第二十四回 · 商議昧賴 A Plan to Deny It — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

商議昧賴 A Plan to Deny It

三sān藏zàng道dào：「這zhè等děng也yě說shuō得de是shì，你nǐ且qiě莫mò嚷rǎng，等děng我wǒ問wèn他tā們men看kàn。果guǒ若ruò是shì偷tōu了le，教jiào他tā賠péi你nǐ。」明míng月yuè道dào：「賠péi呀ya！就jiù有yǒu錢qián那nǎ裡lǐ去qù買mǎi？」三sān藏zàng道dào：「縱zòng有yǒu錢qián沒méi處chù買mǎi啊a，常cháng言yán道dào：『仁rén義yì值zhí千qiān金jīn。』教jiào他tā賠péi你nǐ個gè禮lǐ，便biàn罷bà了le。也yě還hái不bù知zhī是shì他tā不bú是shì他tā哩lī。」明míng月yuè道dào：「怎zěn的de不bú是shì他tā？他tā那nà裡lǐ分fēn不bù均jūn，還hái在zài那nà裡lǐ嚷rǎng哩lī。」三sān藏zàng叫jiào聲shēng：「徒tú弟dì，且qiě都dōu來lái。」沙shā僧sēng聽tīng見jiàn道dào：「不bù好hǎo了le，決jué撒sā了le。老lǎo師shī父fù叫jiào我wǒ們men，小xiǎo道dào童tóng胡hú廝sī罵mà，不bú是shì舊jiù話huà兒er走zǒu了le風fēng，卻què是shì甚shén的de？」行xíng者zhě道dào：「活huó羞xiū殺shā人rén。這zhè個gè不bú過guò是shì飲yǐn食shí之zhī類lèi，若ruò說shuō出chū來lái，就jiù是shì我wǒ們men偷tōu嘴zuǐ了le，只zhǐ是shì莫mò認rèn。」八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng是shì，正zhèng是shì，昧mèi了le罷bà。」他tā三sān人rén只zhǐ得dé出chū了le廚chú房fáng，走zǒu上shàng殿diàn去qù。畢bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn麼me與yǔ他tā抵dǐ賴lài，且qiě聽tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。三sān藏zàng道dào：「这zhè等děng也yě说shuō得de是shì，你nǐ且qiě莫mò嚷rǎng，等děng我wǒ问wèn他tā们men看kàn。果guǒ若ruò是shì偷tōu了le，教jiào他tā赔péi你nǐ。」明míng月yuè道dào：「赔péi呀ya！就jiù有yǒu钱qián那nǎ里lǐ去qù买mǎi？」三sān藏zàng道dào：「纵zòng有yǒu钱qián没méi处chù买mǎi啊a，常cháng言yán道dào：『仁rén义yì值zhí千qiān金jīn。』教jiào他tā赔péi你nǐ个gè礼lǐ，便biàn罢bà了le。也yě还hái不bù知zhī是shì他tā不bú是shì他tā哩lī。」明míng月yuè道dào：「怎zěn的de不bú是shì他tā？他tā那nà里lǐ分fēn不bù均jūn，还hái在zài那nà里lǐ嚷rǎng哩lī。」三sān藏zàng叫jiào声shēng：「徒tú弟dì，且qiě都dōu来lái。」沙shā僧sēng听tīng见jiàn道dào：「不bù好hǎo了le，决jué撒sā了le。老lǎo师shī父fù叫jiào我wǒ们men，小xiǎo道dào童tóng胡hú厮sī骂mà，不bú是shì旧jiù话huà儿er走zǒu了le风fēng，却què是shì甚shén的de？」行xíng者zhě道dào：「活huó羞xiū杀shā人rén。这zhè个gè不bú过guò是shì饮yǐn食shí之zhī类lèi，若ruò说shuō出chū来lái，就jiù是shì我wǒ们men偷tōu嘴zuǐ了le，只zhǐ是shì莫mò认rèn。」八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng是shì，正zhèng是shì，昧mèi了le罢bà。」他tā三sān人rén只zhǐ得dé出chū了le厨chú房fáng，走zǒu上shàng殿diàn去qù。毕bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn么me与yǔ他tā抵dǐ赖lài，且qiě听tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。

逐句解 Line by line

三sān藏zàng道dào：「這zhè等děng也yě說shuō得de是shì，你nǐ且qiě莫mò嚷rǎng，等děng我wǒ問wèn他tā們men看kàn。三sān藏zàng道dào：「这zhè等děng也yě说shuō得de是shì，你nǐ且qiě莫mò嚷rǎng，等děng我wǒ问wèn他tā们men看kàn。

The Tang Monk said, “There is something in what you say. Stop your shouting a moment, and let me question them.

三藏 (Sānzàng), 藏 (zàng); 說得是 (shuō·de shì), light 得 (de) (‘rightly said’); 且莫嚷 (qiě mò rǎng) = stop shouting.

果guǒ若ruò是shì偷tōu了le，教jiào他tā賠péi你nǐ。」果guǒ若ruò是shì偷tōu了le，教jiào他tā赔péi你nǐ。」

If they did steal it, I will have them make it good to you.”

偷了 (tōu le), 了 (le); 教他賠 (jiào tā péi), causative 教 (jiào) (‘have him repay’).

明míng月yuè道dào：「賠péi呀ya！明míng月yuè道dào：「赔péi呀ya！

Bright-Moon said, “Make it good!

賠 (péi) = to compensate.

就jiù有yǒu錢qián那nǎ裡lǐ去qù買mǎi？」就jiù有yǒu钱qián那nǎ里lǐ去qù买mǎi？」

Where would there be any to buy, even with money?”

那裡 (nǎ li), 那 (nǎ) interrogative ‘where.’

三sān藏zàng道dào：「縱zòng有yǒu錢qián沒méi處chù買mǎi啊a，常cháng言yán道dào：『仁rén義yì值zhí千qiān金jīn。』三sān藏zàng道dào：「纵zòng有yǒu钱qián没méi处chù买mǎi啊a，常cháng言yán道dào：『仁rén义yì值zhí千qiān金jīn。』

The Tang Monk said, “Even with money and no place to buy it — the old saying has it, ‘Right conduct is worth a thousand in gold.’

三藏 (Sānzàng), 藏 (zàng); 縱有錢沒處買 (zòng yǒu qián méi chù mǎi) = though one have money, nowhere to buy; 仁義值千金 (rén yì zhí qiān jīn) = benevolence-and-right is worth a thousand gold.

教jiào他tā賠péi你nǐ個gè禮lǐ，便biàn罷bà了le。教jiào他tā赔péi你nǐ个gè礼lǐ，便biàn罢bà了le。

Let them make you an apology, and let that end it.

教他賠禮 (jiào tā péi lǐ), causative 教 (jiào); 賠個禮 (péi gè lǐ) = to offer an apology; 罷了 (bà le), 了 (le).

也yě還hái不bù知zhī是shì他tā不bú是shì他tā哩lī。」也yě还hái不bù知zhī是shì他tā不bú是shì他tā哩lī。」

And it is not yet even known whether it was they or not.”

還不知 (hái bù zhī), 還 (hái); 是他不是他 (shì tā bú shì tā) = whether it was them.

明míng月yuè道dào：「怎zěn的de不bú是shì他tā？明míng月yuè道dào：「怎zěn的de不bú是shì他tā？

Bright-Moon said, “How could it not be them?

怎的不是他 (zěnde bú shì tā) = how is it not them.

他tā那nà裡lǐ分fēn不bù均jūn，還hái在zài那nà裡lǐ嚷rǎng哩lī。」他tā那nà里lǐ分fēn不bù均jūn，还hái在zài那nà里lǐ嚷rǎng哩lī。」

Over there they’re squabbling that the shares aren’t even, still bawling away.”

那裡 (nà li), 那 (nà) demonstrative (‘over there’); 分不均 (fēn bù jūn), 分 (fēn) ‘divide (unevenly)’; 還在那裡 (hái zài nà li), 還 (hái) + 那 (nà).

三sān藏zàng叫jiào聲shēng：「徒tú弟dì，且qiě都dōu來lái。」三sān藏zàng叫jiào声shēng：「徒tú弟dì，且qiě都dōu来lái。」

The Tang Monk called out: “Disciples — all of you, come here.”

三藏 (Sānzàng), 藏 (zàng); 且都來 (qiě dōu lái), 都 (dōu) (‘all come’).

沙shā僧sēng聽tīng見jiàn道dào：「不bù好hǎo了le，決jué撒sā了le。沙shā僧sēng听tīng见jiàn道dào：「不bù好hǎo了le，决jué撒sā了le。

Sha Monk heard and said, “This is bad — the game’s up.

決撒了 (jué sā le), 了 (le) = the secret’s out, it’s ruined.

老lǎo師shī父fù叫jiào我wǒ們men，小xiǎo道dào童tóng胡hú廝sī罵mà，不bú是shì舊jiù話huà兒er走zǒu了le風fēng，卻què是shì甚shén的de？」老lǎo师shī父fù叫jiào我wǒ们men，小xiǎo道dào童tóng胡hú厮sī骂mà，不bú是shì旧jiù话huà儿er走zǒu了le风fēng，却què是shì甚shén的de？」

The old Master calls us, and the little Daoist boys are cursing all round — if the old business hasn’t leaked, what else is it?”

話兒 (huà·er), 兒 (er); 走了風 (zǒu le fēng), 了 (le) = the wind [secret] got out; 甚的 (shén·de), 甚 (shén) (‘what else’).

行xíng者zhě道dào：「活huó羞xiū殺shā人rén。行xíng者zhě道dào：「活huó羞xiū杀shā人rén。

Pilgrim said, “Mortifying, this.

行 (xíng); 活羞殺人 (huó xiū shā rén) = shames one to death.

這zhè個gè不bú過guò是shì飲yǐn食shí之zhī類lèi，若ruò說shuō出chū來lái，就jiù是shì我wǒ們men偷tōu嘴zuǐ了le，只zhǐ是shì莫mò認rèn。」这zhè个gè不bú过guò是shì饮yǐn食shí之zhī类lèi，若ruò说shuō出chū来lái，就jiù是shì我wǒ们men偷tōu嘴zuǐ了le，只zhǐ是shì莫mò认rèn。」

This is only a matter of eating and drinking; but if it comes out, we’ll be branded as filchers — so simply deny it.”

不過是 (bú guò shì) = is merely; 偷嘴了 (tōu zuǐ le), 了 (le) = to have stolen a bite; 莫認 (mò rèn) = do not admit it.

八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng是shì，正zhèng是shì，昧mèi了le罷bà。」八bā戒jiè道dào：「正zhèng是shì，正zhèng是shì，昧mèi了le罢bà。」

Bajie said, “Just so, just so — deny it and be done.”

昧了罷 (mèi le bà), 了 (le) (昧 = to conceal, disavow).

他tā三sān人rén只zhǐ得dé出chū了le廚chú房fáng，走zǒu上shàng殿diàn去qù。他tā三sān人rén只zhǐ得dé出chū了le厨chú房fáng，走zǒu上shàng殿diàn去qù。

So the three of them could only leave the kitchen and go up to the hall.

只得 (zhǐ dé), 得 (dé) (‘had no choice but’); 出了 (chū le), 了 (le); 走上殿 (zǒu shàng diàn) = went up to the hall.

畢bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn麼me與yǔ他tā抵dǐ賴lài，且qiě聽tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。毕bì竟jìng不bù知zhī怎zěn么me与yǔ他tā抵dǐ赖lài，且qiě听tīng下xià回huí分fēn解jiě。

In the end there is no telling how they will brazen it out — so listen to the telling of the next chapter.

抵賴 (dǐ lài) = to flatly deny; 且聽下回分解 (qiě tīng xià huí fēn jiě), 分 (fēn) = ‘listen to the next chapter’s telling,’ the storyteller’s closing formula.

總評 Commentary

The gentle Tang Monk tries to broker peace: conceding there may be something to the charge, he offers to question his disciples and, if they are guilty, to have them apologise and ‘make it good.’ Bright-Moon’s retort — that the fruit cannot be bought at any price — meets the monk’s characteristic recourse to principle: ‘benevolence and right are worth a thousand in gold,’ an apology should suffice, and besides, guilt is not yet proven.

But the boys have the pilgrims dead to rights (‘over there they’re squabbling the shares aren’t even’), and when the Tang Monk summons the disciples, Sha Monk grasps at once that ‘the game’s up.’ Here the moral comedy sharpens: Pilgrim, mortified, reasons that since it is ‘only a matter of eating,’ the thing to do is simply lie — ‘deny it’ — and Bājiè, ever willing, agrees at once. The three go up to the hall resolved to brazen it out.

The chapter closes on the storyteller’s formula, 且聽下回分解 — ‘there is no telling how they will deny it; listen to the next chapter’ — leaving the confrontation poised for ch. 25, where Zhènyuán’s return will turn the theft into an ordeal. Readings: 說得是得 = de against 只得 = dé; the causative 教 = jiào; 那裡 split within the passage — nǎ (‘where would one buy’) against nà (‘squabbling over there’); and the closing 分解分 = fēn.