0403翻译鸟的天堂巴金

0403翻译：鸟的天堂（巴金）

Translation: Birds’ Paradise (Ba Jin)

(translated by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)

我们吃过晚饭，热气已经退了。

After we finished supper, hot weather had already cooled down.

太阳落下了山坡，只留下一段灿烂的红霞在天边。

The sun had set behind the mountain and left behind a dazzling red glow at the edge of the sky.

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我们走过一条石子路，很快就到了河边。

We walked along a stone-paved footpath and were quickly approaching a riverside.

在河边大树下，我们发现了几只小船。

Beside a big tree by the river we found a few small boats.

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我们陆续跳上一只船。

We jumped onto a boat one by one.

一个朋友解开了绳，拿起竹竿一拨，

A friend untied a rope and used a bamboo pole to push off.

船缓缓地动了，向河中心移去。

The boat moved slowly towards the center of the river.

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河面很宽，白茫茫的水上没有一点波浪。

The river was wide, and no trace of wave could be found on the whitish surface.

船平静地在水面移动。

The boat moved quietly.

三支桨有规律地在水里划，那声音就像一支乐曲。

Three paddles rowing in a set rhythm produced sounds much like a music tune.

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在一个地方，河面变窄了。

At a certain spot the river turned narrow.

一簇簇树叶伸到水面上。树叶真绿得可爱。

Clustered of leaves dangled over water surface and those leaves were adorably green.

那是许多藏盛的榕树，看不见主干在什么地方。

There were many banyan trees hiding behind their own flourishing growths and their trunks were not visible.

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当我说许多株榕树的时候，朋友们马上纠正我的错误。

When I said there were many banyan trees, my friends jumped at correcting my error.

一个朋友说那只有一株榕树，另一个朋友说是两株。

One friend said there was only one tree, and another one said there were two of them.

我见过不少榕树，这样大的还是第一次看见。

I had seen many banyan trees, but seeing one of such gigantic size was a first for me.

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我们的船渐渐逼近榕树了。我有机会看清它的真面目，

Our boat slowly came closer to the banyan tree and I had a chance to see what it really looked like.

真是一株大树，枝干的数目不可计数。

It was indeed one big tree and the number of branches was innumerable.

枝上又生根，有许多根直垂到地上，伸进泥土里。

Roots grew out of branches and many hanging roots reached the ground and entered into soil.

一部分树枝垂到水面。

A portion of the branches hung down to water surface.

从远处看，就像一株大树卧在水面上。

From distance, it looked like a big tree lying on top of water.

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榕树正在茂盛的时期，好像把它的全部生命力展示给我们看。

That was a luxuriant time for the banyan tree, and it looked like the tree was showing us all its vitality.那么多的绿叶，一簇堆在另一簇上面，不留一点缝隙。

There were many green leaves in clusters piling on top of one another. The leaves were so dense that not a beam of sunlight could get through.

那翠绿的颜色，明亮地照耀着我们的眼睛，似乎每一片绿叶上都有一个新的生命在颤动。

The lush green color shone brightly onto our eyes and it seemed every leaf had a new life pulsating in it.这美丽的南国的树！

This tree was a true beauty of the southern country!

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船在树下泊了片刻。

The boat moored briefly underneath the tree.

岸上很湿，我们没有上去。

The shore was soaking wet, and we did not go onshore.

朋友说这里是“鸟的天堂”，有许多鸟在这树上做巢，

My friends said that was a “Birds’ Paradise”, and many birds built their nests on this tree.

农民不许人去捉它们。

Farmers were not allowed to catch those birds.

我仿佛听见几只鸟扑翅的声音，

I seemed to hear sounds of several birds flapping their wings.

等我注意去看，却不见一只鸟的影儿。

But when I looked hard, there was not a bird in sight.

只有无数的树根立在地上，像许多根木桩。

Only countless tree roots were standing on the ground like wooden stakes.

土地是湿的，大概涨潮的时候河水会冲上岸去。

The ground was wet, which was likely caused by river water washing ashore during high tie.

“鸟的天堂”里没有一只鸟，我不禁这样想。

I couldn’t help but wonder why there was not a bird in “Birds’ Paradise”?

于是船开了。