面对长者质疑 乔纳森该何去何从
Day 6
①WhenJonathan Seagull joined the Flock on the beach, it was full night. He was dizzyand terribly tired. Yet in delight he flew a loop to landing, with a snap rolljust before touchdown. When they hear of it, he thought, of the breakthrough,they’ll be wild with joy. How much more there is now to living! Instead of ourdrab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s a reason to life! Wecan lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures ofexcellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!
一个斤斗翻下来，即将着陆时还来了个快滚。他想，海鸥们得知他打破了飞行纪录，一定会欣喜若狂的。生活现在变得多么有意义啊！除了单调地围绕着渔船盘旋外，生活还有其他目的！我们能够摆脱愚昧，我们能够使自己成为有才能、有智慧、有技巧的生灵。我们能够获得自由！我们能够学会飞行！
② The years ahead hummed/d/ and glowed with promise.
未来的岁月充满着希望。
The gulls were flocked into the Council Gathering when he landed,and apparently had been so flocked for some time. They were, in fact, waiting.
乔纳森着陆时，鸥群正聚在一起开会。看来他们已经集合好久了。实际上他们是在等他。
③ “Jonathan Livingston Seagull! Stand to center!” The elder’s wordssounded in a voice of highest ceremony. Stand to center meant only great shameor great honor. Stand to center for honor was the way the gulls’ foremostleaders were marked. Of course, he thought, the Breakfast Flock this morning;they saw the Breakthrough! But I want no honors. I have no wish to be leader. Iwant only to share what I’ve found, to show those horizons out ahead for usall.
“乔纳森·利文斯顿！站到中间去！”长者发话了，声音极其严肃。站到中间，要不是极大的羞耻，就是极大的光荣。海鸥的几个最高领袖就享有站在中央的荣誉。当然啦，他心想，今天早晨早餐时，他们都看见我打破了飞行纪录！但我不需要荣誉，我不想当领袖。我只想让大家共享我学习到的东西，向大家展示美好的前景。
④ He stepped forward.
他走上前去。
“Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” said the Elder, “Stand toCenter for Shame in the sight of your fellow gulls!”
“乔纳森·利文斯顿，”长者说，“为你的耻辱，站到中间去，让大家看看！”
⑤ It felt like being hit with a board. His knees went weak,his feathers sagged/t/, there was roaring in his ears.
这真是当头一棒！他双膝发软，浑身羽毛搭拉下来，耳朵里一阵轰响。
⑥Centered for shame? Impossible! The Breakthrough! They can’tunderstand! They’re wrong, they’re wrong!
站到中间受辱？不可能!打破纪录啦！他们不明白！他们错了；错了！
“... for his reckless irresponsibility “ the solemn voiceintoned, “violating the dignity and tradition of the Gull Family...”
“……他太轻率，太不负责任，”那个庄严的声音在继续说，“冒犯了海鸥家族的尊严和传统…，”
⑦ To be centered for shame meant that he would be castout of gull society, banished to a solitary life on the Far Cliffs.
站到中间受辱，就是说他将被赶出海鸥世界，放逐到“远崖”，去过孤独的生活。
“... one day Jonathan Livingston Seagull, you shall learnthat irresponsibility does not pay. Life is the unknown and the unknowable,except that we are put into this world to eat, to stay alive as long as wepossibly can.”
“…海鸥乔纳森·利文斯顿，总有一天，你会懂得不负责任是不行的。生命是莫测的，是不可知的。我们来到这个世界，就是为了吃，为了活下去，尽可能多活些日子。”
⑧A seagull never speaks back to the Council Flock, but it wasJonathan’s voice raised. “Irresponsibility? My brothers!” he cried. “Who ismore responsible than a gull who finds and follows a meaning, a higher purposefor life? For a thousand years we have scrabbled after fish heads, but now wehave a reason to live - to learn, to discover, to be free! Give me one chance,let me show you what I’ve found...”
海鸥从来不对全体会议反驳，但是乔纳森却大声抗议了。“不负责任？同胞们！”他嚷道，“一只海鸥能发现生活的意义，能找到更崇高的生活目的，你们还能说他不负责任吗？一千年来，我们总是眼睛盯着烂鱼头，可是现在我们有了生活的目的——学习，进行发明创造，取得自由！给我最后一次机会，让我告诉你们我学到了什么……”
⑨ The Flock might as well have been stone.
整个鸥群像是一块石头．
⑩ “The Brotherhood is broken,” the gulls intoned together, andwith one accord they solemnly closed their ears and turned their backs uponhim.
“开除他，”海鸥们异口同声地叫着，一同庄严地转过身去，对他不瞅不睬。
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