四眾殊態 The Pilgrims React
那三藏合掌低頭，孫大聖佯佯不睬，這沙僧轉背回身。你看那豬八戒眼不轉睛，淫心紊亂，色膽縱橫，扭捏出悄語，低聲道：「有勞仙子下降。娘，請姐姐們去耶。」那三個女子轉入屏風，將一對紗燈留下。婦人道：「四位長老可肯留心，著那個配我小女麼？」悟淨道：「我們已商議了，著那個姓豬的招贅門下。」八戒道：「兄弟，不要栽我，還從眾計較。」行者道：「還計較甚麼？你已在後門首說合的停停當當，娘都叫了，又有甚麼計較？師父做個男親家，這婆兒做個女親家，等老孫做個保親，沙僧做個媒人。也不必看通書，今朝是個天恩上吉日，你來拜了師父，進去做了女婿罷。八戒道：「弄不成，弄不成，那裡好幹這個勾當？」那三藏合掌低头，孙大圣佯佯不睬，这沙僧转背回身。你看那猪八戒眼不转睛，淫心紊乱，色胆纵横，扭捏出悄语，低声道：「有劳仙子下降。娘，请姐姐们去耶。」那三个女子转入屏风，将一对纱灯留下。妇人道：「四位长老可肯留心，著那个配我小女么？」悟净道：「我们已商议了，著那个姓猪的招赘门下。」八戒道：「兄弟，不要栽我，还从众计较。」行者道：「还计较甚么？你已在后门首说合的停停当当，娘都叫了，又有甚么计较？师父做个男亲家，这婆儿做个女亲家，等老孙做个保亲，沙僧做个媒人。也不必看通书，今朝是个天恩上吉日，你来拜了师父，进去做了女婿罢。八戒道：「弄不成，弄不成，那里好干这个勾当？」
逐句解 Line by line
Tripitaka pressed his palms together and bowed his head; the Great Sage feigned utter indifference; and Sha Monk turned his back and faced away.
那三藏 (那 nà; 三藏 zàng). 合掌低頭 “palms joined, head bowed,” Tripitaka's posture of pious withdrawal. 佯佯不睬 “to feign not to notice.” Three disciplined refusals — each pilgrim declining to look.
But look at Zhu Bajie — his eyes never stirred from them; lust threw his heart into disorder, desire ran unbridled and bold, and mincing out a whisper he murmured low, “Much trouble it is for the fairy maidens to descend.”
你看那 nà. 眼不轉睛 “eyes not turning their pupils,” fixed in a stare. 淫心紊亂，色膽縱橫 “a lustful heart in tumult, the gall of desire running wild.” 仙子 “fairy maiden(s),” 子 the honorific zǐ; 下降 “to descend,” 降 jiàng. Bajie's ogling is the passage's fourth, and opposite, reaction.
“Ma'am — do have the sisters go in.”
請姐姐們去 “please have the sisters withdraw.” Bajie, having drunk his fill of the sight, urges their retreat only to hasten his own turn.
The three young women turned in behind the screen, leaving a pair of gauze lanterns behind.
那三個女子 (那 nà; 女子 zǐ). 轉入屏風 “turned in behind the screen.” 將一對紗燈留下 “left a pair of gauze lanterns,” 將 the disposal jiāng.
The woman said, “Would you four elders be so minded — which of you will you have wed my daughters?”
四位長老 zhǎng lǎo. 著那個配我小女 “have which one marry my daughters,” 著 here the causative zhuó (“to have, assign”), 那個 nà.
Wujing said, “We have already talked it over: let the one surnamed Zhu be taken in as your son-in-law.”
商議了 “have discussed (it).” 著那個姓豬的招贅 “have the pig-surnamed one marry in,” 著 causative zhuó, 那個 nà; 招贅 “to take in a live-in husband.” Wujing volunteers Bajie outright.
Bajie said, “Brother, don't pin it on me — let's still reckon it by common consent.”
栽我 “to foist it on me.” 還從眾計較 — 還 the adverb hái (“still”); “to decide by the will of all.” Bajie's reflexive deflection, though his own words at the gate have already committed him.
Pilgrim said, “What is there still to reckon?”
行者 xíng zhě. 還計較甚麼 — 還 hái, 甚 shén — “what more to deliberate?” Monkey cuts off Bajie's stalling.
“You've already settled it all snug and tidy at the back gate, and called her ‘Ma'am’ into the bargain — what is there left to deliberate?”
說合的停停當當 “arranged it all settled and in order,” 停停當當 (reduplicated 停當) “thoroughly settled,” 當 dàng. 娘都叫了 “already called (her) ‘Ma'am,’” 都 dōu. 甚麼 shén. Monkey throws Bajie's own back-gate words in his face.
“The Master shall be father of the groom, this good dame mother of the bride; let old Monkey stand as sponsor, and Sha Monk as go-between.”
男親家…女親家 “father-in-law / mother-in-law parties to the match,” the families joined by marriage. 保親 “the guarantor of the match”; 媒人 “the matchmaker,” 婆兒 (兒 the suffix). Monkey drolly casts the whole company in wedding roles.
“No need even to consult the almanac — today is a Heaven-favored, most auspicious day; come, bow to your master, and go in to be the son-in-law.”
看通書 “to consult the almanac (for a lucky day).” 今朝 “today, this very morning,” 朝 here zhāo (the morning/day sense, not the cháo of “court”). 天恩上吉日 “a day of Heaven's grace, most propitious.”
Bajie said, “It won't do, it won't do — how could one properly do such a thing?”
弄不成 “it can't be brought off.” 那裡好幹 “how could one (properly) do,” 那 nà. 勾當 (gòudàng) “this business,” 當 dàng. Bajie's feeble protest, belied by his eagerness.
The heart of the tableau is the sharp fourfold contrast of reactions to the beauties. Three disciples decline even to look: Tripitaka joins his palms and bows his head, Wukong feigns blank indifference, Sha Monk simply turns his back. Bajie alone stares — eyes fixed, heart in lustful tumult, desire “running wild” — and mincingly whispers his welcome to the “fairy maidens.” The four postures are, in effect, the visible verdict of the four saints' test.
With the daughters withdrawn, the widow puts the question directly — which of the four will marry — and Wujing answers for them all: the one surnamed Zhu. Bajie's instinctive “don't pin it on me” is now hollow, and Wukong knows it, flinging back at him the very words he spoke at the back gate: he has already settled the match “snug and tidy,” already called the widow “Ma'am.” The stalling collapses.
Monkey then presses the advantage with relish, casting the whole company in wedding roles — Tripitaka father of the groom, the widow mother of the bride, himself the sponsor, Sha Monk the go-between — and declaring the very day auspicious, no almanac needed. Bajie's last “it won't do, it won't do” is the protest of a man being swept toward exactly what he wants; the comedy lies in the gap between his words and his will.