0644翻译北京的春节

0644翻译：北京的春节（老舍）Translation:SpringFestivalofBeijing(LaoShe)(translatedby:alexcwlin;editedby:AdamLam)照北京的老规矩，春节差不多在腊月的初旬就开始了。AccordingtoestablishedcustomofBeijing,SpringFestivalstartsduringthefirsttendaysofthelastlunarcalendarmonth.“腊七腊八，冻死寒鸦”，Thereisanoldsaying:“Temperatureon7thand8thoflastlunarmonthcouldfreezejackdawtodeath”.这是一年里最冷的时候。Thisisthecoldestperiodoftheyear.在腊八这天，家家都熬腊八粥。Onthis8thdayofthelastlunarmonthpracticallyeveryfamilycooksLabaRicePorridge.粥是用各种米，各种豆，与各种干果熬成的。Thisporridgesimmersforalongtimewithingredientsofdifferenttypesofrice,beansanddriedfruitsinwater.这不是粥，而是小型的农业展览会。Youcansaythisisnotporridge,butasmall-scaleagriculturalproductexhibition.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------除此之外，这一天还要泡腊八蒜。Besidethis,peopleusuallypickleLabagarlicsonthisday.把蒜瓣放进醋里，封起来，为过年吃饺子用。TheyputgarlicsinsidevinegarandsealupthecontaineruntilChineseNewYearwhenthepickledgarlicswillbeeatenwithdumplings.到年底，蒜泡得色如翡翠，醋也有了些辣味，Attheendofthelunaryear,thepickledgarlicswouldbegreenasjadeiteandthevinegarwouldbeabitspicy-hot.色味双美，使人忍不住要多吃几个饺子。Boththecolorandtasteofthegarlicsaresoappetizinglyappealingthatpeoplecouldn’thelpbuteatafewmoredumplingsatthesametime.在北京，过年时，家家吃饺子。DuringChineseNewYearinBeijing,allfamilieseatdumplings.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------孩子们准备过年，第一件大事就是买杂伴儿。WhenchildrenaregettingreadyforChineseNewYear,thefirstimportantthingtheywoulddoistobuyMixedNutsCandy.这是用花生、胶枣、榛子、栗子等干果与蜜饯掺和成的。Thisismadeofmixingtogetherpeanuts,cookedjujubes,hazelnuts,chestnuts,otherdriedfruits,andhoney-preservedfruits.孩子们喜欢吃这些零七八碎儿。Childrenlikeeatingthesesnacks. 第二件大事是买爆竹，特别是男孩子们。Thesecondimportantthingtheywoulddoistobuyfirecrackers—particularlyforboys.恐怕第三件事才是买各种玩意儿——风筝、空竹、口琴等。Iamafraidbuyingdifferentplaythings,suchaskites,diabolos,harmonicas,etc.,wouldonlybethethirdthingontheto-dolist.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------孩子们欢喜，大人们也忙乱。Childrenlovethistimeoftheyear,andadultsarebusyscramblingtogetready.他们必须预备过年吃的、喝的、穿的、用的，Theyhavetoprepareforfood,drinks,clothes,andthingsforuseduringChineseNewYear.好在新年时显出万象更新的气象。ItisanopportunetimeduringtheNewYearthatallthingsaregoingtohaveanairofturningrefreshinglynew.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------腊月二十三过小年，差不多就是过春节的“彩排”。The23rddayofthelastlunarmonthismoreorlessa“rehearsal”forSpringFestival.天一擦黑，鞭炮响起来，便有了过年的味道。Onceitgetsdark,soundsofstringsofexplodingfirecrackerswouldfurnishaflavorofChineseNewYear.这一天，是要吃糖的，街上早有好多卖麦芽糖与江米糖的，Anyonelookingforcandiestoeatonthisdaycanfindvendorsofbarley-sugarcandiesandglutinousrice-candiesonthestreet.糖形或为长方形或为瓜形，又甜又黏，小孩子们最喜欢。Thesesweetandstickycandiesarefashionedintoshapesofrectanglesormelons,andaredefinitelychildren’sfavorites.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------过了二十三，大家更忙。Oncethe23rddayofthetwelfthlunar-monthisover,peoplegetevenbusier.必须大扫除一次，还要把肉、鸡、鱼、青菜、年糕什么的都预备充足Theyhavetodoathoroughcleanupoftheirhousesandstockupenoughinmeat,chickens,fish,vegetables,NewYearrice-cakesandothers.——店铺多数正月初一到初五关门，到正月初六才开张。Shopsmostlyclosebetweenthe1sttothe5thdayofthenewlunaryearanddonotopenuntilthe6th.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------除夕真热闹。ChineseNewYearEveisreallylively.家家赶做年菜，AllfamilieshastentoprepareNewYeardishes.到处是酒肉的香味。Everywhereispermeatedwiththepleasantsmellofwineandcookedmeat.男女老少都穿起新衣，Peopleofallageswearnewclothesonthisday.门外贴上了红红的对联，屋里贴好了各色的年画， RedluckyspringcoupletsareplasteredontheoutsideofdoorsandNewYearluck-wishingdrawingsofvariouscolorsarepostedinsidehouses.除夕夜家家灯火通宵，不许间断，Lampsarelit,withoutinterruption,throughoutthenightduringChineseNewYearEve.鞭炮声日夜不绝。Firecrackersoundscanbeheardalldayandnight.在外边做事的人，除非万不得已，必定赶回家来吃团圆饭。Peopleworkingfarawayfromhometownswould,unlesscircumstancesdictateotherwise,comehomeforthefamilyget-togetherdinnersonChineseNewYearEve.这一夜，除了很小的孩子，没有什么人睡觉，都要守岁。Onthisnight,withtheexceptionofverysmallchildren,hardlyanybodywouldsleepandtheywouldstayupallnightasacustom.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------正月初一的光景与除夕截然不同：ThesceneonthefirstdayoftheNewLunarYeariscompletelydifferentfromthatduringChineseNewYearEve.铺户都上着板子，Shopsareclosedwithplankscoveringupthefronts.门前堆着昨夜燃放的爆竹纸皮，Firecrackerpaperbitsfromlastnightarestrewninfrontofdoors.全城都在休息。Theentirecityistakingarest.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------男人们午前到亲戚家、朋友家拜年。MengotohomesofrelativesandfriendsbeforenoontoextendChineseNewYearwell-wishes.女人们在家中接待客人。Womenstayhometogreetvisitors.城内城外许多寺院举办庙会，Manytemplesinsideandoutsideofthecityareholdingtemple-fairs.小贩们在庙外摆摊卖茶、食品和各种玩具。Streetvendorssetupstandstoselltea,foodandtoysoutsideofthetemples.小孩子们特别爱逛庙会，为的是有机会到城外看看野景，可以骑毛驴，还能买到那些新年特有的玩具。Childrenparticularlylovetowanderaroundthesetemple-fairsbecausetheycouldhaveachancetoseewildernessoutsideofthecity,ridedonkeysandbuyuniqueNewYeartoys.庙会上有赛马的，还有赛骆驼的。Temple-fairsholdhorseracesandcamelraces.这些比赛并不为争谁第一谁第二，而是在观众面前表演马、骆驼与骑者的美好姿态与娴熟技能。Theseracesdonotcompeteforfirst/secondpositions,butareintendedtoshowcasegracefulnessandskillsofhorses,camelsandridersinfrontofspectators.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------多数铺户在正月初六开张，不过并不很忙， Mostshopsopenonthe6thdayoftheNewYearbutbusinesswouldnotbetoobusy.铺中的伙计们还可以轮流去逛庙会、逛天桥和听戏。Manyshopemployeescouldtaketurnstovisittemple-fairs,strollonoverpassbridgesandlistentoChineseoperas.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------元宵上市，春节的又一个高潮到了。GlutinousricedumplingsareputonsaleandSpringFestivalreachesanotherclimaticday.正月十五，处处张灯结彩，整条大街像是办喜事，红火而美丽。Onthe15thdayoftheNewYeareverywhereisdecoratedwithlanternsandcoloredfestoons,asifthewholemainstreethasturnedbeautifullyredincelebrationofahappyevent.有名的老铺子都要挂出几百盏灯来，各形各色，Renownedtime-honoredshopsdisplayseveralhundredsofhanginglanternsofalltypes.有的一律是玻璃的，有的清一色是牛角的，有的都是纱灯，有的通通彩绘全部《红楼梦》或《水浒传》故事。Oftentheselanternsareuniformlyofthesamestyle,suchasglasslanterns,ox-hornlanterns,gauzelanterns,orcolorfullypaintedlanternswithstorylinessuchas“DreaminRedChamber”or“OutlawsofMarsh”.这在当年，也是一种广告。Atthetime,itisasortofadvertisingaswell.灯一悬起，任何人都可以进到铺中参观。Whenthelanternsarehungup,anyonecanentertheshopstolook.晚上灯中点上烛，观者就更多。Atnightwhencandlesarelitinsidethelanterns,morespectatorswouldcome.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------小孩子们买各种花炮燃放，Littlechildrenbuydifferentkindsoffirecrackerstobesetoff.即使不跑到街上去淘气，在家中照样能有声有光地玩耍。Evenifthesekidsdon’tgoontothestreettocausemischiefs,theycouldplayupastormjuststayinghome.家中也有灯：走马灯、宫灯、各形各色的纸灯，还有纱灯，Therearelanternsathome:merry-go-roundlanterns,palacelanterns,paperlanterns,andgauzelanterns.里面有小铃，到时候就叮叮地响。Someofthemhavelittlebellsinsidewhichstartringingwhencertaintimescome.这一天大家还必须吃元宵呀！Alsoonthisdaypeoplewouldeatglutinousricedumplings.这的确是美好快乐的日子。Thisisindeedajoyousday.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------一眨眼，到了残灯末庙，Intheblinkofaneye,lanternlightsstarttowaneandtemple-fairactivitiesbegintowinddown.春节在正月十九结束了。SpringFestivalendsonthe19thdayoftheNewYear. 学生该去上学，大人又去照常做事。Studentsaregoingbacktoschoolandadultsarereturningtoworkasusual.腊月和正月，在农村正是大家最闲的时候。Thelastandfirstlunarmonthsaretheleastbusyinfarmvillages.过了灯节，天气转暖，大家就又去忙着干活了。AftertheLanternFestival,weatherturnswarmandpeoplegetbusymakingaliving.北京虽是城市，可是它也跟着农村一齐过年，而且过得分外热闹。EventhoughBeijingisacity,yetitcelebratesChineseNewYearjustlikeafarmvillageexceptitsactivitiesaremoreeffervescent.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------