《牧羊少年奇幻之旅》 73 赶驼人与占卜师对话

The seer was a specialist in the casting of twigs¹; he threw them on the ground, and made interpretations² based on how they fell.

他是个掷签占卜的行家，签子掷在地上，根据落地的方式作出解释。

That day, he didn't make a cast. He wrapped the twigs in a piece of cloth and put them back in his bag.

这天他没有掷那些签，而是将签子用手帕包起来，装进了衣袋里。

"I make my living forecasting the future for people," he said.

“我靠给人家预测未来为生。”他说，

"I know the science of the twigs, and I know how to use them to penetrate³ to the place where all is written.

“我熟悉掷签的门道，知道如何运用它探知一切均已写就的未来空间。

There, I can read the past, discover what has already been forgotten, and understand the omens⁴ that are here in the present."

在那里，我能够阅读过去，发现已被遗忘的东西，并理解当前的预兆。”

"When people consult me, it's not that I'm reading the future; I am guessing at the future.

“当人们来找我占卜的时候，我不是阅读未来，而是卜算未来。

The future belongs to God, and it is only he who reveals it, under extraordinary circumstances.

因为未来属于真主管辖，只有在特殊情况下，他才会掲示。

How do I guess at the future? Based on the omens of the present. The secret is here in the present.

我卜算未来的方式，是通过当前的预兆。秘密就在当前。

If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it.

如果关注现在，你就能改善它。

And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better.

如果改善了现在，那么，将来也会变得更好。

Forget about the future, and live each day according to the teachings, confident that God loves his children.

忘掉未来吧，你要按照教义过好每一天，相信真主会护佑他的子民。

Each day, in itself, brings with it an eternity⁵."

每一天里都蕴含着永恒。”

The camel driver had asked what the circumstances were under which God would allow him to see the future.

赶驼人想知道真主在什么情况下允许人们看到未来。

"Only when he, himself, reveals it. And God only rarely reveals the future. When he does so, it is for only one reason: it's a future that was written so as to be altered."

“真主极少掲示未来，他想揭示未来的时候，才会行动，而理由只有一个：那是个注定要被改变的未来。”

God had shown the boy a part of the future, the camel driver thought.

真主已经向男孩揭示了一种未来，赶驼人想，

Why was it that he wanted the boy to serve as his instrument?

真主为什么想让男孩做他的工具呢？

"Go and speak to the tribal⁶ chieftains," said the camel driver.

“你去跟部落的头领们谈谈。”赶驼人说，

"Tell them about the armies that are approaching."

“告诉他们有军队开来。”

"They'll laugh at me."

“他们会嘲笑我。”

"They are men of the desert, and the men of the desert are used to dealing⁷ with omens."

“他们是沙漠里的人，沙漠里的人习惯了各种预兆。”

"Well, then, they probably already know."

“那么，他们可能已经知道了。”

"They're not concerned with that right now.

“他们不关心预兆。

They believe that if they have to know about something Allah wants them to know, someone will tell them about it.

他们相信，如果安拉想告诉他们什么，他们又必须得知道，那么就会有人讲给他们听。

It has happened many times before. But, this time, the person is you."

这种事以前发生过好多次了。不过，今天要告诉他们的人是你。”

The boy thought of Fatima. And he decided⁸ he would go to see the chiefs of the tribes.

男孩想起了法蒂玛。于是，他决定去见部落的头领们。

1 twigs   

细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
• Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。

2 interpretations   

n.解释( interpretation的名词复数 )；表演；演绎；理解

参考例句：

• This passage is open to a variety of interpretations. 这篇文章可以有各种不同的解释。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The involved and abstruse passage makes several interpretations possible. 这段艰涩的文字可以作出好几种解释。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 penetrate   

v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解

参考例句：

• Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
• The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。

4 omens   

n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The omens for the game are still not propitious. 这场比赛仍不被看好。 来自辞典例句
• Such omens betide no good. 这种征兆预示情况不妙。 来自辞典例句

5 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

6 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。