第三十七回 · 細數前情 Recounting the Past — Journey to the West

原文 Original text 繁體 Traditional Reader's edition

細數前情 Recounting the Past

行xíng者zhě道dào：「殿diàn下xià且qiě莫mò忙máng，等děng我wǒ說shuō與yǔ你nǐ聽tīng。你nǐ本běn是shì烏wū雞jī國guó王wáng的de太tài子zǐ。你nǐ那nà裡lǐ五wǔ年nián前qián，年nián程chéng荒huāng旱hàn，萬wàn民mín遭zāo苦kǔ，你nǐ家jiā皇huáng帝dì共gòng臣chén子zǐ秉bǐng心xīn祈qí禱dǎo。正zhèng無wú點diǎn雨yǔ之zhī時shí，鍾zhōng南nán山shān來lái了le一yí個gè道dào士shì，他tā善shàn呼hū風fēng喚huàn雨yǔ，點diǎn石shí為wéi金jīn。君jūn王wáng忒tè也yě愛ài小xiǎo，就jiù與yǔ他tā拜bài為wéi兄xiōng弟dì。這zhè樁zhuāng事shì有yǒu麼me？」太tài子zǐ道dào：「有yǒu有yǒu有yǒu，你nǐ再zài說shuō說shuō。」行xíng者zhě道dào：「殿diàn下xià且qiě莫mò忙máng，等děng我wǒ说shuō与yǔ你nǐ听tīng。你nǐ本běn是shì乌wū鸡jī国guó王wáng的de太tài子zǐ。你nǐ那nà里lǐ五wǔ年nián前qián，年nián程chéng荒huāng旱hàn，万wàn民mín遭zāo苦kǔ，你nǐ家jiā皇huáng帝dì共gòng臣chén子zǐ秉bǐng心xīn祈qí祷dǎo。正zhèng无wú点diǎn雨yǔ之zhī时shí，钟zhōng南nán山shān来lái了le一yí个gè道dào士shì，他tā善shàn呼hū风fēng唤huàn雨yǔ，点diǎn石shí为wéi金jīn。君jūn王wáng忒tè也yě爱ài小xiǎo，就jiù与yǔ他tā拜bài为wéi兄xiōng弟dì。这zhè桩zhuāng事shì有yǒu么me？」太tài子zǐ道dào：「有yǒu有yǒu有yǒu，你nǐ再zài说shuō说shuō。」

逐句解 Line by line

行xíng者zhě道dào：「殿diàn下xià且qiě莫mò忙máng，等děng我wǒ說shuō與yǔ你nǐ聽tīng。行xíng者zhě道dào：「殿diàn下xià且qiě莫mò忙máng，等děng我wǒ说shuō与yǔ你nǐ听tīng。

Pilgrim said, “Your Highness, be not in haste; let me tell you and you shall hear.

且莫忙 (qiě mò máng) "be not in haste."

你nǐ本běn是shì烏wū雞jī國guó王wáng的de太tài子zǐ。你nǐ本běn是shì乌wū鸡jī国guó王wáng的de太tài子zǐ。

You are at root the crown prince of the king of the Black-Rooster Kingdom.

太子 (tài zǐ), 子 = zǐ.

你nǐ那nà裡lǐ五wǔ年nián前qián，年nián程chéng荒huāng旱hàn，萬wàn民mín遭zāo苦kǔ，你nǐ家jiā皇huáng帝dì共gòng臣chén子zǐ秉bǐng心xīn祈qí禱dǎo。你nǐ那nà里lǐ五wǔ年nián前qián，年nián程chéng荒huāng旱hàn，万wàn民mín遭zāo苦kǔ，你nǐ家jiā皇huáng帝dì共gòng臣chén子zǐ秉bǐng心xīn祈qí祷dǎo。

There in your land, five years ago, the seasons brought drought and dearth, the myriad people suffered, and your royal father, with his ministers, prayed with all their hearts.

你那裡 (nǐ nà lǐ) "there in your land," deictic nà; 臣子 (chén zǐ) "ministers," 子 = zǐ.

正zhèng無wú點diǎn雨yǔ之zhī時shí，鍾zhōng南nán山shān來lái了le一yí個gè道dào士shì，他tā善shàn呼hū風fēng喚huàn雨yǔ，點diǎn石shí為wéi金jīn。正zhèng无wú点diǎn雨yǔ之zhī时shí，钟zhōng南nán山shān来lái了le一yí个gè道dào士shì，他tā善shàn呼hū风fēng唤huàn雨yǔ，点diǎn石shí为wéi金jīn。

Just when there was not a drop of rain, there came from Mount Zhongnan a Daoist who was skilled at summoning wind and calling rain, and at turning stone to gold.

鍾南山 Mount Zhongnan (this edition writes 鍾南 for 終南); 點石為金 (diǎn shí wéi jīn) "turn stone into gold," 為 = wéi (to make/become).

君jūn王wáng忒tè也yě愛ài小xiǎo，就jiù與yǔ他tā拜bài為wéi兄xiōng弟dì。君jūn王wáng忒tè也yě爱ài小xiǎo，就jiù与yǔ他tā拜bài为wéi兄xiōng弟dì。

The king, too fond of petty gain, then bowed with him to become sworn brothers.

忒也愛小 (tè yě ài xiǎo) "over-fond of the small"; 拜為兄弟 (bài wéi xiōng dì) "bowed to become brothers," 為 = wéi (become).

這zhè樁zhuāng事shì有yǒu麼me？」这zhè桩zhuāng事shì有yǒu么me？」

Was there such a matter?”

這樁事 (zhè zhuāng shì) "this matter."

太tài子zǐ道dào：「有yǒu有yǒu有yǒu，你nǐ再zài說shuō說shuō。」太tài子zǐ道dào：「有yǒu有yǒu有yǒu，你nǐ再zài说shuō说shuō。」

The prince said, “There was, there was, there was — say on, say more.”

再說說 (zài shuō shuō) "say on, tell more."

總評 Commentary

Dropping all trickster theatre, Wukong recounts the prince’s own history — the drought, the Daoist’s coming, the sworn brotherhood — the very facts the murdered king gave in the dream, now turned to convince the son. The account is exact, and the prince cannot pretend it is nonsense.

His startled assent — “there was, there was, there was” — marks the moment the monkey’s knowledge strikes home. The phrase 愛小, the king’s being “over-fond of petty gain,” quietly names the fatal weakness that let the gold-making adept in, the flaw beneath the tragedy.