父親是一個謎（中英對照）

父親是一個謎

Father is a mystery

原創：斧子 中譯英：斧子的二當家

父親很驕傲地說：“我這一生，從不求人。我就辛辛苦苦在那里好好干。

父親到底是個怎么樣的人？作為他的兒子，我曾給出的是四個字：努力，驕傲。

What kind of man is my father? As his son, I've given him this comment: hard work, pride.

當年在老家與父親一同參軍的，有二十多個人。結果留在部隊里提干的，只有父親一個人。N年后，父親的戰友封謀際在我家里喝酒，借著酒醉上頭，滿臉通紅的，給我爆料：“剛入伍，大家都分得好，打的打炮，開的開車。只有你父親，分到了連隊后就去養豬。養了三年豬，一養就是幾十頭，把豬養的肥肥胖胖。全團最壯最重的豬，就是你老子養出來的。那時候沒有飼料，全靠殺豬草養。你老子的雙手，殺豬草殺的，滿手的老繭，比在農村做事的人的手，還要粗糙上百倍。看著都讓人心酸。夠努力，夠吃苦！”

The year my father joined the army, there were more than twenty men in the hometown were enlisted. It turned out the only person succeeded to leave in the army and get promoted cadre was my dad. N years later, my father's comrade Feng Mouji once drank in my house. When getting drunk and blushing, he revealed revealed some message to me: 'when we're just enlisted, everybody was allocated well, some fire cannons, some drove cars. Your father was the only one who went to raise pigs after assigned to the company. After three years of raising pigs, dozens of fat pigs were raised up. The biggest, heaviest pig in the whole regiment was raised by your old father. Back then, there was no feed. It was all about killing ragweed, and your old father's hands which were a hundred times rougher than the hands of people who work in the countryside were full of calluses because of it. It's just so sad to watch. He is hardworking and can really eat the bitter!'

父親坐在一邊喝酒，一言不發。任憑他的戰友講酒話。我也不打斷封叔叔的興致，再加上也確實想了解父親的過去，就只管繼續倒酒，專心專意聽著。

My father sat drinking and said nothing. Just let his comrade talk wine words. I did not interrupt my uncle Feng's interest, and i did want to know my father's past, so i just kept pouring the wine and paying attention.

“別人訓練完了，不是打撲克，就是下象棋，到處玩。你老子就捧著一本書看。每天都寫心得體會。當時就流行這個。干這樣的事的人，才算得上新潮。《毛澤東選集》他是倒背如流。當兵前他肚子里那點點墨水，哪里比得過我們。但是，他自學成才。最后，評選五好戰士、毛澤東的好學生，你老子當仁不讓，誰都比不過他，就他選上了。全團沒有人不服氣的。我就佩服你老子這一點，夠努力，夠吃苦！”

'When people's done training, they would play poker, play chess or play elsewhere. Your old man was always reading books, and every day, he would write about his feelings and experiences. It was in fashion at the time. A man who did something like that was fashionable. He could even recite the collection of Mao Zedong backwards fluently. There's not much ink in his stomach before enlisted in the army, his literacy was far worse than any of us. But he became trained through self-education. In the end, in the selection of “five-good” fighter and best student of Mao Zedong, your old father convinced everyone that he is the best one and no one else can be better than him. I admire your old man for that. He is hardworking and can really eat the bitter!'

父親轉業到地方后，在衡南縣一個最偏遠的區公所當干部。很多人，都是干幾年，就找關系往城市里調動。那時候，縣城就在衡陽市城北區里，往縣里機關單位調動就是進衡陽城。但是，父親一干就是幾十年，直至退休，從來不找人要求調動。

After my father was transferred to the local, he worked as an official in one of Hengnan county's most remote regional offices.There're many people who would do this kind of job for a few years, and then find a way to move into the city. At that time, the county was located in the northern district of Hengyang, and the transfer to the city offices was to enter Hengyang. But my father worked there for decades and never asked for a transfer until he retired.

老娘不止一次跟父親吵架。老娘說：“你當初可是說過，最多只干幾年就調走。為什么還不走？”父親總是反問：“你想往哪里走？”

My mother quarreled with him more than once. The old woman said, 'you've said it was only for a few years at the most. Why haven't you gone? ' My father always asked back, 'where do you want to go? '

父親退休后，有一次跟我閑聊，我就問出了心中的疑惑：“老爸，你那時候，怎么就不找關系往城里跑呢？憑你的真本事和工作成績，應該不難吧？”

After retired, my father once chatted with me, and I asked him the doubt in my heart: 'dad, why didn't you find a relationship to run to the city? With your ability and work performance, it should not be a difficult thing, right? '

父親很驕傲地說：“我這一生，從不求人。我就辛辛苦苦在那里好好干。領導認為我是個人才，把我往上調動，我不會拒絕。領導看到了或者沒有看到，或者裝作沒看到，不主動調動我，我不會去找關系。哪里不是做事？哪里不是領工資吃飯？”

My father said proudly, 'I have never asked anyone for help in my life. I just worked hard there..If the leader thinks I am a talent and moves me up. I will not refuse. The leader sees or doesn't see, or pretends not to see, does not take the initiative to move me, i will not seek relationship. Where can't you work? Where don't you get paid to eat?'

我的老父親啊，城里和鄉下能一樣嗎？生活水準，生活設施，看病就醫，娛樂休閑......哪一樣不是方便多多啊！

My old father, could the country be the same as the city? Standard of living, amenities, medical care, recreation... What's so much more convenient!

對于父親這近似迂腐的說法，我無話可說。或者，這就是父親心中一直在堅持的驕傲。靠實干，靠苦干，憑真本事上位，這就是他心目中的信條。

I have nothing to say to my father about this seemingly pedantic statement. Or, this is the pride my father has always held in his heart. Work well, work hard, and stand on his own two feet, that's what he believed in.

試問：如今這年月，哪個不是拼命跑官呀？不是拼命往上爬啊？父親算得上是一個非主流的另類了。

I wonder: who is not running for officials this year? who're not trying to climb up? Dad is sort of an alternative non-mainstream.

但是，父親又說了一段話，讓我徹底震驚了。

But then my father said another paragraph that completely shocked me.

“崽呀，我的那些戰友，凡是后來到處鉆營，進了衡陽城里的，都早就死掉了。那個法院的綦叔叔，那個糧食局的周叔叔，還有劉叔叔......城里的世界是花花世界，把握不好，就容易短壽的。還是鄉下安靜，清凈，沒有亂七八糟的東西，適合生活些。”

'My dear, all my comrades, who chose to climb all over and entered the city of Hengyang, died early. Uncle Qi in the court, Uncle Zhou in the food bureau, and Uncle Liu... The city is a world full of flowers, and it's easy to live a short life if you can't handle it well. The country is quiet and clean, there are no mess things, suitable for living.'

哦，難道這就是父親沒有外傳的養生之道？

Oh, is that the secret way my father preserve his health?

近八十歲的老父親是一個謎，我這個做兒子的，還沒有完全找到那些謎底。

My father, who is nearly eighty years old, is a mystery, and i, as a son, haven't fully found the answers yet.