The Captain and the Cabin Boy - 船長與船艙童

This is such a wonderful story that I cannot resist from translation from English into Chinese. I had corrected and refined the English version.

https://www.italki.com/notebook/6027610/entry/976516

The Captain and the Cabin-boy - A translation from Russian into English

船長與船艙童 - 俄語英文翻譯

The cabin boy wondered and asked,  “Pray tell Captain Sir, why we cannot see the shore?  Why aren't any albatross cry above the waters? Where are we heading? Why don't our cannons fire? And why is the old cook not making meals for the crew? When will we return home? Why aren't there any order from you yet?” 

船艙童子疑問着「船主大人, 借問海岸何不見? 信天翁水上何不哭? 船向何處? 為何船炮莫嚮? 火頭軍為何工停? 何日家歸? 傳令未發矣?」

The captain replied, “We don't see the shore for it's too far away.  Albatross don't live here and our course is  to the south-east. The old cook doesn't feel well.  There is no enemy around and so our cannons remain silent. We are going to West-India  and when the cargo's unloaded,  we shall then be heading home.” 

船長微答「陸岸不見, 悠遠也. 信天翁在此莫居, 船向東南, 老火之工停, 身不舒. 敵人莫存, 何因發嚮? 船向西竺, 卸貨家還.」

“Oh Captain Sir, there's no wind here at all!”

「船長大人啊, 此處無風矣! 」

" A calm sea for sure...” came the reply.

「必定風靜浪平喲... 」一笑答而至.

“I see neither stars nor the sun in the sky.”

「天上日月星辰不見也.」

“Tonight's fog will be heavy tonight then.” 

「今夜烟濃霧厚吧」

“Alas Captain Sir! I have a sudden feeling that we won't see land anymore.  Perhaps we are amissed? Captain Sir, are we not going anywhere?  For what are we waiting for?” 

「船長大人, 船長大人啊, 我心血來潮, 陸地再難見, 或許有不對之處呢? 是否何處莫去? 等待何時? 」

"The ship had gone down with all hands on board a long time ago. We are at the bottom of the seabed and  ten thousand nights had passed.  We keep on speaking of the same things with the  same old words uttered."

「舟沉全沒, 時久已去, 海底萬夜之過. 你我以相同對答非止, 就此永恆同句一問一答矣. 」

Monday, February 25, 2019