and if we had a lucky voyage, might pretty nearly pay for the clothing I would wear out on it,  如果我们有一次幸运的航程,我的衣服钱就省下了,

not to speak of my three years' beef and board, for which I would not have to pay one stiver.  但我还可以在船上白吃白住三年呢！

It might be thought that this was a poor way to accumulate a princely fortune—and so it was, a very poor way indeed.  可能你会说，这么挣钱也太可怜了！确实如此。

But I am one of those that never take on about princely fortunes, and am quite content if the world is ready to board and lodge me,  我也从来没有想发什么大财，在这个世界上，

while I am putting up at this grim sign of the Thunder Cloud.  有我的立锥之地便已足矣。

Upon the whole, I thought that the 275th lay would be about the fair thing,  所以，我自认为二百七十五分之一就算公平了，

but would not have been surprised had I been offered the 200th, considering I was of a broad-shouldered make.  当然，如果再小一些，到二百分之一，那最理想！ 

But one thing, nevertheless, that made me a little distrustful about receiving a generous share of the profits was this:  但有一件事,这让我有点不信任获得如此慷慨的利润份额:

Ashore, I had heard something of both Captain Peleg and his unaccountable old crony Bildad; how that they being the principal proprietors of the Pequod,  在岸上我听说过一些法勒船长和他的不负责任的老朋友比勒达;他们如何成为裴廓德号的大股东,

therefore the other and more inconsiderable and scattered owners, left nearly the whole management of the ship's affairs to these two.  此二人掌握着船上大到雇用什么样的水手，小到该不该为船上采购一根绳子的所有权利。