英国语文第四册 第22期:荨麻(3)

Here Alfred and Mary looked at each other, as if now quite satisfied that the nettle¹ had not been made in vain.

在这里，艾尔弗雷德和玛丽互相看了看，好像在知道荨麻不是一无是处后感到很满意。

But their grandfather still went on:

但他们的祖父还继续说：

"Nettles² are often useful in keeping young people in the right path.

“荨麻通常有助于让年轻人走上正确的道路。

When your sister begged you, Alfred, not to go near the ditch, you heeded³ her not;

艾尔弗雷德，妹妹恳求你不要到深沟附近去时，你没有理会她；

but when the nettle pointed⁴ out your error, you were convinced of it in a moment."

但当荨麻指出你的错误时，你马上就相信了。”

"The nettle, moreover, teaches a useful lesson.

“此外，荨麻还教授了一个有益的教训。

Look at Alfred's fingers: they are not stung where he grasped the nettle firmly, but only in the parts that touched it lightly.

看着艾尔弗雷德的手指：他紧紧抓住荨麻时，手指并不感到刺痛，但在轻轻触碰它时，就会很疼。

Many little trials of the world are of the same character: give way to them, they annoy you;

世界上许多艰险之事具有相同的特点：在它们面前退却，它会令你感到恼怒；

meet, them bravely, they injure you not, for you overcome them.

而勇敢直面它们，它们就不会伤害你，因为你战胜了它们。

"Another excellent lesson to be got from the nettle is, to mind your own business, and not to meddle⁵ with that of other people.

“我们从荨麻那学来的另一个教训是，管好自己的事，不要干涉其他人。

Let the nettle alone—it never stings you; trespass⁶ upon it—you must take the consequences.

不去理荨麻，它就不会刺痛你；你去招惹它，就必须承担后果。

"I might say a good deal more;

“我还能说得更多，

but if the nettle assists in forming a wholesome⁷ food

但如果荨麻有助于做出有益健康的食物，

—if it affords honey to the bee, shade and shelter to the ladybird and the spider

如果它给蜜蜂供给花蜜，为瓢虫和蜘蛛提供遮阴和庇护，

—if it keeps young people in the proper path, and supplies us with useful lessons

如果它能使年轻人引上正确的道路，并为我们提供有益的教训，

—you must allow that the stinging nettle has not been made in vain."

你们就一定会了解到刺痛人的荨麻绝对不是一无是处。”

—Old Humphrey

—老韩福瑞

1 nettle   

n.荨麻；v.烦忧，激恼

参考例句：

• We need a government that will grasp the nettle.我们需要一个敢于大刀阔斧地处理问题的政府。
• She mightn't be inhaled as a rose,but she might be grasped as a nettle.她不是一朵香气扑鼻的玫瑰花，但至少是可以握在手里的荨麻。

2 nettles   

n.荨麻( nettle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I tingle where I sat in the nettles. 我坐过在荨麻上的那个部位觉得刺痛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This bleak place overgrown with nettles was the churchyard. 那蔓草丛生的凄凉地方是教堂公墓。 来自辞典例句

3 heeded   

v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She countered that her advice had not been heeded. 她反驳说她的建议未被重视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I heeded my doctor's advice and stopped smoking. 我听从医生的劝告，把烟戒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

5 meddle   

v.干预，干涉，插手

参考例句：

• I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
• Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

6 trespass   

n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地

参考例句：

• The fishing boat was seized for its trespass into restricted waters.渔船因非法侵入受限制水域而被扣押。
• The court sentenced him to a fine for trespass.法庭以侵害罪对他判以罚款。

7 wholesome   

adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的

参考例句：

• In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
• It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。