原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
夫妻相會
Husband and Wife Reunited
便問那進瓜的人姓名,那方人氏。劉全道:「小人是均州城民籍。姓劉名全。因妻李氏縊死,撇下兒女,無人看管,小人情願捨家棄子,捐軀報國,特與我王進貢瓜果,謝眾大王厚恩。」十王聞言,即命查勘劉全妻李氏。那鬼使速取來在森羅殿下,與劉全夫妻相會。訴罷前言,回謝十王恩宥。便问那进瓜的人姓名,那方人氏。刘全道:「小人是均州城民籍。姓刘名全。因妻李氏缢死,撇下儿女,无人看管,小人情愿舍家弃子,捐躯报国,特与我王进贡瓜果,谢众大王厚恩。」十王闻言,即命查勘刘全妻李氏。那鬼使速取来在森罗殿下,与刘全夫妻相会。诉罢前言,回谢十王恩宥。
逐句解 Line by line
便問那進瓜的人姓名,那方人氏。
便问那进瓜的人姓名,那方人氏。
He then asked the melon-bringer's name and from what region he came.
那方人氏 'of which region a native'; the second 那 here interrogative, nǎ, 'which.'
劉全道:「小人是均州城民籍。姓劉名全。因妻李氏縊死,撇下兒女,無人看管,小人情願捨家棄子,捐軀報國,特與我王進貢瓜果,謝眾大王厚恩。」
刘全道:「小人是均州城民籍。姓刘名全。因妻李氏缢死,撇下儿女,无人看管,小人情愿舍家弃子,捐躯报国,特与我王进贡瓜果,谢众大王厚恩。」
Liu Quan said, 'I am a registered commoner of Junzhou city, surnamed Liu and named Quan. Because my wife, Lady Li, hanged herself and died, leaving our children with none to care for them, I willingly forsook home and children and gave up my life to serve my country, coming expressly to offer melons and fruit at my king's command and to thank the great Kings for their bounty.'
民籍 a commoner's household registration. 捨家棄子 to abandon home and children; 子 zǐ. 捐軀報國 'to sacrifice the body to requite the state.'
十王聞言,即命查勘劉全妻李氏。
十王闻言,即命查勘刘全妻李氏。
Hearing this, the Ten Kings at once ordered an inquiry into Liu Quan's wife, Lady Li.
查勘 to investigate and verify.
那鬼使速取來在森羅殿下,與劉全夫妻相會。訴罷前言,回謝十王恩宥。
那鬼使速取来在森罗殿下,与刘全夫妻相会。诉罢前言,回谢十王恩宥。
The demon quickly brought her before the Hall of Judgment, where husband and wife were reunited. When they had told over all that had passed, they turned to thank the Ten Kings for their clemency.
相會 xiāng huì, to meet together. 訴罷前言 'having recounted all that went before.' 恩宥 gracious pardon.
總評 Commentary
The errand into death yields an unlooked-for grace: Liu Quan is reunited with the very wife whose suicide sent him there. His plain recital — that he abandoned home, children, and life itself out of grief and loyalty — moves the Kings to summon Lady Li, and the melon-mission becomes the occasion of the couple's reunion in the courts of the dead. The scene turns the chapter's grim traffic between the worlds toward reconciliation.