A white picture painted on white paper or a red picture on red paper would not show, 如果在白纸上用白色颜料画画，或者在红纸上用红色颜料画画，上面的画就显现不出来。

but in Damascus they used to make a beautiful kind of cloth with designs of the same color as the cloth woven into it by hand. 但是在大马士革，人们过去生产一种精美的布料，上面的图案是手工织入的，和布的颜色一样。

This kind of cloth is called damask, after Damascus. White damask has white designs on it and red damask has red designs, and they do show. 这种布就是以产地“大马士革”命名的，叫做“大马士革花缎”，简称“织花布”。白色的织花布上有白色的图案，红色的有红色的图案，所有图案清晰可见。

You probably have in your own home linen damask table-cloths and napkins or silk coverings on chairs, 很可能你家里就有亚麻织花桌布和餐巾、或丝质织花椅套，

but the damask that we buy now is made by machinery and does not come from Damascus. 但是，我们现在所买的织花布都是机器生产的，产地也不是大马士革。

The people in Damascus also used to make a kind of jewelry of iron, with gold designs laid in the iron. 大马士革人过去还生产一种铁质的饰品，上面镶有金色的图案，

This was called Damascene work. Damascene work was much used in decorating swords, 这种饰品叫做“大马士革工艺品”，主要用来装饰剑。

and they used to make wonderful swords and knives with edges so sharp they could cut through a bar of iron, so they say. 大马士革人过去打造出精美刀剑，非常锋利，据说能削断铁块。

These were called Damascus blades. Soldiers no longer use swords except for show or ornament. 这些剑被称作“大马士革剑”。除非为了炫耀或装饰，士兵们不再使用剑了。

Wars are now fought at long distance and soldiers seldom get close enough to use swords. 现在的战争都是远距离作战，士兵们很难有机会可以近身用剑搏斗。

South of Syria is Palestine, which is also called the Holy Land. 叙利亚的南边是巴勒斯坦，巴勒斯坦也被称为“圣地”。

On my map there is no room to print the names of even a very few of the places you know. 在我的地图上，已经没有空间印上哪怕是很少几个你所熟悉的地名，

They would run out into the Mediterranean on one side and into the desert on the other, 如果印上地名，这些地名就会一边冲进地中海，另一端伸进沙漠，

and would be so crowded together that they would cover the little country completely. 整个地图密密麻麻布满文字，会把这个小国家完全遮盖。

You see how small the Holy Land really is. 你可以看出这“圣地”是多么小了吧。