(中英)現(xiàn)代散文:立論 On Presenting a View

On Presenting a View

立　論①

◎ Lu Xun

◎　魯　迅

I dreamed that while preparing to write a composition in a primary school classroom I asked the teacher how to present a view.

我夢見自己正在小學校的講堂上預(yù)備作文，向老師請教立論的方法②。

That's a hard nut, said the teacher, giving me a sidelong glance over his glasses. "Let me tell you this story —"

“難！”③老師從眼鏡圈外斜射出眼光來④，看著我，說。“我告訴你一件事⑤——

"When a baby boy is born to a family, there is immense joy in the whole household. When he is one month old, they invite some people over for taking a look at him — customarily, of course, in expectation of some good wishes. One of the guests receives hearty thanks for saying, 'The child is destined to be rich.'"

“一家人家生了一個男孩⑥，合家⑦高興透頂了。滿月的時候，抱出來給客人看，——大概自然是想得一點好兆頭⑧。

One of the guests receives hearty thanks for saying, 'The child is destined to be rich.'

“一個說：‘這孩子將來要發(fā)財?shù)蘑帷?rsquo;他于是得到一番感謝⑩。

"Another is paid some compliments in return for saying, 'The child is destined to be an official.' Still another, however, is given a sound beating by the whole family for saying, 'The child will eventually die.'"

“一個說：‘這孩子將來要做官的。’他于是收回幾句恭維。

Still another, however, is given a sound beating by the whole family for saying, 'The child will eventually die.'

“一個說?：‘這孩子將來是要死的?。’他于是得到一頓大家合力的痛打。

To call the child mortal is to state the inevitable while to say that the child will become very rich or a high official is probably a lie. Yet the former gets a thrashing while the latter is rewarded. You ...

“說要死的必然?，說富貴的許謊。但說謊的得好報，說必然的遭打。你……”

I don't want to tell a lie, and neither do I want to be beaten. Then what should I do, sir?

“我愿意既不謊人，也不遭打?。那么，老師，我得怎么說呢？”

Well, just say, 'Ai-ya, this child! Just look! Oh, my! Hah! Hehe! He, hehehehe!'

“那么，你得說：‘啊呀！這孩子呵！您瞧！多么……啊唷！哈哈！Hehe! he, hehehehe!’”

《立論》是魯迅1925年7月8日在北京寫的一篇短文，1927年7月編入散文詩集《野草》。文章寫“立論之難”，悲訴人生，感嘆在現(xiàn)實生活中人們不敢說真話或有話難于直說，導致假話盛行。