Lu Xun Diary of a Madman translation, VIII

鲁迅 狂人日記 八

This is a sentence-by-sentence translation of the eighth chapter of 狂人日記 (Diary of a Madman) by 鲁迅 (Lu Xun). As always, the translation here aims to be fairly literal at the expense of sounding idiomatic in English.

其實這種道理，到了現在， Actually with this kind of reasoning,

他們也該早已懂得， by now they should have understood for a while..

…… 忽然來了一個人； Suddenly a person came in;

年紀不過二十左右，相貌是不很看得清楚， He was no older than around twenty, but I could not see his features clearly;

滿面笑容，對了 我點頭，他的笑也不像真笑。 his whole face smiled, and he nodded at me, but his smile did not seem real.

我便問他，“吃人的事，對麼？” I then asked him “Eating people.. is it right?”

他仍然笑著說，“ 不是荒年，怎麼會吃人。 ” Still smiling, he said “If it’s not a famine year, how can one eat people?”

我立刻就曉得，他也是一夥，喜歡吃人的； I immediately knew that he was an accomplice, and liked to eat people;

便自勇氣百倍，偏要問他。 I then bolstered my courage, and persisted in questioning him.

“對麼？” “Is it right?”

“這等事問他什麼。你真會……說笑話。……今天天氣很好。” “This kind of thing - what’s it about? … You really can tell jokes…. The weather is fine today.”

“天氣是好，月色也很亮了。可是我要問你，對麼？” “The weather is fine and the moon is bright. But I’m asking you - is it right?”

他不以為然了。 He did not think so.

含含胡胡的答道，“不……” He smiled and mumbled “No….”

“不對？他們何以竟吃？！” “It’s not right? Then why do they do they do it?!”

“沒有的事……” “They don’t…”

“沒有的事？狼子村現吃； “They don’t? They’re eating people right now in Wolf Cub Village;

還有書上都寫著，通紅斬新！” and it’s written in books, in pure, fresh red ink!”

他便變了臉，鐵一般青。 His face then changed, hardening and becoming white all over.

睜著眼說，“有許有的，這是從來如此……” He opened his eyes and said, “Maybe it’s true, and it’s always been like this…”

“從來如此，便對麼？” “It’s always been like this, so it’s right?”

“我不同你講這些道理； “I don’t agree with this reasoning of yours;

總之你不該說，你說便是你錯！” basically you shouldn’t say it - if you say it, you’re wrong!”

我直跳起來，張開眼，這人便不見了。 I really leapt up, my eyes wide open, and then this person was gone.

全身出了一大片汗。 My whole body was covered in sweat.

他的年紀，比我大 哥小得遠，居然也是一夥； He was much younger than my brother, and yet he was still an accomplice;

這一定是他娘老子先教的。 this was certainly something his parents taught him before.

還怕已經教給他兒子了； and now I fear that he will already have taught his son;

所以連小孩子，也都惡狠狠的看我。 so even the children, they too stare at me like wolves.

[← Part VII](/3482/china/baihua/lu-xun-diary-madman-7/" rel="prev "Lu Xun Diary of a Madman translation, VII") · [Contents](/china/baihua/lu-xun-diary-madman/" rel="contents "Lu Xun Diary of a Madman translation") · [Part IX →](/china/baihua/lu-xun-diary-madman-9/" rel="next "Lu Xun Diary of a Madman translation, IX")

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Useful links

• Lu Xun ‘A Madman’s Diary’ translation (marxists.org)
• Simplified Chinese text of 狂人日记 (xys.org)
• [The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun (Penguin Classics)](http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0140455485/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=easasistu-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0140455485" rel="nofollow “The Real Story of Ah-Q and Other Tales of China: The Complete Fiction of Lu Xun (Penguin Classics)")