英语听书《白鲸记》第305期

 I then went on, beginning with the rise and progress of the primitive¹ religions, and coming down to the various religions of the present time,  于是我便继续说下去,从原始的宗教起源和发展,直谈到现代的各种宗教,

during which time I labored² to show Queequeg that all these Lents, Ramadans, and prolonged ham-squattings in cold, cheerless rooms were stark³ nonsense;  在这中间,我尽力对魁魁格说明所有这些斋戒,以及长时间地盘腿兀坐在冷冰冰。毫无生气的房间里的这种事情,全是荒谬的,

bad for the health; useless for the soul; opposed, in short, to the obvious laws of Hygiene⁴ and common sense.  有害健康的,无益身心的;总之,是明显的违反卫生规律,违反常识的。

I told him, too, that he being in other things such an extremely sensible and sagacious savage⁵, it pained me, very badly pained me,  我也对他说,他在别的事情上是这样一个极其聪明伶俐的野人,现在竟看到他对他这种可笑的斋戒做出如此令人遗憾的傻事来,

to see him now so deplorably foolish about this ridiculous Ramadan of his.  实在教我痛心,非常教我痛心。

Besides, argued I, fasting makes the body cave in; hence the spirit caves in; and all thoughts born of a fast must necessarily be half-starved.  此外,我又劝说道,做斋戒会弄垮身体;因此也会弄垮精神;而且,一切由做斋戒而来的思想,必定也是半死不活的思想。

This is the reason why most dyspeptic religionists cherish such melancholy⁶ notions about their hereafters.  这就是大多数患消化不良症的宗教家对来世怀有那么忧郁的想法的道理。

In one word, Queequeg, said I, rather digressively; hell is an idea first born on an undigested apple-dumpling;  总之,魁魁格,我比较转弯抹角地说,地狱就是首先由不易消化的苹果馅汤团而产生出来的一种心象;

and since then perpetuated⁷ through the hereditary⁸ dyspepsias nurtured⁹ by Ramadans. 此后,通过斋戒所培养出来的代代相传的消化不良症而永久存在了。

I then asked Queequeg whether he himself was ever troubled with dyspepsia; expressing the idea very plainly, so that he could take it in.  于是,我问魁魁格他自己可曾患过消化不良症;我把这意思说得很明白,好教他能够理会。

He said no; only upon one memorable¹⁰ occasion.  他说,他不曾患过,只在一个值得记忆的场合上患过一回。

It was after a great feast given by his father the king on the gaining of a great battle wherein fifty of the enemy had been killed by about two o'clock in the afternoon,  那还是在吃过他那个父王举行的大筵席后才患的,当时,他父亲打了一个大胜仗,把中午二点钟模样所杀死的五十个敌人,

and all cooked and eaten that very evening. 当晚就拿来烹了吃了。

1 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

2 labored   

adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
• They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

3 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

4 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

5 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

6 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

7 perpetuated   

vt.使永存（perpetuate的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• This system perpetuated itself for several centuries. 这一制度维持了几个世纪。
• I never before saw smile caught like that, and perpetuated. 我从来没有看见过谁的笑容陷入这样的窘况，而且持续不变。 来自辞典例句

8 hereditary   

adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的

参考例句：

• The Queen of England is a hereditary ruler.英国女王是世袭的统治者。
• In men,hair loss is hereditary.男性脱发属于遗传。

9 nurtured   

养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长

参考例句：

• She is looking fondly at the plants he had nurtured. 她深情地看着他培育的植物。
• Any latter-day Einstein would still be spotted and nurtured. 任何一个未来的爱因斯坦都会被发现并受到培养。

10 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。