罗隐·《荆巫》英译

荆楚人淫祀者旧矣。有巫颇闻於乡闾。

其初为人祀也，筵席寻常，歌迎舞将，祈疾者健起，祈岁者丰穰。其后为人祀也，羊猪鲜肥，清酤满卮，祈疾者得死，祈岁者得饥。里人忿焉，而思之未得。

适有言者曰：“吾昔游其家也，其家无甚累，故为人祀，诚心罄乎中，而福亦应乎外，其胙必散之。其后男女蕃息焉，衣食广大焉。故为人祀，诚不得罄于中，而神亦不歆乎其外，其胙且入其家。是人非前圣而后愚，盖牵于心而不暇及人耳。”

以一巫用心尚尔，况异于是者乎？

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The Shaman of Chu

Luo Yin

Shamanism is an old custom in the land of Chu. There was one shaman whose fame spread far into the countryside. When he first performed his sacrifices, the feast was ordinary. He would perform his songs and dances, and those who were sick were restored to health; those who wished for a good harvest got a bumper crop. Later when he prayed to the deities on behalf of others, there would be sumptuous food with fat mutton and pork and full goblets of the purest wine, but those who were sick died, and those who wished for a good harvest went hungry. The villagers were angry but could find no explanation. Then someone said, “In the past when I visited his house, he had few other responsibilities; and when he performed sacrifices for people, he would pour out all that was in his heart. Good fortune would descend and he would distribute his bounty among the people. Later, his children multiplied and he had to concentrate on their needs; so when he prayed for people, he would not pour out all that was in his heart. The deities would not acknowledge his prayers, and the food for the sacrifice would to his family. So it was not that he was previously wise and later grew foolish, but that his worries increased and he no longer felt concerned for his clients.” If even a shaman can change like this, what of people in other professions?