A Modest Proposal: For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick — Page 10
但我对此事毫不担忧，因为众所周知，他们每天都在因寒冷、饥饿、污秽和害虫而死亡腐烂，其速度之快可谓合情合理。
But I am not in the least pain upon that matter, because it is very well known, that they are every day dying, and rotting, by cold and famine, and filth, and vermin, as fast as can be reasonably expected.
至于那些年轻的劳工，他们如今的处境几乎同样令人堪忧。
And as to the young labourers, they are now in almost as hopeful a condition.
他们找不到工作，因而因营养匮乏而日渐憔悴，以至于即便偶尔被雇去做普通劳役，也已无力胜任，
They cannot get work, and consequently pine away from want of nourishment, to a degree, that if at any time they are accidentally hired to common labour, they have not strength to perform it,
如此一来，这个国家和他们自己都得以从未来的苦难中解脱出来，岂不幸哉。
and thus the country and themselves are happily delivered from the evils to come.
我离题已久，因此应当回归正题。
I have too long digressed, and therefore shall return to my subject.
我认为，我所提出的这一方案的诸多好处显而易见，且具有极其重要的意义。
I think the advantages by the proposal which I have made are obvious and many, as well as of the highest importance.
首先，正如我已经指出的，此举将大大减少天主教徒的数量——他们每年大批涌入，是这个国家生育最多的群体，也是我们最危险的敌人，
For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being the principal breeders of the nation, as well as our most dangerous enemies,
他们蓄意留守国内，图谋将王国拱手献给觊觎者，
and who stay at home on purpose with a design to deliver the kingdom to the Pretender,
他们希望趁许多良善的新教徒离开之际坐收渔利——那些新教徒宁可背井离乡，也不愿留下来违背良心向主教区牧师缴纳什一税。
hoping to take their advantage by the absence of so many good Protestants, who have chosen rather to leave their country, than stay at home and pay tithes against their conscience to an episcopal curate.
Vocabulary
- But
- 表示转折或对比的连接词
- am
- be动词第一人称单数现在式
- not
- 否定词，表示否定意义
- in
- 介词，表示位置、时间或状态
- the
- 定冠词，用于特指名词
- least
- 最小的、最少的程度
- pain
- 身体或精神上的疼痛或痛苦
- upon
- 介词，表示在...之上或关于
- that
- 那个、那件事，指示或关系代词
- matter
- 事情、问题或物质
- because
- 表示原因的连接词，因为
- it
- 它，第三人称单数代词
- is
- be动词第三人称单数现在式
- very
- 很、非常，表示程度的副词
- well
- 好、良好或井
- known
- 众所周知的、有名的
- they
- 他们、她们或它们
- are
- be动词复数或第二人称现在式
- every
- 每一个、各个
- day
- 白天或一天二十四小时
- dying
- 垂死的或逐渐消失的
- and
- 连接词，表示并列关系
- rotting
- 腐烂、腐朽的过程
- by
- 介词，表示被动、靠近或乘坐
- cold
- 寒冷的天气或感冒疾病
- famine
- 大饥荒、严重的食物短缺
- as
- 作为、像或当...时候
- fast
- 快速的或迅速地
- can
- 能、会或罐子
- be
- 是、存在的动词
- reasonably
- 合理地、相当地
- expected
- 预期的、料想中的
- And
- 连接词，表示并列关系
- to
- 介词、不定式标记或表示方向
- young
- 年轻的、青年的
- labourers
- 劳动者、工人、体力劳动者
- now
- 现在、目前
- almost
- 几乎、差不多
- hopeful
- 充满希望的、乐观的
- condition
- 情况、条件或健康状况
- They
- 他们、她们或它们
- cannot
- 不能、无法
- get
- 获得、得到或变得
- work
- 工作或劳动
- consequently
- 因此、所以、随之而来
- away
- 离开、远离或逐渐消失
- from
- 来自、从...起
- want
- 想要或缺乏
- of
- 表示所属或组成部分的介词
- degree
- 程度、等级或学位
- if
- 如果、假如
- at
- 在、于，表示位置或时间
- any
- 任何、任意
- time
- 时间、次数或年代
- accidentally
- 意外地、偶然地、无意中
- hired
- 被雇用的、租用的
- common
- 普遍的、常见的
- labour
- 劳动、工作
- have
- 有、拥有
- strength
- 力量、体力或强度
- perform
- 表演、执行或完成
- thus
- 因此、这样、所以
- country
- 国家或乡村
- themselves
- 他们自己、自身
- happily
- 幸运地、幸福地
- delivered
- 被递送的、被救出的
- evils
- 邪恶、坏事或灾难
- come
- 来、到来或发生
- too
- 也、太、过于
- long
- 长的、久的或渴望
- therefore
- 因此、所以、那么
- shall
- 将要、应该的助动词
- return
- 回归、返回或恢复
- my
- 我的
- subject
- 主题、科目或主语
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