【翻譯聽寫】練習之十四 - 原文 + 匯總 (Accepting The Command of the Army)

ACCEPTING THE COMMAND OF THE ARMY(1)

　　
　　You may believe me, when I assure you in the most solemn manner that, so far from(2) seeking this employment, I have used every effort in my power to avoid it, not only from my unwillingness to part with you and the family, but from a consciousness(3) of its being a trust(4) too great for my capacity; and I should enjoy more real happiness in one month with you at home than I have the most distant prospect of finding abroad, if my stay were to be seven times seven years(5). But as it has been a kind of destiny that has thrown me upon this service, I shall hope that my undertaking it(6) is designed to answer some good purpose ....

　　I shall rely confidently on that Providence(7) which has heretofore preserved and been bountiful to me, not doubting but that I shall return safe to you in the fall(8). I shall feel no pain from the toil or danger of the campaign; my unhappiness will flow from(9) the uneasiness I know you will feel from being left alone. I therefore beg that you will summon your whole fortitude, and pass your time as agreeably as possible. Nothing will give me so much sincere satisfaction as to hear this(10), and to hear it from your own pen.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　From A Letter to His Wife, 1775
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by George Washington

注釋:

(01) accepting the command of the army： 受命統率全軍。華盛頓於1775年就任全軍總司令時給愛妻寫了一封信。本文摘自這封信的兩段。
(02) far from： 遠遠不;完全不。
(03) not only from…．but from…： 不僅由於……而且由於……。but後麵省去了also. ．
(04) its being a trust： 這是一種信任。動名詞短語，作介詞of的賓語。
(05) if my stay were to be seven times seven years：假如我在外數十年。虛擬語氣。seven times seven：許許多多。
(06) my undertaking it： 我來承擔這一任務。動名詞短語， 作is designed的主語。
(07) Providence： 大寫時，解釋為"上帝"。
(08) not doubting but that…： 深信……。這裏but無實義，but that相當於that,
(09) flow from：來自。
(10) this： 代詞，代替前麵的you will summon your whole fortitude，and pass your time as agreeably as possible。

[Enlearner]
to part with you and the family
 
part with: to give up or let go of; relinquish.


Additional words and their definitions:

sol·emn (slm) adj. 1. Deeply earnest, serious, and sober. 2. Somberly or gravely impressive. See Synonyms at serious. 3. Performed with full ceremony: a solemn High Mass. 4. Invoking the force of religion; sacred: a solemn vow. 5. Gloomy; somber. solemn·ly adv. solemn·ness n. Synonyms: serious, sober, grave2, solemn, earnest1, sedate1, staid These adjectives refer to manner, appearance, disposition, or acts marked by absorption in thought, pressing concerns, or significant work. Serious implies a concern with responsibility and work as opposed to play: serious students of music.   Sober emphasizes circumspection and self-restraint: "My sober mind was no longer intoxicated by the fumes of politics" (Edward Gibbon).   Grave suggests the dignity and somberness associated with weighty matters: "a quiet, grave man, busied in charts, exact in sums, master of the art of tactics" (Walter Bagehot).   Solemn often adds to grave the suggestion of impressiveness: the judge's solemn tone as she handed down her decision.   Earnest implies sincerity and intensity of purpose: disputants who showed an earnest desire to reach an equitable solution.   Sedate implies a composed, dignified manner: "One of those calm, quiet, sedate natures, to whom the temptations of turbulent nerves or vehement passions are things utterly incomprehensible" (Harriet Beecher Stowe).   Staid emphasizes dignity and an often strait-laced observance of propriety: "a grave and staid God-fearing man" (Tennyson).   part with To give up or let go of; relinquish.   Synonyms: separate, divide, part, sever, sunder, divorce These verbs mean to become or cause to become parted, disconnected, or disunited. Separate applies both to putting apart and to keeping apart: "In the darkness and confusion, the bands of these commanders became separated from each other" (Washington Irving).   Divide implies separation by or as if by cutting or splitting into parts or shares; the term often refers to separation into opposing or hostile groups: We divided the orange into segments. "'A house divided against itself cannot stand.' I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free" (Abraham Lincoln).   Part refers most often to the separation of closely associated persons or things: "Because ... nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us" (Emily Brontë).   Sever usually implies abruptness and force: "His head was nearly severed from his body" (H.G. Wells).   Sunder stresses violent tearing or wrenching apart: The country was sundered by civil war.   Divorce implies complete separation: "a priest and a soldier, two classes of men circumstantially divorced from the kind and homely ties of life" (Robert Louis Stevenson). See Also Synonyms at distinct.   des·ti·ny (dst-n) n. pl. des·ti·nies 1. The inevitable or necessary fate to which a particular person or thing is destined; one's lot. 2. A predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control: "Marriage and hanging go by destiny" (Robert Burton). 3. The power or agency thought to predetermine events: Destiny brought them together. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Middle English destine, from Old French destinee, from feminine past participle of destiner, to destine, from Latin dstinre, to determine; see st- in Indo-European roots.]     fate (ft) n. 1. a. The supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events. b. The inevitable events predestined by this force. 2. A final result or consequence; an outcome. 3. Unfavorable destiny; doom. 4. Fates Greek & Roman Mythology The three goddesses, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, who control human destiny. Used with the. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Middle English, from Old French fat, from Latin ftum, prophecy, doom, from neuter past participle of fr, to speak; see bh-2 in Indo-European roots.]     Synonyms: task, job1, chore, stint1, assignment These nouns denote a piece of work that one must do.  A task is a well-defined responsibility that is usually imposed by another and that may be burdensome: I stayed at work late to finish the task at hand. Job often suggests a specific short-term undertaking: "did little jobs about the house with skill" (W.H. Auden). Chore generally denotes a minor, routine, or odd job: The farmer's morning chores included milking the cows. Stint refers to a person's prescribed share of work: Her stint as a lifeguard usually consumes three hours a day. Assignment generally denotes a task allotted by a person in authority: His homework assignment involved writing an essay.     mission [ˈmɪʃən] n 1. a specific task or duty assigned to a person or group of people their mission was to irrigate the desert ...... Synonyms: ability, capacity, faculty, talent, skill, competenceude, aptitude These nouns denote qualities that enable a person to achieve or accomplish something. Ability is the mental or physical power to do something: "To make a fortune some assistance from fate is essential. Ability alone is insufficient" (Ihara Saikaku). Capacity refers to the potential for acquiring that power: "The capability [women] have shown in the realm of higher education, their achievements in the business world, their capacity for organization . . . have been a revelation" (Susan B. Anthony). Faculty denotes an inherent ability: My lawyer has a faculty for detecting hypocrisy. Talent emphasizes inborn ability, especially in the arts: "There is no substitute for talent. Industry and all the virtues are of no avail" (Aldous Huxley). Skill stresses ability acquired or developed through experience: "The intellect, character and skill possessed by any man are the product of certain original tendencies and the training which they have received" (Edward L. Thorndike). Competence suggests the ability to do something satisfactorily but not necessarily outstandingly: The violinist played the concerto with unquestioned competence but limited imagination. Aptitude implies inherent capacity for learning, understanding, or performing: "She handled her brushes with a certain ease and freedom which came, not from long and close acquaintance with them, but from a natural aptitude" (Kate Chopin). toil 1 (toil) intr.v. toiled, toil·ing, toils 1. To labor continuously; work strenuously. 2. To proceed with difficulty: toiling over the mountains. n. 1. Exhausting labor or effort: "A bit of the blackest and coarsest bread is . . . the sole recompense and the sole profit attaching to so arduous a toil" (George Sand). See Synonyms at work. 2. Archaic Strife; contention. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Middle English toilen, from Anglo-Norman toiler, to stir about, from Latin tudiculre, from tudicula, a machine for bruising olives, diminutive of tudes, hammer.] sum·mon (smn) tr.v. sum·moned, sum·mon·ing, sum·mons 1. To call together; convene. 2. To request to appear; send for. See Synonyms at call. 3. Law To order to appear in court by the issuance of a summons. 4. To order to take a specified action; bid: summon the captain to surrender. 5. To call forth; evoke: "He summoned up a smile, though it seemed to take all his strength" (Colin Turnbull). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Middle English somonen, from Old French somondre, from Vulgar Latin *summonere, from Latin summonre, to remind privately, hint to : sub-, secretly; see sub- + monre, to warn; see men-1 in Indo-European roots.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- summon·er n. Verb 1. muster up - gather or bring together; "muster the courage to do something"; "she rallied her intellect"; "Summon all your courage" Symnoums: muster, rally, summon, come up   Adv. 1. agreeably - in an enjoyable manner; "we spent a pleasantly lazy afternoon" enjoyably, pleasantly disagreeably - in a disagreeable manner; "`I took no harm from the journey, thank you,' she said disagreeably" Symphony enjoyably, pleasantly

漢譯：


受命統率全軍

喬治·華盛頓


　　你可以相信我，我極其莊嚴地向你保證我根本沒有追求過這項任命，而是竭盡全力，千方百計地回避它。這不僅是因為我不願意同你以及全家人分別，而且因為我深知責任重大，非我力所能及。另外，倘若我出門數十載尋求前景非常遙遠的幸福，那還比不上在家中與你相聚一個月那樣真正幸福。但是，既然命運已賦予我這個使命，我希望，安排我來承擔這個任務是為了使我有所建樹。……

　　我將信賴一直保佑我和降福於我的上帝，深信到秋天我將平安地回到你的身邊。對出征所帶來的艱辛和危險，我不會感到痛苦，使我難過的是我知道你獨自一人留在家中必然感到焦慮不安。因此，我懇求你鼓起全部勇氣，盡量愉快地過日子.沒有什麽比聽到你過得愉快的消息--並且是從你的筆下聽到這消息，能使我感到更大的欣慰了．


作者簡介：


　　WASHINGTON, GEORGE (1732--1799) First President of the U.S.A. His life and deeds are too well known to be related here, except so far as concerns the world of letters. His Farewell ,Address was the only thing he ever wrote that was intended for publication, but his numerous letters, and the public communications to the Continental Congress, are of great interest and value. His diaries give an inside view of many stirring revolutionary events.

　　喬治·華盛頓(1732-1799) 美國首任總統．除了文學方麵的情況外，他的生平和業績是人所共知的，這裏無需贅述．《臨別致詞》是他唯一為準備出版而寫的文章，然而他大量的書信以及他與美國獨立戰爭時的議會的公開通訊，卻很有吸引力和價值．他的日記可使人們了解許多激動人心的革命事件的內幕．

　　

下麵框框裏是大家的英譯總匯：

newton123   To be appointed as the command in chief You can trust in me. I solemnly assure you that I have never assumed this appointment but tried very hard to avoid it. It is not only because I disagree to be separated from you and the whole family, but also because that I am aware the responsibility as is out of my reach. Besides, going on expedition over decades for a remote blessing is not comparable in happiness with staying with you in one month. However, since mission has been assigned to me, I believe this arrangement is for me to have achievement. I reply on the God who blesses me and truly believe that I will be back to you in fall. I never feel painful as regard to the hardship and danger during the expedition, but what makes me sad is that I know you would stay lonely at home. Therefore, I crave your courage to be happy. Nothing can gratify me except hearing that you live happily—heard from your letter.   NewVoice Appointed as the commander-in-chief George Washington You may trust me, and I solemnly swear that I did not seek this appointment at all, but tried my best and used every means to avoid it, not only because I don’t want to separate from you and the family, but also because I know so well that it is beyond my ability to take on such a great responsibility. Furthermore, if I have to be away from home for decades to search for happiness in the distance future, I would rather be with you at home for a month to be truly happy. But destiny has bestowed on me this mission; I hope that I was assigned to take this task to make some accomplishments. I trust God, who always protect me and bless me, and I believe strongly that I will return to you safely in the fall. I don’t feel sorry for the hardness and dangers of the mission; what make me feel sad is that I know that you will be alone at home, feeling anxious and worried. Therefore, I ask you to build up your courage, and try to live happily. There is nothing else that makes me happier than hearing the news of your well being, especially from your own writings. jennea You can trust me. Here I solemnly pledge to you that I have never pursued this assignment. Instead, I took pain to make every effort to avoid it. Not only because I don’t want to separate from you and the family, but also because I know the responsibility is so big that that is out of my ability to fulfill. Besides, the far-reached happiness from decade of seeking on the road would never match the real happiness I get by spending time together with you at home. Nevertheless, since fate has given me this mission, I hope, I can achieve something by taking on this task. I will trust my fate in my God who has been protecting and blessing me, and I truly believe that I will return to you safe and sound this fall. I won’t have any complaints to the dangers and hardships of the expedition, but I do feel sad knowing you must be worrying about me when you are home alone. Therefore, I beg you to gather all your courage and live happily as much as you can. There will be nothing more comforting to me than knowing that you are happy, and learning your happiness from your own writing. bolang Receive order to command the troops George Washington   You can trust me, I assure you with great solemnity that I did not pursue this task at all, nevertheless, I tried my best to avoid it. This is not only because I do not want to be separated from you and family, I know the responsibility is so big, it is not something I am capable of.  Also, the future happiness which I need to go out for decades to seek is not as real as the happiness of staying home and being with you for 1 month.  Since fate has given me this task, I wish, giving me this task will make me accomplish something.   I will put faith on God who has been bless me all along, I believe I will be back at your side when fall comes.  I will not feel painful for the danger and hardship which battle will bring me.  Which makes me sad is that I know you will be anxiety when you are home alone.  Therefore  I beg you to summon up all your courage to live happily. Nothing will make me feel more gratified than hearing you are having a happy life, especially from your letter. lmao You can trust me on this. I solemnly guarantee you that I have never pursued/gone after this assignment, but have been trying, by all means, to avoid it. This is not only because I don’t want to part with you and my family, but also because I am fully aware that the great responsibilities are beyond my capability. In addition, the far-fetched happiness, which I set out to pursue, possibly for decades, can’t compare with the true happiness I feel during the one month I am home with you. But, fate has assigned me this mission, a mission, I hope, for me to achieve something. I will trust God who has been protecting me and blessing me, in the deep belief that I will return to your arms safe and sound in the fall. The hardship and peril brought by the journey won’t bother me; What saddens me is to know that you will be left home alone and worried. Therefore, I beg you, in all sincerity, to gather all your courage to try to live happily. Nothing can give me more comforts than hearing--and especially from your writing--that you are happy. i999 A mission to commend the whole army   You could trust me that I promise you solemnly that I did not ask for this commission, but rather avoided it by all means. It is not only because I am not willing to be apart from you and the whole family, but also because I know how heavy the responsibility will be, which is beyond my capabilities. Additionally, provided that I would leave home for decades to look for the happiness of a remote perspective, I’d rather stay at home to be with you for a month in the real happiness. However, as I am assigned with this commission by my fate, I do hope, that I am arranged to undertake this commitment for making contributions.   I will trust and rely on my God who has been blessing me with grace；I am assured that I will come back to you safely in the fall. I won’t feel painful for the hardships and dangers of the battle, but I am sad that you surely will be  anxious when alone at home. Thus, I urge you to equip yourself with full courage and try your best to live happily. Nothing could comfort me better than knowing that you are happy, especially from your letters. EnLearner   You may trust me, I most solemnly assure you that I did not ask for this appointment but tried my best and do everything possible to avoid it, not only because I would not want to stay away from you and the family but also because I knew that the great responsiblity would be beyond my capability.  In addition, if I leave home for decades just to pursue a kind of happiness that is still far away in the future, I would rather stay a month with you at home for the real happiness.  However, since the fate has assigned me to this task, I hope that this assignment will enable me to accomplish something.    I will believe in the God that always blesses me and brings me happiness.  Deep inside, I believe that I will come back to you safely in the Fall.  I will not suffer from the hardship and the danger of the expedition.  What will sadden me is that you will be alone and anxious at home.  For that, I implore you to muster all the courage and live happily.  Nothing will make me happier than the message that you are living happily and it will comfort me further if the message is from your pen. selfselfself Accept the commander in chief you can trust me, seriously, I swear that I have never wanted this appointment. Instead, I tried very very hard, every possible way to not take it.  Not just because I don't want to be away from you and the family, but because I knew it's too great a job that I may not be able to handle.  Plus, I would rather be with you at home for a month of genuine happiness than leave my home behind for years to come to chase for a vague perspecitve.  But, it sounds like it is my destiny, therefor, I hope, I can make something out of this job, yeah. I believe God will bless me with luck, and am pretty sure that I will be back in the fall, in one piece.  I don't think I am going to suffer from the peril and agony on the campaign trail, rather, I will definitely feel bad to leave you home alone and tortured by uncertainty.  So, I beg you to sommon all your courage, and be happy everyday.  Nothing cheers me up more than hearing joyous news from you, in your own writings. beautifulwind     You may trust me, I assure you quite solemnly that I have never persued this nomination, but try my best and do everything to dodge it. This is not only because I hate to be seperated with you and family, but also I deeply know that the responsibility is huge and beyond my might. In addition, to be away from home for decades to seek faraway happiness is less than that of staying with you at home for one month. However, since I am bestowed this mission by destiny, I hope, to take up this assignment is to make me succeed. I would trust God who has always been blessing me, I believe that I am going to come back in fall. The hardship and perils that proceed by the expedition would not hurt me, but you staying at home alone would. Therefore, I beg that you must summon up all of your encourage to spend your time happily. Nothing could make me happier than knowing that you lead a happy life--especially when I hear from you. totast2011   Ordered to lead the army   You can believe me, and I solemnly assure you that I did not pursuit this appointment, but make every effort to avoid it. This is not only because I don’t want to separate from you and our family, but also I well knew the responsibility is too great to my ability to take. Furthermore, the very far reachable happiness if I spend several decades look for is not even comparable to one month real happiness with you at home. However, since destiny gives me this mission, I hope, the arrangement is to let me make some accomplishments.   I would trust God who blesses me all the time, and strongly believe that I will return to you safely in the fall. I will not feel sad to the hardness and danger that expedition would bring. What makes me sad is that I know you would be anxious and worried while you are at home alone. Therefore, I beg you to take your full courage to try to live happily. No news can make me more satisfied than hearing from you by your writing that you have a great time!