Alma, I beg you. Read this letter carefully. Our relationship must not degenerate into a mere flirt. Before we speak again, we must have clarified everything. You must know what I demand and expect of you and what I can give in return. What you must be for me. You must renounce, your word. Everything superficial and conventional. All vanity and outward show concerning your individuality and your work.
阿尔玛，我请求你，仔细阅读这封信。我们的关系绝不能沦落为单纯的调情。我们再次谈话之前，我们必须澄清一切。你必须知道我对你的要求和期望，以及我能给你什么回报。你必须为我做什么。你必须放弃你的诺言，一切肤浅而俗套的东西，你的个性和你的工作，所有的虚荣和外在的表现。
How do you imagine both wife and husband as composers? Do you have any idea how ridiculous and subsequently how much such an idiosyncratic rivalry must end up dragging us both down?
请你试想妻子和丈夫都是作曲家，你是否明白这种特殊的竞争有多荒谬，最终一定会把我们俩都拖垮？
How will it be if you happen to be just in the mood but have to look after the house for me or get me something I happen to need? If you are to look after the trivialities of life for me, you must become the person I need. If we are to be happy together, my wife and not my colleague. That's for certain.
如果你碰巧只是心情好，却要帮我看房子，或者给我买一些碰巧我需要的东西，那该怎么办?如果你要照顾我生活的琐碎，你一定要成为我需要的人。如果我们在一起想幸福，你是我的妻子而不是我的同事，这是肯定的。
Does this mean for you breaking off your own life? And do you think you will have to do without a high point of being, which you cannot live without? If you entirely give up your music in order to possess and also be my own.
这是否意味着你要放弃自己的生活？如果你为了拥有我，也为了属于我，完全放弃你的音乐，你是否能在没有最佳状态的情况下生活下去？
From now on, you have only one profession to make me happy. Now I do realize that if you are to make me happy, you must yourself be happy, through me. But, in this drama, which could develop equally well into a comedy or a tragedy, the roles must be correctly cast.
从现在开始，你只有一个工作，就是让我快乐。我真正意识到，如果你想让我快乐，你必须通过我才能快乐。但是，在这部既能发展成喜剧也能发展成悲剧的戏剧中，角色必须选对。
The role of composer, the breadwinner is mine. Yours is that of the loving partner, the sympathetic comrade. I am asking very much of you, very much. But I can and must do so because I also know what I have to offer and shall offer in return.
我的角色是作曲家，是养家糊口的人。你的角色是爱的伙伴，是有同情心的同志。我对你的要求非常多，非常高。但我可以也必须这样做，因为我也知道我可以提供什么，也将提供什么作为回报。
You must surrender yourself to me, unconditionally. Make every detail of your future life completely dependent on my needs. And in return, you must wish for nothing. Except my love.
你必须无条件地把自己交给我。使你未来生活的每一个细节完全取决于我的需要。作为回报，除了我的爱，你必须一无所求。
And what that is Alma, I cannot tell you. I have already spoken too much about it. But let me tell you just this. For someone I love the way I would love you if you were to become my wife, I can forfeit all my life and all my happiness.
我不能告诉你那是什么，阿尔玛。我已经说了太多了。但让我告诉你。为了我所爱的人，如果你成为我的妻子，我可以放弃我的全部生命和所有的幸福。
Write with utter candour, tell me all you have to say, and all you know. Rather than living in self-deception, I would prefer for us to part at once, otherwise being the way I am, I know it would end in a catastrophe for both of us.
请完全坦诚地告诉我，你要说的和你知道的一切。我宁愿我们立刻分手，也不愿生活在自我欺骗之中，否则以我的性格，我知道我们俩将以一场灾难告终。
This letter will come as a dreadful shock to you. I know it, Alma. And even if this is only cold comfort, you can well imagine that I am suffering just as much. I call to God, though aware that you have not yet made his acquaintance to guide your hand my love, in writing the truth and not letting yourself be led astray by ostentation.
阿尔玛，我知道这封信会让你大为震惊。即使这只是冷冰冰的安慰，你完全可以想象我也同样痛苦。我呼求上帝，虽然我知道你还没有认识他，亲爱的，我恳求他指引你的手，以真理书写，不要被虚夸引入歧途。
For this is a moment of great importance. These are decisions that will weld two people together for eternity. I bless you, my dearest, my love, no matter how you react. Many tend to kiss my Alma. And I beg you, be truthful.
因为这是一个非常重要的时刻。这些决定会让两个人永远在一起。无论你反应如何，我祝福你，我最亲爱的，我的爱人。许多人倾向于亲吻我的阿尔玛。而我恳求你，跟我说实话。
Your Gustav.
你的古斯塔夫！
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