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十日谈|The Decameron

第一日 故事第三|Day the First:THE THIRD STORY

属类： 双语小说 【分类】世界名著 -[作者: 乔万尼·薄伽丘] 阅读：[38663]
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妮菲尔把故事讲完之后，大家都很称赏，于是菲罗美娜奉了女王的命令，接着讲一个故事：方才妮菲尔的故事叫我想起了另一个犹太人所遭遇的危险来。天主，以及我们所信仰的天主教的真理，我们已讲得很透彻了，那么现在我们不妨回过头来谈谈人世间的事，看一看凡人的遭遇和作为吧。我现在要讲一个故事，诸位听了以后，再逢到有人问你什么话，回答来就会格外谨慎了。

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Neifile having made an end of her story, which was commended of all, Filomena, by the queen’s good pleasure, proceeded to speak thus: "The story told by Neifile bringeth to my mind a parlous case the once betided a Jew; and for that, it having already been excellent well spoken both of God and of the verity of our faith, it should not henceforth be forbidden us to descend to the doings of mankind and the events that have befallen them, I will now proceed to relate to you the case aforesaid, which having heard, you will peradventure become more wary in answering the questions that may be put to you.

[46] Lit. amorous (amorose), but Boccaccio frequently uses amoroso, vago, and other adjectives, which are now understood in an active or transitive sense only, in their ancient passive or intransitive sense of lovesome, desirable, etc.
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亲爱的女伴们，你们都知道，愚蠢往往使得人们从幸福的境界堕入苦痛万分的深渊；而聪明人却往往能凭着智慧，安然渡过险境，走上康庄大道。有些人本来可以快快乐乐过日子，只因为愚蠢，弄得整天愁眉苦脸，象这样的例子真是太多了，每天找一千件都不是难事，所以我不打算多讲了；现在我想借一个小小的故事来向大家表明：我们明理懂事就是快乐的泉源。

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You must know, lovesome[46] companions[47] mine, that, like as folly ofttimes draweth folk forth of happy estate and casteth them into the utmost misery, even so doth good sense extricate the wise man from the greatest perils and place him in assurance and tranquillity. How true it is that folly bringeth many an one from fair estate unto misery is seen by multitude of examples, with the recounting whereof we have no present concern, considering that a thousand instances thereof do every day manifestly appear to us; but that good sense is a cause of solacement I will, as I promised, briefly show you by a little story.

[46] Lit. amorous (amorose), but Boccaccio frequently uses amoroso, vago, and other adjectives, which are now understood in an active or transitive sense only, in their ancient passive or intransitive sense of lovesome, desirable, etc.
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当初萨拉丁原是一个无足轻重的小人物，但是他凭着万夫不当之勇，竟一跃而为巴比伦的苏丹，而且接连打败了伊斯兰教和基督教的王国，声势十分浩大。可是他连年用兵，耀武扬威，把国库都用空了；临到有一天急需一笔巨款，这才发觉已没有钱好使了。他一时也想不出该到哪里去筹措这笔巨款，幸而他记起亚历山德利亚有个名叫麦启士德的犹太富翁来。那是个放高利贷的，要是他肯帮忙，事情就好办了。只是那个犹太人爱钱如命，要他自愿拿出钱来，那是万难办到的；而萨拉丁又不愿施用强迫的手段。但是钱却非要不可，他怎么也得想出个办法。最后，他决定借一个冠冕堂皇的口实叫麦启士德上了圈套，就再不怕他不拿出钱来。

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Saladin,—whose valour was such that not only from a man of little account it made him Soldan of Babylon, but gained him many victories over kings Saracen and Christian,—having in divers wars and in the exercise of his extraordinary munificences expended his whole treasure and having an urgent occasion for a good sum of money nor seeing whence he might avail to have it as promptly as it behoved him, called to mind a rich Jew, by name Melchizedek, who lent at usance in Alexandria, and bethought himself that this latter had the wherewithal to oblige him, and he would; but he was so miserly that he would never have done it of his freewill and Saladin was loath to use force with him; wherefore, need constraining him, he set his every wit awork to find a means how the Jew might be brought to serve him in this and presently concluded to do him a violence coloured by some show of reason.

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所以他就把麦启士德请了来，很优待他，还请他坐在自己的身边，于是就这么说道：“好先生，我听得好多人夸奖你非常博学，对于各种教义，自有深切的认识；所以我很想向你请教：在犹太教、伊斯兰教、天主教这三者之中，到底哪一种才真是正宗呢？”

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Accordingly he sent for Melchizedek and receiving him familiarly, seated him by himself, then said to him, ’Honest man, I have understood from divers persons that thou art a very learned man and deeply versed in matters of divinity; wherefore I would fain know of thee whether of the three Laws thou reputest the true, the Jewish, the Saracen or the Christian.’

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那犹太人可真不愧是个懂事的聪明人，一听这话，就知道萨拉丁是在把圈套给他钻，只要让他捉住了一句话，就再也分辨不清了；所以打定主意在这三者之中决不偏袒哪一方而压低另外两方；这样，萨拉丁就没法挑他的眼儿了。于是他转动脑筋，立即想了一番既得体而又稳妥的话回答道：“陛下所提的问题是非常有意义的，可是要回答这问题，须得容我先讲一个短短的故事：

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The Jew, who was in truth a man of learning and understanding, perceived but too well that Saladin looked to entrap him in words, so he might fasten a quarrel on him, and bethought himself that he could not praise any of the three more than the others without giving him the occasion he sought. Accordingly, sharpening his wits, as became one who felt himself in need of an answer by which he might not be taken at a vantage, there speedily occurred to him that which it behoved him reply and he said, ’My lord, the question that you propound to me is a nice one and to acquaint you with that which I think of the matter, it behoveth me tell you a little story, which you shall hear.

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“我记得曾不止一次听人讲过，从前有一个大富翁，家里藏着许多珍珠宝石，其中他最心爱的是一个极美丽、极名贵的戒指。他希望这戒指成为子孙万代的传家之宝，不落到外人的手里，所以特地在遗嘱上写明，凡是得到这戒指的便是他的继承人，其余的子女都要尊他为一家之长。

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An I mistake not, I mind me to have many a time heard tell that there was once a great man and a rich, who among other very precious jewels in his treasury, had a very goodly and costly ring, whereunto being minded, for its worth and beauty, to do honour and wishing to leave it in perpetuity to his descendants, he declared that whichsoever of his sons should, at his death, be found in possession thereof, by his bequest unto him, should be recognized as his heir and be held of all the others in honour and reverence as chief and head.

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“那得到这戒指的儿子、也照着这办法立了遗嘱教子女们遵守，谁得到戒指的便做一家之长。这样，那戒指传了好几代，终于来到某一个家长的手里，他生下三个儿子，个个都很有才德，对父亲都极孝顺，因此也个个为父亲所疼爱。三个青年都知道那戒指历来就是做家长的凭证，大家都存着做一家之主的想望，就都无微不至地服侍那垂老的父亲，好要求父亲将来把戒指传给他。

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He to whom the ring was left by him held a like course with his own descendants and did even as his father had done. In brief the ring passed from hand to hand, through many generations, and came at last into the possession of a man who had three goodly and virtuous sons, all very obedient to their father wherefore he loved them all three alike. The young men, knowing the usance of the ring, each for himself, desiring to be the most honoured among his folk, as best he might, besought his father, who was now an old man, to leave him the ring, whenas he came to die.

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“那位老人家对于三个儿子原是一样钟爱，无所厚薄，因此不知道究竟该把戒指传给哪一个才好；儿子们向他请求，他却都答应了。他想，最好让三个儿子都得到满足，于是私下叫了一个技艺高超的匠人来，照样仿造了两只戒指，造得果然跟原来的一般无二。放在一起，连那个匠人自己都分辨不出哪一只是真的来了。

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The worthy man, who loved them all alike and knew not himself how to choose to which he had liefer leave the ring, bethought himself, having promised it to each, to seek to satisfy all three and privily let make by a good craftsman other two rings, which were so like unto the first that he himself scarce knew which was the true.

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“那父亲临终时，就把那三只戒指私下分别给了三个儿子。父亲死后，那三个兄弟都要求以家长的名份继承产业，彼此各不相让，大家都拿出一只戒指来作为凭证。但是那三只戒指十分相象，竟分辨不出哪一只是真的来；究竟谁是真正的家长，这问题就始终没有能解决。直到现在还成为悬案。

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When he came to die, he secretly gave each one of his sons his ring, wherefore each of them, seeking after their father’s death, to occupy the inheritance and the honour and denying it to the others, produced his ring, in witness of his right, and the three rings being found so like unto one another that the true might not be known, the question which was the father’s very heir abode pending and yet pendeth.

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“所以，陛下，我说，天父所赐给三种民族的三种信仰也跟这情形一样。你问我哪一种才算正宗，大家都以为自己的信仰才算正宗呢。他们全都以为自己才是天父的继承人，各自抬出自己的教义和戒律来，以为这才是真正的教义、真正的戒律。这问题之难于解决，就象是那三只戒指一样叫人无从下个判断。”

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And so say I to you, my lord, of the three Laws to the three peoples given of God the Father, whereof you question me; each people deemeth itself to have his inheritance, His true Law and His commandments; but of which in very deed hath them, even as of the rings, the question yet pendeth.’

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萨拉丁听他这么一说。就知道那个犹太人十分机智，已躲避了他设下的圈套。他既然急需款子应用，就只得把情形如实告诉了那犹太人，看他能不能帮这一回忙。那苏丹还说，要不是他把难题回答得如此圆满，那么他本来是打算怎样对待他的。

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Saladin perceived that the Jew had excellently well contrived to escape the snare which he had spread before his feet; wherefore he concluded to discover to him his need and see if he were willing to serve him; and so accordingly he did, confessing to him that which he had it in mind to do, had he not answered him on such discreet wise.

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萨拉丁所需要的款项，那犹太人慷慨地全部应承了。后来萨拉丁有了钱依旧如数还他；此外还送了他极贵重的礼物，并且把他看成朋友，时常接他进宫去，当作上宾款待。

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The Jew freely furnished him with all that he required, and the Soldan after satisfied him in full; moreover, he gave him very great gifts and still had him to friend and maintained him about his own person in high and honourable estate.”

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