原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
賭咒為誓
Sworn by Oath
小妖道：「何用？」行者道：「我與你寫個合同文書。你將這兩件裝人的寶貝換了我一件裝天的寶貝，恐人心不平，向後去日久年深，有甚反悔不便，故寫此各執為照。」小妖道：「此間又無筆墨，寫甚文書？我與你賭個咒罷。」行者道：「怎麼樣賭？」小妖道：「我兩件裝人之寶，貼換你一件裝天之寶，若有反悔，一年四季遭瘟。」行者笑道：「我是決不反悔；如有反悔，也照你四季遭瘟。」小妖道：「何用？」行者道：「我与你写个合同文书。你将这两件装人的宝贝换了我一件装天的宝贝，恐人心不平，向后去日久年深，有甚反悔不便，故写此各执为照。」小妖道：「此间又无笔墨，写甚文书？我与你赌个咒罢。」行者道：「怎么样赌？」小妖道：「我两件装人之宝，贴换你一件装天之宝，若有反悔，一年四季遭瘟。」行者笑道：「我是决不反悔；如有反悔，也照你四季遭瘟。」
逐句解 Line by line
小妖道：「何用？」行者道：「我與你寫個合同文書。
小妖道：「何用？」行者道：「我与你写个合同文书。
The imps said: “What for?” Pilgrim said: “I'll draw up a contract with you.
合同文書 (hé tóng wén shū), “a contract, a written agreement.” Pilgrim proposes to formalize the swindle in due legal style.
你將這兩件裝人的寶貝換了我一件裝天的寶貝，恐人心不平，向後去日久年深，有甚反悔不便，故寫此各執為照。」
你将这两件装人的宝贝换了我一件装天的宝贝，恐人心不平，向后去日久年深，有甚反悔不便，故写此各执为照。」
“You've traded your two people-bottling treasures for my one sky-bottling treasure; lest hearts prove uneasy and, as the years wear on, there be any reneging or dispute, we'll write this out, each to keep a copy for proof.”
日久年深 (rì jiǔ nián shēn), “as days lengthen into years.” 有甚反悔 (yǒu shén fǎn huǐ), “should there be any going back on it,” 甚 the interrogative shén. 各執為照 (gè zhí wéi zhào), “each holds it as evidence,” 為 read wéi.
小妖道：「此間又無筆墨，寫甚文書？我與你賭個咒罷。」
小妖道：「此间又无笔墨，写甚文书？我与你赌个咒罢。」
The imps said: “There's no brush or ink here — what document can we write? Let's swear an oath instead.”
寫甚文書 (xiě shén wén shū), “write what document,” 甚 interrogative shén. 賭個咒 (dǔ gè zhòu), “to swear an oath, make a vow,” the hortative 罷 (ba).
行者道：「怎麼樣賭？」
行者道：「怎么样赌？」
Pilgrim said: “How shall we swear it?”
怎麼樣賭 (zěn me yàng dǔ), “in what way sworn.” Pilgrim plays along, letting the imps set the terms of their own binding.
小妖道：「我兩件裝人之寶，貼換你一件裝天之寶，若有反悔，一年四季遭瘟。」
小妖道：「我两件装人之宝，贴换你一件装天之宝，若有反悔，一年四季遭瘟。」
The imps said: “Our two people-bottling treasures, traded with the jade vase thrown in for your one sky-bottling treasure — if either reneges, may he be plagued through all four seasons of the year.”
貼換 (tiē huàn), “to trade with something added to make up the difference.” 遭瘟 (zāo wēn), “to be struck by pestilence” — a formulaic curse for oath-breaking.
行者笑道：「我是決不反悔；如有反悔，也照你四季遭瘟。」
行者笑道：「我是决不反悔；如有反悔，也照你四季遭瘟。」
Pilgrim said with a laugh: “I'll certainly never renege; and if I do, may I too be plagued through the four seasons, just as you say.”
決不反悔 (jué bù fǎn huǐ), “will absolutely not go back on it.” Pilgrim swears the oath without a qualm, the trade already his.
總評 Commentary
Pilgrim's mock-legalism reaches its height: he proposes a formal contract, each party to keep a copy “for proof,” lest disputes arise in years to come — a solemn apparatus of good faith erected over a completed fraud. The humor lies in the perfect gravity with which he treats the imaginary future of a bargain that has already ruined the imps; he is play-acting fairness for the sheer pleasure of it.
When the imps, lacking brush and ink, propose an oath instead, Pilgrim happily lets them bind themselves, and swears the pestilence-curse back at them with an easy laugh. The scene completes the con's transformation of theft into ceremony: what began as a roadside trip-up has become a sky-bottling wonder, a documented exchange, and a mutual sacred vow. The imps walk away cursed and cheated, convinced they have struck the bargain of their lives.