Gulliver’s Travel Ch.1 (翻譯練習)

格列佛遊記第一章

My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire; I was the third of five sons. He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years. My father now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who intend to travel, as I always believed it would be, some time or other, my fortune to do. When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father: where, by the assistance of him and my uncle John, and some other relations, I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful in long voyages.

(拙譯) 家君在諾定咸郡勉強有幅莊業，膝下五子我排行第三。十四歲上他送我到劍橋以馬內利書院寄宿，一住三年。我一直勤奮向學，可惜家道不豐，雖然書院略有補助，就學的使費始終難以維持，只好輟讀去當學徒，投倫敦一位手術名醫貝先生門下習業，如是者四年。老父不時寄些零錢來，我都用在學習航海定位之術上，也習了幾門對行船有用的數學，因為我一向認定自己日後會漂洋過海。肄業後回家與吾父商量，仗父親與叔叔約翰之力和幾位親戚提攜，大家籌了現銀四十鎊，還答應每年幫貼三十鎊，供我到荷蘭雷登大學深造。我在雷登進修方藥，讀了兩年七個月，自知這門知識遠航時很派用場。

Soon after my return from Leyden, I was recommended by my good master, Mr. Bates, to be surgeon to the Swallow, Captain Abraham Pannel, commander; with whom I continued three years and a half, making a voyage or two into the Levant, and some other parts. When I came back I resolved to settle in London; to which Mr. Bates, my master, encouraged me, and by him I was recommended to several patients. I took part of a small house in the Old Jewry; and being advised to alter my condition, I married Mrs. Mary Burton, second daughter to Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier, in Newgate-street, with whom I received four hundred pounds for a portion.

從雷登回來不久，業師貝先生薦我到潘船長手下，在飛燕號上當船醫。出海三年半，到過地中海東岸黎凡特地方等處一兩次。返航後業師貝先生勸我在倫敦落腳，且給我介紹了幾家病人，於是打定主意上岸，分租了老猶太巷一間小屋卜居開業。不久經人提點，說我應該置室安家（改善經濟環境），我遂娶了親，是新閘街博翁的次女瑪麗。博家是做針織品生意的，陪送過門的嫁資有四百鎊之數。

(或跟原文句法譯作：｢返航後我打定主意上岸，在倫敦落腳；這是業師貝先生勸我的主意，且給我介紹了好幾家病人。我分租了......；又經人提點......，於是娶了親｣云云，不過終嫌斷橛禾蟲似的，文氣不順。)

But my good master Bates dying in two years after, and I having few friends, my business began to fail; for my conscience would not suffer me to imitate the bad practice of too many among my brethren. Having therefore consulted with my wife, and some of my acquaintance, I determined to go again to sea. I was surgeon successively in two ships, and made several voyages, for six years, to the East and West Indies, by which I got some addition to my fortune. My hours of leisure I spent in reading the best authors, ancient and modern, being always provided with a good number of books; and when I was ashore, in observing the manners and dispositions of the people, as well as learning their language; wherein I had a great facility, by the strength of my memory.

無奈業師兩年後過了身，我交遊不廣，同行中屢見的陋行，良知又恥效尤，故生意日告蹇滯。便與妻子商議，又向一二熟人討教，決心再次出海，重到船上執業。六年來先後在兩艘船上駐診，幾度遠航至東西印度群島，(帶私貨)積攢了好些錢銀。閒來消遣，在船上則讀書自娛，船上從來書籍不缺，讀的都是古今名家，上岸時則觀風望俗，也學學當地語言。我記性好，天生是學語言的材料。

The last of these voyages not proving very fortunate, I grew weary of the sea, and intended to stay at home with my wife and family. I removed from the Old Jewry to Fetter Lane, and from thence to Wapping, hoping to get business among the sailors; but it would not turn to account. After three years expectation that things would mend, I accepted an advantageous offer from Captain William Prichard, master of the Antelope, who was making a voyage to the South Sea. We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and our voyage was at first very prosperous.

最後一趟航程沒多大賺頭，我漸漸厭倦行船的生活，寧願上岸從此與妻兒長敘天倫。歸航後從老猶太巷搬到花子里又搬到華坪，本希望可以在水手間攬到些主顧，可惜事與願違。守了三年，生意未見好轉，終於接受了羚羊號船長皮氏的延聘，再次駐船出海。羚羊號這一水走的是南海(往東印度)，一六九九年五月四日從布里斯托出航，起初十分遂順。

It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the particulars of our adventures in those seas: Let it suffice to inform him, that, in our passage from thence to the East Indies, we were driven by a violent storm to the north-west of Van Diemen’s Land. By an observation we found ourselves in the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes south. Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labour, and ill food, the rest were in a very weak condition.

途中細節一言難盡, 未宜叨絮。長話短說，且道我們過南海轉向東印度之後，忽遇狂風暴雨，凌厲的狂風把船驅至范地文島東北，測定位置南緯三十度兩分。船員由於操勞過度，加上糲食粗餐，死者竟二十人，未死者亦奄奄垂絶。