupy the wife; to repair or rejuvenate the marriage; to increase the number of children on the assumption that family happiness lies that way.,这一点更可因其相反情形而得以凸现：在某些社会中，无法生儿育女（或无法生育男孩）于婚姻而言可构成一种威胁，并可作为离婚的
10、一个顺理成章的（或现成 的）缘由。The point is underlined by its converse: in some societies thefailure to bear children (or males) is a threat to the marriage and a readycause for divorce.,除了所有这一切以外，还有一个原因，那就是后代对于家庭这一体制本身所具有的深远意义。Beyond all that is the profound significance of children to the veryinstitution of the
11、 family itself.,对许多人来说，夫妇两人尚不足以构成一个真正意义上的家庭-夫妻需要孩子来丰富其两人小天地，赋予该小天地以真正意义上的家庭性质，并从子孙后代身上获取某种回报。To many people, husband and wife alone do notseem a proper family -they need children to enrich the circle, to validate itsfamily character, to gather the redemptive influence of offspring.,孩子需要家庭，但家庭似乎也需要孩子
12、。作为一种社会体制，家庭以其特有的方式，至少从原则上说，可在一个变幻莫测、常常是充满敌意的世界中让人从获取某种安全、慰藉、保障，以及价值取向。Children need the family, but the family seems also to need children, as the socialinstitution uniquely available, at least in principle, for security, comfort,assurance, and direction in a changing, often hostile, world.,于大多数人而言，这样的一个家庭基础，即从其表层意义上来讲，也需要不至一个人来维持其存在，并使其世代相传，生生不息。To most people, such a home base, in the literal sense, needs more than one person forsustenance and in generational extension.,
