切切思思 Day And Night He Thinks
那國王滴淚道:「朕切切思思,無晝無夜,但只是沒一個能獲得妖精的,豈有不要他回國之理?」行者道:「我老孫與你去伏妖邪,何如?」那国王滴泪道:「朕切切思思,无昼无夜,但只是没一个能获得妖精的,岂有不要他回国之理?」行者道:「我老孙与你去伏妖邪,何如?」
逐句解 Line by line
The king let fall tears. "We think of her urgently and without ceasing, by day and by night. Only there has been no one able to take the monster. How should there be any question of not wanting her back?"
切 is qiè at both halves of 切切, pressing and urgent — the sense 康熙 glosses 迫也,急也. The everyday modern reading of this character wants qiē, to cut, and it is wrong here: the dictionary files only two readings for it, and the cutting sense and the urgent sense share the same one. 的 is the light de.
Pilgrim said, "Suppose Old Sun goes and subdues the monster for you?"
The offer that will occupy the next several chapters is made as a passing suggestion. 伏 here is to subdue something, not to lie down.
The king weeps for the second time in two passages and answers with the only thing he can: there has been nobody able to take the monster. The grief is not the obstacle. The want of a champion is.
Pilgrim's offer comes in a single line, phrased as a passing suggestion — suppose Old Sun goes and subdues him for you. The whole second half of this chapter, and several chapters after it, follow from that sentence.