"I am not religious," he said.

“我并不虔诚，"他说。

"But I will say ten Our Fathers and ten Hail Marys that I should catch this fish, and I promise to make a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Cobre if I catch him. That is a promise."

"但是我愿意念十遍《天主经》和十遍《圣母经》，使我能逮住这条鱼，我还许下心愿，如果逮住了它，一定去朝拜科布莱的圣母。这是我许下的心愿。”

He commenced to say his prayers mechanically.

他机械地念起祈祷文来。

Sometimes he would be so tired that he could not remember the prayer and then he would say them fast so that they would come automatically.

有些时候他太倦了，竟背不出祈祷文，他就念得特别快，使字句能顺口念出来。

Hail Marys are easier to say than Our Fathers, he thought.

《圣母经》要比《天主经》容易念，他想。

"Hail Mary full of Grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

“万福玛利亚，满被圣宠者，主与尔偕焉。女中尔为赞美，尔胎子耶稣，并为赞美。天主圣母玛利亚，为我等罪人，今祈天主，及我等死候。阿们。"

Then he added, "Blessed Virgin, pray for the death of this fish. Wonderful though he is."

然后他加上了两句："万福童贞圣母，请您祈祷叫这鱼死去。虽然它是那么了不起。”

With his prayers said, and feeling much better, but suffering exactly as much, and perhaps a little more, he leaned against the wood of the bow and began, mechanically, to work the fingers of his left hand.

念完了祈祷文，他觉得舒坦多了，但依旧像刚才一样地痛，也许更厉害一点儿，于是他背靠在船头的木舷上，机械地活动起左手的手指。

The sun was hot now although the breeze was rising gently.

此刻阳光很热了，尽管微风正在柔和地吹起。

"I had better re-bait that little line out over the stern," he said.

“我还是把挑出在船梢的细钓丝重新装上钓饵的好，"他说。

"If the fish decides to stay another night I will need to eat again and the water is low in the bottle.

“如果那鱼打算在这里再过上一夜，我就需要再吃点东西，再说，水瓶里的水也不多了。

I don't think I can get anything but a dolphin here.

我看这儿除了海豚，也逮不到什么别的东西。

But if I eat him fresh enough he won't be bad.

但是，如果趁它新鲜的时候吃，味道不会差。

I wish a flying fish would come on board tonight.

我希望今夜有条飞鱼跳到船上来。

But I have no light to attract them.

可惜我没有灯光来引诱它。

A flying fish is excellent to eat raw and I would not have to cut him up.

飞鱼生吃味道是呱呱叫的，而且不用把它切成小块。

I must save all my strength now.

我眼下必须保存所有的精力。

Christ, I did not know he was so big."

天啊，我当初不知道这鱼竟这么大。”

"I'll kill him though," he said.

"可是我要把它宰了，"他说。

"In all his greatness and his glory."

"不管它多么了不起，多么神气。”

Although it is unjust, he thought.

然而这是不公平的，他想。

But I will show him what a man can do and what a man endures.

不过我要让它知道人有多少能耐，人能忍受多少磨难。

"I told the boy I was a strange old man," he said.

“我跟那孩子说过来着，我是个不同寻常的老头儿，" 他说。

"Now is when I must prove it."

"现在是证实这话的时候了。”

The thousand times that he had proved it meant nothing.

他已经证实过上千回了，这算不上什么。

Now he was proving it again.

眼下他正要再证实一回。

Each time was a new time and he never thought about the past when he was doing it.

每一回都是重新开始，他这样做的时候，从来不去想过去。

I wish he'd sleep and I could sleep and dream about the lions, he thought.

但愿它睡去，这样我也能睡去，梦见狮子，他想。

Why are the lions the main thing that is left?

为什么如今梦中主要只剩下了狮子?

Don't think, old man, he said to himself.

别想了，老头儿，他对自己说。

Rest gently now against the wood and think of nothing.

眼下且轻轻地靠着木船舷歇息，什么都不要想。

He is working.

它正忙碌着。

Work as little as you can.

你越少忙碌越好。