they think that, at best, our vocation amounts to a butchering sort of business;  人们认为我们属于屠宰业中的一支，

and that when actively engaged therein, we are surrounded by all manner of defilements.  双手沾满了鲜血，身上有屠戮者的污秽和腥臭。 

Butchers we are, that is true.  说我们是屠夫，也对

But butchers, also, and butchers of the bloodiest badge have been all Martial Commanders whom the world invariably delights to honour.  其实，人们对杀戮他们的同类的那些人反倒没有这种感觉了，他们称那些杀人如麻的家伙为将军。 

And as for the matter of the alleged uncleanliness of our business, ye shall soon be initiated into certain facts hitherto pretty generally unknown,  和那些尸臭冲天的战场比起来，捕鲸船上滑溜溜的甲板不知要干净多少倍呢！

and which, upon the whole, will triumphantly plant the sperm whale-ship at least among the cleanliest things of this tidy earth.  那些操纵杀人武器的士兵们回到后方时，会受到人们的热烈欢迎，肉林酒池的招待会让他们昏昏然。 

But even granting the charge in question to be true;  但也不尽然。

what disordered slippery decks of a whale-ship are comparable to the unspeakable carrion of those battle-fields from which so many soldiers return to drink in all ladies' plaudits?  不过，如果让他们去面对抹香鲸的尾巴，大概没有几个还能站住脚而不瘫在地上。人类头脑中的恐怖观念，无论如何也是不能与神秘的上帝奇观相比较的。