and as this business of whaling has somehow come to be regarded among landsmen as a rather unpoetical and disreputable pursuit;  陆地上的人们天生地就认为这是一个乏味的名声不太好的职业。 

therefore, I am all anxiety to convince ye, ye landsmen, of the injustice hereby done to us hunters of whales.  陆地上的人们天生地就认为这是一个乏味的名声不太好的职业。 

In the first place, it may be deemed almost superfluous to establish the fact, that among people at large,  也许有人认为我的解释纯属多余，

the business of whaling is not accounted on a level with what are called the liberal professions.  用为捕鲸业根本不可以与陆地上的那些职业同日而语。

If a stranger were introduced into any miscellaneous metropolitan society,  人们认为我们属于屠宰业中的一支，双手沾满了鲜血， 

it would but slightly advance the general opinion of his merits, were he presented to the company as a harpooneer, say;  身上有屠戮者的污秽和腥臭。

and if in emulation of the naval officers he should append the initials S.W.F. to his visiting card,  想想吧，如果你在一个社交场合郑重其事地把一位名片儿上印着SWF的标枪手介绍给别人，

such a procedure would be deemed pre-eminently presuming and ridiculous.  那别人一定认你的脑子多少有点毛病。