美国学生人类历史第20期:尼罗河河谷(3)

 　　They understood that it is not good for man to think only of his immediate¹ advantage in this world and they drew his attention to the days of the future

　　他们懂得，人不能只考虑眼前的利益，这是大有害处的。他们将人们关注的目光引向来世。

　　when his soul would dwell beyond the mountains of the west and must give an account of his deeds to Osiris,

　　人的灵魂要住在西方高山的那边，他的生前一切行为要在乌悉利斯神前受审判。

　　the mighty² God who was the Ruler of the Living and the Dead and who judged the acts of men according to their merits.

　　到那时，人的灵魂将居住在西部的群山之外，并将向威力无穷、掌管生死的大神奥赛西斯汇报自己前世的作为，神则根据他们的德行做出裁决。

　　Indeed, the priests made so much of that future day in the realm of Isis and Osiris

　　事实上，祭司们过分强调在大神奥赛西斯与艾西斯国土里的来世生活了，

　　that the Egyptians began to regard life merely as a short preparation for the Hereafter and turned the teeming³ valley of the Nile into a land devoted⁴ to the Dead.

　　这使得古埃及人将此生仅仅当作是为来世所做的短暂准备，把富绕而生机勃勃的尼罗河谷变成了一块奉献给死者的国土。

　　In a strange way, the Egyptians had come to believe that no soul could enter the realm of Osiris without the possession of the body which had been its place of residence in this world.

　　很奇怪的是，古埃及人渐渐相信：一个人如果失去了今世的寄身之躯，他的灵魂也就不可能进入奥赛西斯的国土。

　　Therefore as soon as a man was dead his relatives took his corpse⁵ and had it embalmed⁶.

　　因此当人一死，他的亲属们马上便对其尸体进行处理，涂上香料和药物防腐。

　　For weeks it was soaked in a solution of natron and then it was filled with pitch.

　　然后，放在氧化钠溶液里浸泡数星期，再填以树脂。

　　The Persian word for pitch was "Mumiai" and the embalmed body was called a "Mummy."

　　在波斯文里，树脂读作“木米乃”（mumiai），因此经过防腐处理的尸体便被称为“木乃伊”（mummy）。

　　It was wrapped in yards and yards of specially⁷ prepared linen⁸ and it was placed in a specially prepared coffin⁹ ready to be removed to its final home.

　　木乃伊用特制的亚麻布层层包裹起来，放在事先准备好的特制棺材中，运往死者最后的安居之所。

　　But an Egyptian grave was a real home

　　不过，埃及人的坟墓倒是像一个真正的家，

　　where the body was surrounded by pieces of furniture and musical instruments (to while away the dreary¹⁰ hours of waiting)and by little statues of cooks and bakers¹¹ and barbers

　　墓室里摆放着家具和乐器（以打发等待进入奥赛西斯国土的沉闷岁月），还有厨师、面包师和理发师的小雕像环立四周

　　(that the occupant of this dark home might be decently provided with food and need not go about unshaven).

　　（这样墓室的主人就能体面地梳洗、进食，不至于胡子拉茬的四处乱走）。

1 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

2 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

3 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

4 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

5 corpse   

n.尸体，死尸

参考例句：

• What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
• The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

6 embalmed   

adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气

参考例句：

• Many fine sentiments are embalmed in poetry. 许多微妙的情感保存于诗歌中。 来自辞典例句
• In books, are embalmed the greatest thoughts of all ages. 伟大思想古今有，载入书中成不朽。 来自互联网

7 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

8 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

9 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

10 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

11 bakers   

n.面包师( baker的名词复数 )；面包店；面包店店主；十三

参考例句：

• The Bakers have invited us out for a meal tonight. 贝克一家今晚请我们到外面去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bakers specialize in catering for large parties. 那些面包师专门负责为大型宴会提供食品。 来自《简明英汉词典》