【原神双语阅读】牧童与魔瓶的故事+希鲁伊与希琳的故事

2023-02-20 23:27 作者:Eiria 0人读过 | 我要投稿

【仅搬运整理供学习之用】

=====牧童与魔瓶的故事=====

=====The Shepherd and the Magic Bottle=====

牧童在沙漠中偶遇银瓶，以及其中囚禁的不速之客的故事。

The story of a shepherd who came across a magic bottle within which an unexpected being was confined.

人们说，君王阿赫玛尔在世时，曾经广收大地之上的镇灵与妖魔，收以为魔瓶千计。

Legend has it that King Al-Ahmar, while still alive, had collected numerous Jinn and demons from across the world, placing them within magic bottles.

人们说，世界上一度满布镇灵，大能却迷惘的阿赫玛尔将它们从沙漠银色的夜风与流沙中、从海洋难测的旋纹中、从雨林泉流的叮咚声中攫出，然后收入玄银的瓶中——一如不可一世的征服者，一如好奇的稚童。

Legend has it that the world was once teeming with such Jinn. Al-Ahmar, mighty yet bewildered, seized them from the silver night winds and quicksand of the desert, the mystical swirls of the ocean, and the tinkling springs in the rainforest, and kept them in silver bottles. He was like an arrogant conqueror, and at the same time, a curious child.

bewildered = confused and cannot understand sth or decide what to do

be teeming with sth = to contain large numbers of sth

阿赫玛尔曾以辔与轭役使诸镇灵，亦从它们的哀歌中习得惨淡的月与驾车的启明星之前事，并兴建宏大的圆形剧场之城阿伊·哈努姆——「月女城」以纪念之。这座城传说是镇灵的城，是阿赫玛尔为月的遗民封赐的乐土。作为报答，镇灵们为阿赫玛尔铸造了他陵墓的巨大门扉。

Al-Ahmar harnessed the spirits with bridles and yokes, learned from their laments about the story of the dismal moon and the driving morning star, and built the majestic Ay-Khanoum — the "City of Amphitheaters, or "City of the Moon Maiden" — to commemorate them. It is said to have been the city of the spirits, the paradise for migrants from the moon, gifted to them by Al-Anmar. In return, the spirits constructed the huge doorway to his mausoleum.

现实中的阿伊·哈努姆遗址："公元前4世纪后期，古希腊马其顿王国国王亚历山大率军东征波斯，将希腊文明带到巴克特里亚（今阿富汗）境内，在这里建造希腊化的城市。阿伊哈努姆是一个典型的希腊城邦，城市设施十分完善，体育馆、剧场、神庙、王宫等无一不有。但在阿伊哈努姆，巴克特里亚王国的文明痕迹并没有被完全抹掉，它与希腊文明相互融合，众多的艺术和文化在这里汇集，形成了独特的希腊-巴克特里亚式风格。"（资料来源：成都博物馆阿富汗国宝展览"文明的回响"简介）"In Uzbek, Ai Khanoum (/Ay-Khanoum) means 'Lady Moon'."

（碎碎念：所以月女城如果有新图的话也会是这种杂糅的风格吗0w0）

amphitheater = 圆形露天剧场、竞技场

commemorate = to remember officially and give respect to a great person or event, esp. by a public ceremony or by making a statue or special building

以上是沙漠歌者的一家之言。到千百年后的如今，就如骁勇的赛穆德人之城萨勒赫、智慧的提纳勒人之邦图莱杜拉，二十九代伊之城奥尔迦娜那般，阿伊·哈努姆，及其间居住的无数宗族、被玄银魔瓶所囚禁的数不清的镇灵，早已被重重黄沙、旋流和淤泥掩埋了。

This is the tale as the desert singers would tell it. Countless years later, Ay-Khanoum — like Saleh, the city of the valiant Thamudians, Tulaytullah, the land of the wise Tighnarians, and Orghana, the city of the Twenty-Nine Deys — has long been buried beneath heavy sands and swirling currents, as have the countless clans that inhabited it and the innumerable jinn imprisoned in their silver magic bottles.

Thamud：阿拉伯半岛上早期的一个游牧部落，传说这个部落凿山为屋、崇拜多神，于是真主让部落中的先知Saleh（或Salih）显露神迹：一头母驼，但众人不仅不信还杀了母驼，最终这个部落遭神罚覆灭。这片地方也因这位先知而得名玛甸沙勒（Mada'in Saleh = "Cities of Saleh")，现实中的玛甸沙勒遗址位于约旦佩特拉城南部。（资料来源：islamiclandmarks.com/saudiarabia-additional-places/madain-saleh）

Tulaytullah：西班牙的托莱多（Toledo）在阿拉伯语中叫做Tulaytulah，这座城市在历史上曾被不同文明占领过，因而各种文化交融，不同信仰的人在此共处。

Orghana：or+ghana？

dey：现实中的dey常译为"代"、"迪伊"，是1671-1830年阿尔及尔（Algiers）以及旧时突尼斯、的黎波里统治者的头衔；阿尔及尔是阿尔及利亚的大商港，曾有29任迪伊统治过这里。

但现在，让我们省去不必要的考据与举证，书归正题——

But now, let us leave the unnecessary fact-finding to one side and return to the subject...

fact-finding = [n.] the discovery and establishment of the facts of an issue

leave sth to one side = to keep sth separate, reserved, or in stasis so as to use or deal with it later

那是在奥摩斯港建成后的第十五个年头，一个年轻的牧者在砂砾作歌之丘（注1）发掘到了一个银瓶。不知是出于幼稚的好奇，还是出于沙漠人所不应有的轻慢，在月光下，少年破坏了瓶底的封印，打开了银瓶。（注2）

Fifteen years after Port Ormos was built, a young shepherd found a silver bottle in the Gravelsong Dunes (Note 1). Whether out of childish curiosity or a recklessness uncharacteristic of desert dwellers, the boy broke the seal beneath the silver bottle and opened it beneath the moonlight. (Note 2)

uncharacteristic = not typical

「凡世的渡鸦，如此聒噪……」

"The ravens of the mortal world are so exceptionally noisy..."

镇灵自瓶中升起（注3），现出如猫般柔软慵懒、如睡莲般明润的舞者模样。

A Jinni arose from within the bottle (Note 3) in the form of a dancer, as flexible and languid as a cat and as bright and beautiful as a water lily.

「渡鸦……？」

"Ravens...?"

愚钝的少年并不明白，他看起来并不像鸟类，生性也不聒噪。

The youth was clueless, as he did not resemble a bird, nor was he noisy.

「是呀，渡鸦。」

"Yes, ravens."

那镇灵又重复了一遍，颇不耐烦的样子。

The spirit repeated, rather impatiently.

「速生速死的鸟儿，聒噪的生命……『惟有死去时，他们才会醒来』。你是哪里不懂呀？」

"Birds that live fast and die fast, a noisy lot and no mistake... 'Only when they die do they wake up.' What about this is there to not understand, hmm?"

死去时才会醒来：一说是先知穆罕默德说的，也有说是他的堂弟阿里说的，英文中还有一种流传比较广的译法是"People are asleep; they wake up when they die."

少年又愚鲁地摇摇头，收获了一声叹息。

The young man shook his head in confusion, bringing a sigh to the spirit's lips.

「这样吧，蠢笨的呆鸟。」

"Listen, foolish bird."

镇灵摇摇头，涂没药的发辫在月光下轻摆，辫梢缀结的金铃发出催人入梦的响声。琥珀金般的瞳眸却显现匕首的光泽。

The spirit shook her head, her myrrh-scented braids swaying gently in the moonlight, the golden bells dangling at their ends ringing dreamily, but her amber eyes glinting like daggers.

「我允许你提三个问题，但我亦有三个条件——

"I will allow you to ask three questions under three conditions..."

「其一，乃是不得诬蔑我主阿赫玛尔。此为最重。（注4）

"First, do not defame my lord Al-Ahmar. This is my bottom line. (Note 4)"

「其二，乃是不得心怀傲慢。短寿之人应自知立场。

"Second, harbor you no arrogance. Short-lived mortals should know where they stand."

harbor = [v.] have in mind

know where you stand = to be certain about what your position and responsibilities are in a situation

「其三，乃是不得窃听天上与地下之事。要知道，天上确有坚强的卫士和灿烂的星宿。

"Third, do not pry into the affairs of heaven and earth. Know this: there are indeed brave guardians and splendid stars in heaven."

「否则，我会乘着夜风，恰如夜月的三女神乘着她们的战马般冲入你的口鼻，荡空你的脏腑魂灵，将你不生不死的血肉做我的新居所。」

"If you fail to comply, I will fly into your mouth and nose on the night wind, like the three moon goddesses on their steeds, draw out your guts and soul, and make your lifeless flesh my new home."

少年急忙捂住口鼻，用力地点点头，努力表示自己听懂了镇灵的条件。

The youngster hastened to cover his mouth and nose, nodding profusely to show that he understood the conditions.

「发问吧，我主的宠儿，天国的奴才。」

"Then ask, beloved child of my lord, slave of heaven."

镇灵轻笑着开口了。皎白的月光洒落在她的千百发辫上，又流散融入近乎透明的肌肤之中，散发出晶砂般的光彩。

Said the spirit, chuckling. The bright moonlight fell on her braids, and flowed into her nearly transparent skin, granting it a crystalline sheen.

「你是谁？」

"Who are you?"

少年发问。

The young man asked.

「我是天空的造物，亦是世界的生灵。我是千古的放逐者，亦是我主大君的忠诚奴仆。我是不甘向血肉之躯拜伏的元素之灵，是满足于安乐假面的永恒囚徒……」

"I'm a creation of the sky, yet also a creature of this world. I'm an exile of the ages, a faithful servant to my great lord. I'm an elemental spirit who will not bow to flesh and blood, an eternal prisoner content with the illusion of comfort..."

flesh and blood = used to emphasize that a person is a physical, living being with human emotions or frailties, often in contrast to something abstract, spiritual, or mechanical

镇灵骄傲地挺起胸膛，任月光从剔透的身形流淌而下，任沙漠的夜风吹得发梢金铃作响。

The spirit held her head up high with pride, letting moonlight flow through her translucent body, her golden bells ringing in the desert wind.

「我是利露法尔的后裔。我可大可小，能升能隐，不论波涛之内、夜风之中，还是已死的苍凉月光之上，皆有我的同类。简而言之，我是骄傲的镇灵。」

"As a descendant of Liloufar, I can be big or small. I can rise or hide. My kindred may be found in the waves, in the night wind, or in the pale light of the dead moon. In short, l'm a spirit, and I'm proud of who I am."

「那么，你为何会在这瓶子里？」

"Then why are you in this bottle?"

不解风情的少年晃晃手中的银瓶，呆呆地问道。

The young man shook the silver bottle in his hand and asked uncomprehendingly.

「我主阿赫玛尔是志在征服天地之人，诸山诸海都听他调遣。因而，他以玄银为我们铸就魔瓶，在我们的身上打下他的印，我们便成了他的奴仆，从事高贵的创造与探索。换句话……并非耻辱的奴仆，而是骄傲的奴仆。

"My lord Al-Ahmar aspired to conquer the world. All mountains and seas would be his to command. To this end, he made us magic bottles of silver and stamped his mark on us, and so we became his servants, engaging in noble deeds of creation and exploration. In other words... we were not servants in shame, but servants with pride."

「只是呀，后来……」

"But afterwards..."

镇灵琥珀金般的眼眸暗淡下来，声音也轻了许多，

The spirit said quietly, her amber eyes darkening.

「我主自取灾祸，令我们连遭数个世代的遗忘之绝罚。因而我们与同胞被困在了封印的银瓶之中，溺于梦想，直至死亡亦当死亡的时刻。

"My lord brought disaster upon himself, leaving us sentenced to generations of oblivion. We were trapped in sealed silver bottles, drowning in dreams until the moment of our death."

「好啦，第三个问题！」

"Well, your third question, then!"

镇灵欢快地摆摆手，手腕上缀连的古老银钱发出清脆的鸣响，

The spirit waved her hand briskly, causing a clear jingle of the ancient silver coins adorning her wrists.

「小心一点提，否则小心你的口鼻！」

"Have a care for your query, or your mouth and nose will suffer!"

「那么……」

"So..."

少年犹豫片刻，提出了最后的问题，

The young man hesitated for a moment, and asked the last question.

「在瓶里的生活，是什么样的呢？」

"What's it like to live in a bottle?"

镇灵似乎未尝听闻过此种问题，微微一怔，才缓缓答道：

Seemingly having never heard of such a question before, the spirit was slightly surprised before she answered slowly.

「最初一个世代，我居住在无忧的宫邸，与夜莺同歌，同玫瑰谈情。那是美好的时代，是诗人与恋人因我而生的年代。那个年代里，似乎整个『月女城』恰在瓶中，就连无色无味泉水亦是令人迷醉的。

"In the first era, I lived in a carefree palace, singing with nightingales and talking with roses. It was a beautiful time, a time when poets and lovers were born because of me. In those days, it seemed that the entire City of the Moon Maiden was in the bottle, and even the tasteless spring water was intoxicating."

「那时，我对自己说，若有人将封印毁却，放我出去外面的世界，我必咒杀那人。」

"At that time, I told myself that if anyone ever broke the seal and let me out into the outside world, I would curse and kill them."

「后来一个世代，风沙大作，妖魔横行。夜莺啼血，鸣声变得呕哑嘲晰；玫瑰凋落，化作纠缠的荆棘。诗人瘐死，恋人流离，繁华不再……那是可怖的年代，一切在永恒的崩毁中停滞。同样地，『月女城』仿佛恰在瓶中。

"In the era that came after, sandstorms and demons ran riot. Nightingales sang till their voice grew raspy and their blood dried up. Roses withered and turned into tangles of thorns. Poets died of maltreatment, lovers were displaced, prosperity vanished... It was a dreadful time when everything came to a standstill in the eternal collapse. Yet likewise, the City of the Moon Maiden seemed to be right in the bottle."

run riot = behave in a violent, noisy, and uncontrolled way

displace= to force (someone) to leave home or country, as during a war

「于是，我对自己说，若有人将封印毁却，放我出去外面的世界，我必追究它的不公。」

"So I told myself that if anyone ever broke the seal and let me out into the outside world, I would fight against its injustice."

「然后，第三个世代。一切都已归于尘埃，一切都已毁灭。『月女城』的盛大戏剧已然落幕，仅余残垣断壁间的宏大剧场，与诸神破碎不堪的面具。这个时代里，我流干了泪，金铃的鸣响与层层纱舞也变成了缠身的诅咒。

"Then in the third era, everything was reduced to dust. The grand play of the City of the Moon Maiden came to an end, and what remained were the ruined theater and the wrecked masks of the gods. In that era, I ran out of tears to shed, and the chiming golden bells and the fluttering veil became to me a haunting curse."

to shed tears = 流泪

『就这样，在一片荒芜中，我对自己说，若有人将封印毁却，放我出去外面的世界，我将成为复仇的恶灵——毁灭世界，或毁灭自己。」

"And so, I told myself amidst that desolation that if anyone ever broke the seal and let me out into the outside world, I would turn into an evil seeking revenge — I would destroy the world, or else destroy myself."

「所以……」

"So..."

沙漠寒风忽起，少年忍不住裹紧宽大的长袍，缩了缩身子。

A gust of cold wind in the desert sent a shiver over the young man, causing him to tighten his loose robe.

「是呀，我本想将你作为复仇的第一个目标……撕裂你的骨骼血肉，用你的灵魂作残忍的歌。」

"Yes, I could have made you the first target of my revenge... tore your bones and flesh to make a cruel song of your soul."

镇灵戏谑地笑起来，有如夏夜报死的夜莺，

The spirit smiled teasingly, like a nightingale announcing a death on a summer night.

「只是呀，死去的月光照着了流沙的沙丘，也照到了我……令我突然意识到，这个世界竟如此可爱。

"Yet the dead moon cast a glow over the quicksand dunes, and over me... and I suddenly realized how lovely the world is."

「可悲的镇灵，恰似奋力顶破卵壳的雏鸟那样，不可救药地爱上了这片荒芜残破的世界，与其间万物蠢蠢碌碌的新生和死亡。曾被玫瑰珍馐滋养的骄子，如今却爱上了遍生蟾蜍与毒蛇之地……

"And so this poor Jinni, like a chick struggling to break through its egg, has hopelessly fallen in love with this barren and ravaged world and its circle of life and death. The proud Jinni, once nourished by the delicacies of roses, has fallen for the land infested with toads and vipers..."

ravaged = severely damaged; devastated

「这一切令我不禁期待，『渡鸦』蜕变成为『新郎』的那一刻……将是何种情状。」

"It all makes me wonder what it will be like... when the 'raven' becomes the 'groom.'"

「所以……? 」

"So...?"

少年又退缩了一下身子。

The youngster cowered again.

「所以，请给我讲个故事，小渡鸦。让我了解这个世界吧。」

"So, tell me a story, little raven. Let me see the world."

望着少年的呆脸，镇灵狡黠地笑了起来，辫梢的金铃簌簌作响。

The spirit grinned slyly at the sight of the youth's puzzled look, her golden bells tinkling at the end of her braids.

就这样，「月女城」的镇灵重新开始了她的世界旅程。

And so, the spirit of the moon maiden's city once again embarked on her journey around the world.

脚注：

Footnotes:

1、「镀金旅团」成员常称为「阿吉夫之地」的沙漠地带，并非特定的地名，因为沙丘本身就如风般流动。

1. This is the desert area that the Eremites often refer to as "Dar al-Azif." This does not refer to a fixed place, since the dunes themselves flow like the wind.

Dar al-Azif："克苏鲁之父"洛夫克拉夫特所写的《死灵之书》中有一章名为"<死灵之书>的历史"，其中内容均为虚构，其中提到："《死灵之书》原名《阿尔·阿吉夫》，阿拉伯人常用“阿吉夫”这个词指那些出现在夜晚，被怀疑是恶魔们的哭嚎与咆哮的声音（也指那些晚间由昆虫发出来的声音）。" ；dar = [arabic] adobe, house, place, land, etc.

2、普尔比鲁尼一门的学督法尔马拉兹坚持他荒谬的看法，认为是「出于沙漠人所固有的愚昧」，此看法不值一驳。对于如此无理之人，愿百鸟集结在他的床榻，愿诸山向他投石！

2. Faramaraz, a Purbiruni academic, has insisted on an absurd opinion that this occurred "out of the ignorance inherent to the desert dwellers," which is not even worth refuting. May a hundred birds gather on this unreasonable man's bed, and may the mountains hurl stones at him.

3、普尔比鲁尼一门的学督法尔马拉兹再次与笔者辩驳，认为「升起」一词不妥，应用更好的词来表示「如光彩夺目的烟雾般漫出」之样貌。不得不承认他的意见虽在文学上有所可取，但实非学者作为。愿他的肠胃如铅石虬结，愿理发匠如他须发的刽子手！

3. Faramaraz, a Purbiruni academic, has argued that the word "rise" was inappropriate here and that a better word should be used to present the image of "pouring out like a radiant cloud of smoke." It must be admitted that his opinion has literary merit, but it will not be adopted academically. May his bowels become as gnarled as stones, and may his barber be the executioner of his hair!

4、普尔比鲁尼一门的学督法尔马拉兹指出，「阿赫玛尔」并非此位君王在世时之称谓，在此处引用恐失之严谨。愿智慧厌弃他的存在，愿他的头发稀薄，胡须早白！

4. Faramaraz, a Purbiruni academic, has pointed out that "Al-Ahmar" was not the name that the monarch used during his lifetime, and that it is improper to quote it here. May wisdom forsake him, may his hair grow thin, and may his beard turn white before its time!

一个或许有点类似的故事：《一千零一夜》中有个渔夫与魔鬼的故事，说的是一名渔夫网到一个铜瓶，瓶口有苏莱曼大帝（所罗门）的封印，渔夫出于好奇打开瓶子，结果瓶中出现一个恶魔要杀死渔夫，渔夫询问原因，于是恶魔说："渔翁，你有所不知，我本是离经叛逆的妖魔，是个顽固的魔鬼，曾与使徒苏莱曼·本·达伍德大帝作对。于是他派他的宰相阿绥福·本·白尔海亚前来抓我。我强忍屈辱。当我站在苏莱曼面前时，他便劝我投奔他，并向我传经布道，要我服从他的指挥。见我当场拒绝，他便拿来这个瓶子，把我装在这里边，并且加上铅封，盖上他的印章，然后下令将铜瓶投入大海。我在海底住了一百年，心想：'谁能把我救出来，我保他终身荣华富贵。' 可是，一百年过去了，没一个人救我。又过了一百年，我心想：'谁能救出我，我就给他打开地下宝藏之门。' 结果还是没人救我。四百年过去，我心想：'谁能救出我，我给他办三件大事。' 仍然无人光顾。我生气了，心想：‘谁要在这个时候把我救出来，我就杀死他，死法任其挑选！' 渔翁，你恰在这时把我救出来，死法就由你选择吧！"（资料来源：《一千零一夜》李唯中译本）

=====希鲁伊与希琳的故事=====

=====The Tale of Shiruyeh and Shirin=====

===第一卷===

「接下来要讲的故事，来自『疫王』希鲁伊的时代。只不过在那时候，这位藩王还没有因『希鲁伊之疫』而恶名昭彰，他的臣民也尚未流散遁入黑暗的世界，成为失去语言和面目的蛮荒之物……」

"The next story I'll tell comes from the age of Shiruyeh, the Lord of Pestilence, though at this time, that vassal ruler had not yet gained notoriety for Shiruyeh's Plague, nor had his subjects been scattered amidst a world of darkness, left to become wild creatures who had lost their language and faces..."

pestilence = a disease that spreads quickly and kills a lot of people 疫病

月女城的精灵稍作停顿，伸了一个大大的懒腰。手腕脚踝上月色的银钱纷纷作响，似乎为驮兽的颠簸颇有不满，

The fairy of the moon maiden's city paused for a moment, then stretched out lazily. The moonlit silver coins jangled on her wrists and ankles as if displeased with the jouncing of the Sumpter Beast.

「话说回来呀，小渡鸦，你可知『希鲁伊』之名的含义？」

"Anyway, little raven, do you know the meaning of the name 'Shiruyeh'?"

「嗯……荒唐可笑，卑劣之人？」

"Uh... 'One who is ridiculous and despicable'?"

despicable = extremely nasty, cruel or evil, deserving to be despised

被自顾自称作「渡鸦」的少年随口答道。苦于日晒和流沙的威胁，他无心理会旅伴的故事，

The youth whom she had rather one-sidedly named "Raven" answered casually. Suffering the heat of the sun and the threat of quicksand, he had little interest in his travel companion's stories.

「在我们的部落，『希鲁伊』是一个耻辱的名字，只有被放逐的首领会在额头被烙下这样的名号，只有在诅咒与嘲骂时才会挂在嘴边。这是我们的传统……但想必在其他的部落，也差不太多吧。」

"In our tribe, 'Shiruyeh' is a disgraceful name branded only onto the foreheads of exiled chiefs and spoken only in curses and mockery. It's a tradition of ours... But I'm sure that the traditions of other tribes are not so different."

brand = [v.] 打烙印

「哈哈！凡人的认识如同流沙，随时间的风游移不定。真是怪异！」

"Haha! Mortal awareness is just like quicksand, shifting with the winds of time. How bizarre!"

「渡鸦」的敷衍作答，却引来了精灵饶有兴趣的嘲讽，

"Raven” replied perfunctorily, drawing an unexpectedly enthusiastic taunt from the fairy,

perfunctorily = quickly, without care or interest

「其实……在失落的语言中，『希鲁伊』的含义是『未断奶的幼狮』。他的父王『帕维兹拉万』以此为满月的爱子赐名，却浑然不知，他这位自称『常胜之灵』的藩王，将会被心爱的『小狮子』如鬣狗般撕破肚肠……」

"Now, actually... in the lost language, 'Shiruyeh' means 'unweaned lion cub'. His father Parvezravan gave this name to his newborn son, oblivious that he, the vassal king who referred to himself as the 'Spirit of Unceasing Victory,' would be torn apart by his own beloved 'lion cub'..."

oblivious = unaware, unconscious

精灵停顿一下，仿佛怕听众腻烦似的，与少年交换了眼神，随即继续讲道：

The fairy paused, seemingly afraid that her audience was getting bored, and exchanged glances with the youth before continuing her tale:

「至于这『帕维兹拉万』。传说在凡人各自作为藩王统治一方的时代，『帕维兹拉万』曾是列王中最为强大者之一……」

"As for this Parvezravan, legend has it that in the days when mortals ruled as vassal kings, he was one of the mightiest among them..."

「帕维兹拉万」并非这位藩王的本名。精灵们说，他曾是无父无母的孤儿，被巨鸟戈赫努丝在巢中抚养长大，得名「基斯拉」，即「受赐美名者」。后来，因着称雄的野心，受着神鸟的眷助，他被藩王奥尔玛兹沙收为义子，成了凡人中的贤者与英雄。

"Parvezravan was not, in fact, the original name of this vassal king. As the spirits tell it, he was an orphan who was raised in the nest of the giant bird Ghoghnus and given the name 'Kisra,' or 'one who has been bestowed a good name.' Later, his aspiration to greatness and the aid of this divine bird saw him adopted by the vassal king Ormazd Shah, and he would eventually rise to become a sage and hero among mortals.

Ghoghnus：波斯神话中有神鸟名为西摩格（Simurgh），后与其他地区神话中的神鸟形象（如阿拉伯国家的Ghoghnus）融合（资料来源：维基百科词条"Simurgh"，关于Ghoghnus本身没查到太多信息，存疑）。

关于神鸟和弃子，在波斯诗人菲尔多西所著的史诗《列王纪》中有一个类似的故事：勇士萨姆喜得一子，但此子浑身白毛，模样怪异，萨姆以为不祥，随将孩子抛弃在荒野中，被神鸟西摩格发现，神鸟收养了这个孩子，并给他起名“达斯坦”，孩子长大后，萨姆梦到儿子还在，感到懊悔，同时也惧怕神罚，遂前往山中将儿子接回，以“扎尔”之名称呼他，并让他做了继承人。

Shah：沙，旧时伊朗国王/印度等亚洲国家的地方统治者的称号。

已消亡的沙漠民族，他们的歌中说，基斯拉为藩王奥尔玛兹沙攻掠大地四方，迫使九十九座城池毁弃灰泥与青铜筑就的高塔城墙，击败九十九个游牧部族的魁首，又将九十九位通晓星空之理的智慧贤者羁以黄金的枷锁，领回高耸的王城居尔关押。

In the songs of the now-vanished desert people, Kisra plundered the four corners of the land in the name of his king, Ormazd Shah. By his hand, the bronze and mortar towers of ninety-nine cities were destroyed or abandoned. By his hand, the leaders of ninety-nine nomadic tribes were defeated. And by his hand, ninety-nine sages with knowledge of the order of the stars were bound in golden chains, then led back to the towering royal city of Gurabad to be imprisoned.

彼时，乐土「瓦利·韦杰」方被镀金的狂沙席卷，三生魔神已陨没其一。在百年的混乱与迷茫中，流散的凡人子民曾据藩地自守，直至吾主阿赫玛尔与绿木贤王收拢臣民，重建绿洲乐园为止，镀金藩王的割据年代方告结束。

At that time, the promised land of "Valivija" was engulfed by wild, gilded sands, and one of the three living gods had fallen. Amidst a century of chaos and confusion, the scattered mortals ensconced themselves in vassal states until my lord Al-Ahmar and the Sage-King of the Greenwood gathered their subjects. Once the oasis paradise was reconstructed, the age of the vassal kings, the age of division, finally came to a close.

（valivija：联想到赤王和树王两个神的话……wali+bija？信息太少了，还是不瞎猜了_(:з」∠)_）

书归前文，因着基斯拉的功业，奥尔玛兹的王冠亦愈发贵重，最终他自己的脖颈甚至也无法承担王冠之重，不得不以纯金的锁链，将它永远悬在大厅中央。

Returning to our preceding tale, Ormazd's crown grew all the more valuable on the back of Kisra's exploits, until finally his own neck could no longer bear its weight, forcing him to leave it ever suspended from chains of pure gold in the center of the main hall.

一个些许类似的情节，还是出自菲尔多西的《列王纪》：国王霍斯鲁帕尔维兹（Khosrow Parviz）为他的妻子希琳（Shirin）建造了一座"麦达因宫殿"，其中“有一个大环全是黄金铸造，从高高的拱顶上向下垂吊。环上还挂着一条赤金链子，每-个连结处都镶着宝石。每当国王坐在象牙宝座上，便把王冠摘下来挂在环上。”

年轻的基斯拉以盖世的功业，获得了藩王奥尔玛兹沙的无上赏赐。他赐义子「帕维兹」之名，又将女儿希琳许配给了他。精灵们缥缈的歌中传唱道，她是凡人藩王与老祖母利露法尔的混血后嗣，因而有着优越的智慧，享着无穷的寿限，如最初贤者般，能预见当下的吉凶。

The vassal king Ormazd Shah rewarded young Kisra's unrivaled achievements amply: He bestowed the name "Parvez" upon his adopted son and offered his daughter Shirin's hand to him in marriage. In the ethereal songs of the spirits, as the heir of both the mortal vassal king and the foremother Liloufar, she possessed superior wisdom and was blessed with an infinite lifespan and, like the original sages, could foresee the fortunes and misfortunes of the present moment.

amply [adv.] = more than sufficiently

Parvez [Persian] = victorious；ravan [Persian] = soul, spirit

假若基斯拉·帕维兹就此止步，他的英雄之名将毫无瑕疵。但在某一个受诅咒的日子里，藩王奥尔玛兹及其三百子嗣在居尔城一夜暴亡，此等荒唐事变之后，基斯拉顺理成章继承王位，为自己加上「拉万」的名号，成为了凡人中最强大的藩王。

If Kisra Parvez had stopped there, his reputation as a hero would have continued unblemished. But one cursed day, Ormazd and all 300 of his offspring suddenly died in one night in the city of Gurabad. Following such an unthinkable event, the throne naturally fell to Kisra, who added "Ravan" to his title and became the most powerful vassal king among mortals.

unblemished = an unblemished reputation, character, etc. has no faults and is not spoiled in any way（名声等）无污点的

「……」

精灵中断故事，抬眼望望正在沉入沙丘的红日。然后便吹了一个尖利的口哨，示意少年停下驮兽，准备在残破的石柱下扎营过夜。

The fairy abruptly stopped her tale and looked up at the red sun that was now sinking behind the sand dunes. She then whistled sharply, signaling to the youth to halt the Sumpter Beast and prepare to make camp for the night under the crumbling stone pillars.

「有人说呀……」

"Some people say..."

精灵轻盈地跳下驮兽，又在沙地上转了几个圈，仿佛失传已久的「塞塔蕾」舞者那般，让初现的月光为自己透明的肌肤均匀地涂上银色光泽。没药的气息随千百发辫飞舞，伴着金铃作响，传至远方。

The fairy lithely leaped down from the Sumpter Beast and circled across the sands in a manner not unlike the long-lost dancers of Setaria, letting the moon's first light evenly coat her translucent skin in its silvery sheen. The scent of myrrh swirled around her myriad braids as the golden bells rang out into the distance.

然后，精灵稍一倾身停住脚尖，轻笑出声。

Then, the fairy leaned over slightly, balancing on the tips of her toes as she laughed softly.

有人说，居尔城的惨案正是由英雄基斯拉一手造成的。

Some people say that the tragedy that befell the city of Gurabad was the handiwork of the hero Kisra.

有人说，在惨剧发生的那夜，无爪的恶鸟自坚城飞出，不饮不食，彻夜哭号。城堡内人面的鼠类成灾，啃食了悬挂王冠的金链，使过于笨重的冠冕重重落在地上，破损变形。

Some people say that the night the tragedy took place, an evil, clawless bird flew out from the redoubt and wailed throughout the night without stopping to eat or drink. The castle was then struck by a plague of rats with human faces, which gnawed at the gold chains from which the crown hung, causing the cumbersome thing to crash heavily to the ground, broken and bent.

redoubt = 防御工事、堡垒

人们说，王冠落地的声音震天动地，乃至令远在坚城之外定居苦耕的菲拉赫奴仆都为他们从未谋面的暴君胆战心惊。

People say that the crown made such an earth-shaking noise when it fell that even the Fellahin servants, who had settled and toiled far from the redoubt, trembled with fear at this tyrant they had never met.

Fellahin = [arabic] peasants in Arab countries（单数：fellah）

再后来，据说更有冒险家从镀金的黄沙掩埋之下寻到了居尔城的古老地窖，其中藏匿着奥尔玛兹及其子嗣干瘪庞大的残躯，每一具萎缩的躯体上面都留着无法识读的古老铭文……

Later still, it is said that an adventurer found the ancient crypts of the city of Gurabad beneath the gilded sands, in which were hidden the withered, massive remains of Ormazd and his offspring. An ancient, inscrutable inscription was left on each of the shriveled bodies...

inscrutable = that cannot be easily understood; completely obscure or mysterious

「希望这个故事有吓到你。」

"I hope this story frightened you."

精灵饶有兴致地看着眼前的凡人少年从兽皮水壶中饮水的样子。

The fairy watched keenly as the mortal boy before her drank from the waterskin.

沙漠中的部族，对待饮水本能般地节制与谨慎，而精灵却是纯净的元素之中孳生的生灵，从不懂得干渴的感受，从不靥足于奢侈的快乐，正如哀歌中传唱的那位古老的希琳公主一般。

The tribes of the desert regard water with an instinctive restraint and prudence. Spirits, however, are born of pure elemental energy and know neither thirst nor the satisfaction of the pleasure of luxury, just like the ancient princess Shirin in this lament.

「至于说起老祖母利露法尔的女儿希琳，我们的故事才刚刚开始呢……」

"As for the daughter of the foremother Liloufar I mentioned, Shirin — why, our story has only just begun..."

精灵又狡黠地笑起来，眼眸如琥珀金，笑颜似古老故国的公主。

The fairy smiled slyly again, her eyes like an amalgam of amber and gold, her smiling face like the princess of her ancient homeland.

=====第二卷=====

「是啊，你已讲过一遍了。」

"Yes, you've mentioned this part of the story already."

少年语气颇不耐烦，他望着星空中的满月，以伴星的位置盘算着明天的路线。

The youth's tone was rather impatient as he gazed at the full moon hanging in the starry sky, using the positions of its companion stars to determine the next day's route.

但精灵知道，他也在认真听着她的故事。这令她不禁发出了得意的鼻息，马上却又为此等失份的举动恼火：

But the spirit knew that he was, in truth, listening earnestly to her story. She couldn't refrain from letting out a triumphant snort, but was immediately annoyed by this unbecoming action:

unbecoming = not appropriate or suited to one's appearance, status, character, etc.

「凡人心性浮躁，过耳即忘，我又怎么知道你有没有在听！」

"The mortal mind is as fickle as it is forgetful. How should I know whether you were listening or not?"

书归正题，希琳，据精灵的哀歌所言，乃是凡人英雄奥尔玛兹与精灵「睡莲之女」利露法尔所生的女儿。她生于莲叶之上、香露之间，洁白的鹮鸟为她行祝福，眼镜蛇为她献上青色的珍珠，雄壮的巨鳄亦向她俯伏礼拜。

Back to the subject at hand — Shirin, according to the spirits' lamentations, was the daughter of the mortal hero Ormazd and the fairy Liloufar, the Daughter of the Water Lily. Born upon a lily pad amid fragrant dewdrops, the white ibis blessed her, and the cobra bequeathed to her a cerulean pearl, and even the mighty giant crocodile bowed to her in worship.

lamentation = [formal] sadness and feeling sorry, or something that expresses these feelings

作为精灵的老祖母，在将女儿交付凡人藩王之前，利露法尔赠予了三条预言：其一，希琳将与一位伟大的英雄相爱，其结合的子嗣更胜过父亲；其二，希琳的许多血亲，将得享甜蜜的终局；其三，希琳将独占其父的王国。

As the foremother of the spirits, before she delivered her daughter to the mortal vassal king, Liloufar prophesied three times: First, that Shirin would fall in love with a great hero, and the progeny of their union would surpass their father. Second, that many of Shirin's relatives would enjoy a sweet end, and third, that Shirin alone would be given possession of her father's kingdom.

然后，利露法尔又给了凡俗的宠儿三个警告：其一，女儿的欢乐，将给为父者带来泪水；其二，女儿出嫁后再不可同桌欢宴；其三，女儿的后嗣将为王土蒙上恶兆.

Then, Liloufar gave three admonitions to her mortal darling: First, that her joy would bring tears to her father's eyes. Second, that they should no longer feast at the same table as their daughter after she was wed, and third, that their daughter's heir would be an ill omen upon the king's land.

admonition = a piece of advice that is also a warning to someone about their behaviour

对于预言与警告，藩王仅置之一哂。

The king, however, only smiled at these prophecies and admonitions.

「后来，希琳被父亲许配给了大英雄『帕维兹拉万』。实现了第一条预言？」

"Later, Shirin's father offered her hand in marriage to the great hero 'Parvezravan,' fulfilling the first prophecy, right?"

少年打断了精灵的故事。

The youth said, interrupting the spirit's story.

「是呀。但，也并不全对……」

"That's correct, though, not entirely so..."

精灵将手指在少年的鼻尖一点，后者赶紧满面通红地避开，仿佛生怕遭到精灵缥缈的死咒。如此天真的举动，又一次逗乐了精灵。

The spirit laid a finger on the tip of the youth's nose and the latter hurriedly moved away, his face flushed as if he feared she might put some ethereal, deathly curse on him. The spirit once again found herself amused by such an innocent act.

待到希琳稍稍懂事的年纪，母亲为她许下的愿景便成了萦绕不去的诅咒。她终日等待着同英雄相爱的机会，等待着自己继承父亲王国的那一天，渴念着完美甜蜜的未来，但终未能实现。

By the time Shirin grew a little older and more cognizant, the vision her mother laid out for her became a lingering curse. She spent her days awaiting her chance to fall in love with a hero, waiting for the day when she would inherit her father's kingdom, and longing for that sweet and perfect future — but it never came.

实话说来，希琳与英雄基斯拉的婚姻并不幸福——毕竟，凡人的英雄皆是些乖戾之辈，心中满怀统治的野心。而利露法尔的嗣女怀着精灵的骄傲，终究难以忍受凡人英雄看似深情的金丝陷阱，无法安于床第与炉灶间的和宁。就这样，从无爱无聊的枯朽生活中，终于生长出了鲜活的憎恨——同银瓶之中囚禁的同类如出一辙的憎恨。

Truth be told, Shirin's marriage to the hero Kisra was not a happy one — after all, mortal heroes are all warped people harboring the ambition to rule. The daughter of Liloufar carried the pride of the spirits, and thus she found the golden trap of the mortal hero's supposed affections hard to endure, and she found no peace between the bed and the hearth. And so at last, a vivid hatred coalesced from this passionless, dull, rotten life — the same hatred that those imprisoned in the silver bottle carry.

warped = having strange and frightening thoughts or ideas

coalesce = to combine into a single group or thing

(碎碎念：原文的意思是无法忍受一潭死水的生活，不是"found no peace..."？)

后来，在恶名昭彰的大宴那夜，一些卑贱的奴仆——马赞达兰绿洲的术士，或不识字的菲拉赫奴仆——将蝎毒滴入麝香的蜜糖，呈予藩王奥尔玛兹与他的三百子嗣，眼看着他们沉入甜蜜无梦的死之梦乡，溺于卑贱者的脂血，血泪纵横流淌……

Later, on the night of the infamous grand banquet, a few lowly slaves — mages of the Mazandaran Oasis, or perhaps some illiterate Fellahin servants — dripped scorpion venom into musk honey and offered it to the vassal king Ormazd and his 300 heirs. They then watched as they sunk into the sweet, dreamless landscape of death, drowning in the fat and blood of the wretched as their blood and tears flowed freely...

而在这一夜，尚有梦可享的，只剩下了被亲父排除于宴会之外的希琳与她不情愿的同谋和夫君基斯拉。

And on this night, all who remained with dreams left to enjoy were Shirin, who had been excluded from the party by her own father, and her reluctant co-conspirator and husband, Kisra.

卑贱的弑君者们随即被新王处以浸入蜜缸之刑，呼喊诅咒的口呛满了粘稠蜜糖。

The lowly regicides were thereupon submerged in the honey pot as punishment by the new king, and they cursed him with their last breaths as they choked on the sticky honey.

regicide = a person who kills a king, or the act of killing a king

choke on sth = to gag and cough on sth stuck in the throat

而新王的口中则涌流出黑色污血般的谎言，英雄之名逐渐染上深黑的污点……

And from the new king's mouth gushed blackened, dirtied, and bloodied lies, which gradually stained his hero's reputation a deep black...

由是，第二个预言得以实现。

And so, the second prophecy was fulfilled.

再后来，基斯拉·「帕维兹拉万」之子，深受母亲宠爱的希鲁伊长大成人，却被父王逐出高耸的居尔城。亲父令希鲁伊遮掩面庞骑乘快马离去，从此以后再不得踏入王城一步。无疑「帕维兹拉万」对精灵主母利露法尔的警告恐惧万分，因留恋而生的懦弱使他下达了如此决定。就这样，从藩王无根的恐惧中，希琳再度寻得了复仇的良机。

Later, Shiruyeh, the son of Kisra Parvezravan, grew to adulthood beloved by his mother, but was banished by his father from the towering city of Gurabad. Made by his father to hide his face and flee on a fast steed, Shiruyeh was henceforth forbidden from setting foot in the city again. Undoubtedly terrified of the fairy-mother Liloufar's warning, it was Parvezravan's fixation that gave rise to the cowardice that spurred this decision. And so, Shirin once again found the perfect opportunity for revenge in the vassal king's unfettered fear.

某天夜里，她扮作月神庙宇中的神姬，与投宿的浪子相遇。在银光烂漫的缠绵中，在结露的百合花间，向蒙面的游子赐下虚假缥缈的神谕：

One night, she disguised herself as a divine princess of the temple to the moon goddess and met with her prodigal son who had sojourned there. In the lingering silvery light that danced amidst the dew-dotted lilies, she gave the masked wayfarer this false, illusory prophecy:

（碎碎念：prodigal是指那种挥霍无度的浪子，但这里的"浪子"应该是后面"游子"的意思？）

「亲父的暴虐，对于游子而言何尝不是最大的不幸？月神的宠儿呀，凡月光所照之处，皆是你统治的王土，凡你所播撒的种子，必当茁壮茂盛。既然月光赐了你良弓锋刃，又何以忍受宝座之上尸居的懦夫？何不鼓起勇气，面对憎恨，面对自己的面目？」

"Is the tyranny of the wanderer's father not his greatest misfortune? O darling of the moon goddess, everywhere the moonlight touches is yours to rule, and every seed you sow shall grow and flourish. Since the moonlight has granted you a good bow and a sharp blade, why do you suffer that coward idling upon the throne? Why not muster up the courage to face your hatred, to face yourself?"

相传就在希鲁伊迟疑不决时，一阵夜风拂过，希琳用以掩面的薄纱随之脱落。

Legend has it that just as Shiruyeh hesitated in indecision, a gust of wind rushed through the night and blew the veil Shirin had used to conceal her face away.

眼见熟悉的面庞，被迫蒙面的少年内心即刻被恐怖与羞耻击破，惊惶失措地逃离了那座被玷污的庙宇。如铃的轻笑与冷酷的月光，皆成为了恐怖的见证。

Seeing that familiar face, the young man who had been forced to cover his was instantly overcome with terror and shame. He fled the sullied temple in a panic, and laughter soft as the ringing of a bell and the cruel moonlight bore witness to his fear.

再后来的故事乏善可陈：无敌的藩王「帕维兹拉万」在床榻上被蒙面的逆子刺死，在蓝宝石与黄金兽角装饰的华丽大床上留下了不可洗脱的血污。

The story from here is a lackluster one: The peerless vassal king "Parvezravan" would be stabbed to death in his bed by his own masked, unfilial son, and his magnificent bed — once adorned with sapphire and golden animal horns — would be indelibly stained with his blood.

lackluster = lacking energy or vitality; boring

unfilial = not showing the qualities that are expected of a good daughter or son

indelibly = in a way that is impossible to remove by washing or in any other way

精灵的哀歌如是唱道：希鲁伊在犯下大逆之罪后，曾向母亲希琳痛哭忏悔。而希琳却不加申斥，只是将爱子拥入怀中，摘下象征放逐的黄铜面具，然后为他留下了深情的祝福之吻。

The dirge of the spirits then goes like this: After committing this crime of treason, Shiruyeh wept bitterly before his mother Shirin in repentance. But Shirin did not reprimand him. Rather she took her beloved son into her arms, removed the brass mask symbolizing his exile, and left him with an affectionate kiss of benediction.

希鲁伊称王之后，久为不可摆脱的噩梦折磨，终于在一次狂乱的夜游中，跌入大地的深黑裂隙，不知所踪。再后来，大疫从裂隙中袭来，吞没了居尔城的半数生灵，失去了藩王与臣仆的国度就此一蹶不振，为不知靥足的黄沙逐渐吞没。

After Shiruyeh claimed the throne, he was long tormented by inescapable nightmares until finally, on a frenzied night of wandering, he fell into a deep black chasm in the earth and disappeared. Later, a great plague emerged from that chasm and swallowed up half of the souls in the city of Gurabad. The kingdom, having lost its vassal king and his servants, fell into ruin and was gradually devoured by that insatiable yellow sand.

而流散的幸存者皆称此次灾厄为「希鲁伊之疫」，乃是荒唐的短命暴君所自取的报应。

The scattered survivors of this calamity called it "Shiruyeh's Plague" — the divine retribution invited by the absurdly short-lived despot himself.

despot = a person, especially a ruler, who has unlimited power over other people, and often uses it unfairly and cruelly

至于母后希琳，亦成就了利露法尔的第三个预言——她与她产下的子嗣在被复仇毁灭的国土上赢得了真正的自由，化成了为自负之人报死的恶灵。

As for his mother Shirin, Liloufar's third prophecy was indeed fulfilled — She and the heir she bore won true freedom in a kingdom ravaged by vengeance, and they became evil apparitions, death knells to the conceited.

apparition = the spirit of a dead person appearing in a form that can be seen

death knell = the tolling of a bell to mark someone's death 丧钟声

「有人说，希琳后来被吾主阿赫玛尔所收服，羁押在了精美的银色魔瓶之中。也有人说，她至今还在沙漠中游荡，纠缠着不知天高地厚的冒险家，不知疲倦地找寻着跌迸漆黑世界的爱子…………」

"Some people say that Shirin was later subdued by my lord Al-Ahmar, who detained her in a magic silver bottle. Others say that she still roams the desert, tormenting overconfident adventurers and tirelessly searching for the beloved child that she lost to that dark world..."

精灵骄傲地微笑着，煞有介事地为故事做了总结。

The fairy smiled proudly, having theatrically concluded the story.

theatrically = in an exaggerated and excessively dramatic manner

此时，月已上高天，正是沙漠尚未成为沙漠的遥远古代，神姬举行生祭的时刻。

At this time, the moon was already high in the sky, and the distant, ancient time when the desert had not yet become a desert was nigh. It was time for the divine princess to hold the sacrifice.

(碎碎念：感觉英文被原文最后的逗号带偏了，其实就是"若是在……的遥远古代，此时正是神姬举行生祭的时刻"？)