The author at his master’s command, informs him of the state of England. —
根据主人的命令，作者向他报告了英国的状况。 —

The causes of war among the princes of Europe. —
欧洲诸侯之间战争的原因。 —

The author begins to explain the English constitution.
作者开始解释英国的宪法。

The reader may please to observe, that the following extract of many conversations I had with my master, contains a summary of the most material points which were discoursed at several times for above two years; —
请读者注意，以下是我与主人进行了多次谈话的摘录，包含了两年多时间里讨论的重要问题的概要； —

his honour often desiring fuller satisfaction, as I farther improved in the Houyhnhnm tongue. —
他的尊敬常常要求更详细的解释，因为我在Houyhnhnm语言方面进步得更多。 —

I laid before him, as well as I could, the whole state of Europe; —
我尽力向他阐述整个欧洲的状况； —

I discoursed of trade and manufactures, of arts and sciences; —
我谈论了贸易和制造业，艺术和科学； —

and the answers I gave to all the questions he made, as they arose upon several subjects, were a fund of conversation not to be exhausted. —
我对他提出的所有问题给出的回答，作为各种主题上涌现的问题，都是无尽的对话资料。 —

But I shall here only set down the substance of what passed between us concerning my own country, reducing it in order as well as I can, without any regard to time or other circumstances, while I strictly adhere to truth. —
但我在这里只会简要记录我们之间关于我自己国家的对话，按照我所能做到的顺序，没有考虑时间或其他情况，同时严格遵守真相。 —

My only concern is, that I shall hardly be able to do justice to my master’s arguments and expressions, which must needs suffer by my want of capacity, as well as by a translation into our barbarous English.
我唯一的担心是，由于我能力不足，加之译成我们那蛮荒的英语，恐怕不能恰当地表达出我的主人的观点和语言。

In obedience, therefore, to his honour’s commands, I related to him the Revolution under the Prince of Orange; —
因此，我遵照他的尊贵命令，向他叙述了奥兰治亲王的革命； —

the long war with France, entered into by the said prince, and renewed by his successor, the present queen, wherein the greatest powers of Christendom were engaged, and which still continued: —
以及该亲王开始的与法国的长期战争，由现任女王继续进行，该战争使基督教世界的最强大势力加入其中，并至今仍在继续： —

I computed, at his request, “that about a million of Yahoos might have been killed in the whole progress of it; —
他要求我计算 “在整个过程中可能有大约一百万只雅虎被杀害； —

and perhaps a hundred or more cities taken, and five times as many ships burnt or sunk.”
并且可能夺取一百个或更多的城市，并烧毁或沉没五倍于此数量的船只。”

He asked me, “what were the usual causes or motives that made one country go to war with another? —
他问我：“一个国家为什么会与另一个国家发生战争？” —

” I answered “they were innumerable; but I should only mention a few of the chief. —
我回答道：“原因有很多，但我只会提到其中几个主要的。” —

Sometimes the ambition of princes, who never think they have land or people enough to govern; —
有时，王子们的野心使他们认为自己不够有土地或人民来统治； —

sometimes the corruption of ministers, who engage their master in a war, in order to stifle or divert the clamour of the subjects against their evil administration. —
有时，部长们的腐败会让他们的主人参与战争，以便扼杀或转移人民对其邪恶行政的抗议声音。 —

Difference in opinions has cost many millions of lives: —
意见分歧已经夺走了无数人的生命： —

for instance, whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; —
例如，肉是面包还是面包是肉； —

whether the juice of a certain berry be blood or wine; whether whistling be a vice or a virtue; —
某种浆果的汁液是血还是酒；吹口哨是恶习还是美德； —

whether it be better to kiss a post, or throw it into the fire; —
亲吻一根木柱还是把它扔进火里更好； —

what is the best colour for a coat, whether black, white, red, or gray; —
什么颜色的外套最好，黑色、白色、红色还是灰色； —

and whether it should be long or short, narrow or wide, dirty or clean; with many more. —
外套是长的还是短的，窄的还是宽的，脏的还是干净的，还有许多其他问题； —

Neither are any wars so furious and bloody, or of so long a continuance, as those occasioned by difference in opinion, especially if it be in things indifferent.
没有任何战争像由于意见分歧引起的战争那样凶猛和血腥，尤其是在无关紧要的事情上。

“Sometimes the quarrel between two princes is to decide which of them shall dispossess a third of his dominions, where neither of them pretend to any right. —
“有时两个王子之间的争执是为了决定他们中的哪一个可以剥夺第三者的领土，而他们两个都没有任何权利声称。 —

Sometimes one prince quarrels with another for fear the other should quarrel with him. —
有时一个王子与另一个王子争吵是因为害怕对方会与他发生争吵。 —

Sometimes a war is entered upon, because the enemy is too strong; —
有时候会发动战争，是因为敌人太强大； —

and sometimes, because he is too weak. Sometimes our neighbours want the things which we have, or have the things which we want, and we both fight, till they take ours, or give us theirs. —
有时候会发动战争，是因为敌人太弱小。有时候我们的邻居想要我们拥有的东西，或者拥有我们需要的东西，然后我们就会争斗，直到他们拿走我们的东西，或者给我们他们的东西。 —

It is a very justifiable cause of a war, to invade a country after the people have been wasted by famine, destroyed by pestilence, or embroiled by factions among themselves. —
在饥荒使人民饱受折磨，瘟疫摧毁了他们，或者他们陷入内部派系纷争之时，入侵一个国家是非常正当的战争原因。 —

It is justifiable to enter into war against our nearest ally, when one of his towns lies convenient for us, or a territory of land, that would render our dominions round and complete. —
当我们最亲近的盟友的一个城镇对我们来说很方便，或者一片领土能使我们的领地变得完整和周全时，对他进行战争是正当的。” —

If a prince sends forces into a nation, where the people are poor and ignorant, he may lawfully put half of them to death, and make slaves of the rest, in order to civilize and reduce them from their barbarous way of living. —
如果一位王子向一个贫穷无知的国家派兵，他可以合法地杀死其中一半人，并把剩下的人当作奴隶，以便使他们摆脱野蛮的生活方式，实现文明化。 —

It is a very kingly, honourable, and frequent practice, when one prince desires the assistance of another, to secure him against an invasion, that the assistant, when he has driven out the invader, should seize on the dominions himself, and kill, imprison, or banish, the prince he came to relieve. —
当一个王子寻求另一个王子的帮助来保护自己免受入侵时，夺取对方的领土，并杀死、监禁或放逐那位他本来想帮助的王子，这是一种非常具有王者风范、光荣且常见的做法。 —

Alliance by blood, or marriage, is a frequent cause of war between princes; —
血缘或婚姻联姻是导致王子之间战争的常见原因。 —

and the nearer the kindred is, the greater their disposition to quarrel; —
亲戚关系越近，他们越容易发生争吵。 —

poor nations are hungry, and rich nations are proud; and pride and hunger will ever be at variance. —
贫穷的国家饥饿，富裕的国家骄傲，骄傲与饥饿将永远产生冲突。 —

For these reasons, the trade of a soldier is held the most honourable of all others; —
正因为这些原因，士兵的职业被认为是最荣耀的职业之一。 —

because a soldier is a Yahoo hired to kill, in cold blood, as many of his own species, who have never offended him, as possibly he can.
因为士兵是雇佣来冷血杀害尽可能多从未冒犯过他的同类人的雅虎人。

“There is likewise a kind of beggarly princes in Europe, not able to make war by themselves, who hire out their troops to richer nations, for so much a day to each man; —
“在欧洲也有一种贫穷的王子们，他们自己不能打仗，将军队租给更富有的国家，给每个人一天的工钱; —

of which they keep three-fourths to themselves, and it is the best part of their maintenance: —
他们自己留下四分之三，这是他们维生最好的部分; —

such are those in many northern parts of Europe.”
这种事在欧洲北部的许多地方都有发生。”

“What you have told me,” said my master, “upon the subject of war, does indeed discover most admirably the effects of that reason you pretend to: —
“你告诉我的关于战争的事实，确实极好地展示了你所宣称的理智的影响; —

however, it is happy that the shame is greater than the danger; —
然而，幸运的是耻辱比危险更大; —

and that nature has left you utterly incapable of doing much mischief. —
并且自然使你完全无法造成太多的破坏。 —

For, your mouths lying flat with your faces, you can hardly bite each other to any purpose, unless by consent. —
因为你们的嘴部与你们的面部平齐，除非经过同意，你们几乎不能互相有效地咬伤对方。” —

Then as to the claws upon your feet before and behind, they are so short and tender, that one of our Yahoos would drive a dozen of yours before him. —
关于你们的前后脚上的爪子，它们是如此短小而娇嫩，以至于我们的一个雅虎可以吓跑一打你们的。 —

And therefore, in recounting the numbers of those who have been killed in battle, I cannot but think you have said the thing which is not.”
因此，在列举在战斗中丧生的人数时，我不禁认为你所说的是不存在的事情。

I could not forbear shaking my head, and smiling a little at his ignorance. —
我忍不住摇了摇头，微笑了一下对他的无知。 —

And being no stranger to the art of war, I gave him a description of cannons, culverins, muskets, carabines, pistols, bullets, powder, swords, bayonets, battles, sieges, retreats, attacks, undermines, countermines, bombardments, sea fights, ships sunk with a thousand men, twenty thousand killed on each side, dying groans, limbs flying in the air, smoke, noise, confusion, trampling to death under horses’ feet, flight, pursuit, victory; —
作为一个战争的了解者，我给他描述了加农炮、火枪、马领、卡宾枪、手枪、子弹、火药、剑、刺刀、战役、围城、撤退、进攻、暗道、逆道、轰炸、海战、沉船（船上有一千人）、双方各死两万人、临终呻吟、四肢飞舞、烟雾、噪音、混乱、被马蹄踩死、逃跑、追击、胜利； —

fields strewed with carcases, left for food to dogs and wolves and birds of prey; —
战场上散落着尸体，为狗、狼和食肉鸟留作食物； —

plundering, stripping, ravishing, burning, and destroying. —
抢劫、剥夺、强奸、纵火和摧毁。 —

And to set forth the valour of my own dear countrymen, I assured him, “that I had seen them blow up a hundred enemies at once in a siege, and as many in a ship, and beheld the dead bodies drop down in pieces from the clouds, to the great diversion of the spectators.”
为了展示我自己那些可爱的同胞的勇气，我向他保证：“我曾看到他们在围攻中一次炸死一百个敌人，在船上也是如此，我见过死尸像雨点一样从天空中掉落，给观众们带来极大的娱乐。”

I was going on to more particulars, when my master commanded me silence. —
我正要继续细说，但是我的主人命令我保持沉默。 —

He said, “whoever understood the nature of Yahoos, might easily believe it possible for so vile an animal to be capable of every action I had named, if their strength and cunning equalled their malice. —
他说：“任何人了解雅虎的本性，都会容易相信这种下贱的动物能够做到我所说的每一个行动，如果它们的力量和狡猾与它们的恶意相等的话。 —

But as my discourse had increased his abhorrence of the whole species, so he found it gave him a disturbance in his mind to which he was wholly a stranger before. —
但是由于我的谈话增加了他对整个种群的憎恶，所以他发现这给了他心灵上的困扰，这是他以前完全不曾经历过的。 —

He thought his ears, being used to such abominable words, might, by degrees, admit them with less detestation: —
他认为他对这种可憎的言论感到习以为常的耳朵，可能会逐渐接受它们而减少憎恶的程度。 —

that although he hated the Yahoos of this country, yet he no more blamed them for their odious qualities, than he did a gnnayh (a bird of prey) for its cruelty, or a sharp stone for cutting his hoof. —
尽管他讨厌这个国家的雅虎，但他对他们令人讨厌的品质并不怪罪他们，就像他对猛禽的残忍或锋利的石头切割他的蹄子也不怪罪一样。 —

But when a creature pretending to reason could be capable of such enormities, he dreaded lest the corruption of that faculty might be worse than brutality itself. —
但是，当一个自称有理智的生物能够犯下如此罪孽时，他担心理智的堕落可能比野蛮本身更可怕。 —

He seemed therefore confident, that, instead of reason we were only possessed of some quality fitted to increase our natural vices; —
因此，他似乎相信，我们所具备的不是理智，而是一种增加我们天生恶习的特质。 —

as the reflection from a troubled stream returns the image of an ill shapen body, not only larger but more distorted.”
就像扰乱的溪流反射出一个畸形的身体形象，不仅更大而且更扭曲。

He added, “that he had heard too much upon the subject of war, both in this and some former discourses. —
他补充道，“关于战争的话题，我听得太多了，无论是在这次还是以前的演讲中。” —

There was another point, which a little perplexed him at present. —
现在还有一个点让他感到有些困惑。 —

I had informed him, that some of our crew left their country on account of being ruined by law; —
我告诉他，我们船员中有些人因为被法律毁了而离开了自己的国家。 —

that I had already explained the meaning of the word; —
我已经解释了这个词的含义。 —

but he was at a loss how it should come to pass, that the law, which was intended for every man’s preservation, should be any man’s ruin. —
但他对于这样的事情如何发生感到困惑，即法律本为每个人的保护而设，却成为了某些人的毁灭。 —

Therefore he desired to be further satisfied what I meant by law, and the dispensers thereof, according to the present practice in my own country; —
因此，他希望进一步了解我所说的法律，以及在我自己国家现行的法律实施者是谁； —

because he thought nature and reason were sufficient guides for a reasonable animal, as we pretended to be, in showing us what he ought to do, and what to avoid.”
因为他认为自然和理性足以成为一个理性的动物，就像我们自称的那样，告诉我们应该做什么，避免什么。

I assured his honour, “that the law was a science in which I had not much conversed, further than by employing advocates, in vain, upon some injustices that had been done me: —
我向他保证，“我对法律这门学问并没有多少涉猎，除了在遭受了一些不公正待遇后无济于事地雇佣了一些辩护律师； —

however, I would give him all the satisfaction I was able.”
然而，我会尽力给予他满意的解答。”

I said, “there was a society of men among us, bred up from their youth in the art of proving, by words multiplied for the purpose, that white is black, and black is white, according as they are paid. —
我说，“在我们这里，有一个由那些从小就被培养出来用言辞来证明白就是黑、黑就是白的艺术的人们组成的社会，这完全取决于他们所获得的报酬。 —

To this society all the rest of the people are slaves. —
其他人都是这个社会的奴隶。” —

For example, if my neighbour has a mind to my cow, he has a lawyer to prove that he ought to have my cow from me. —
例如，如果我的邻居想要我的奶牛，他就有律师可以证明他应该从我这里获得我的奶牛。 —

I must then hire another to defend my right, it being against all rules of law that any man should be allowed to speak for himself. —
那么我必须雇佣另一个人来捍卫我的权利，因为根据所有法律规定，任何人都不应该被允许为自己辩护。 —

Now, in this case, I, who am the right owner, lie under two great disadvantages: —
现在，在这种情况下，作为合法拥有者的我，面临两个巨大的劣势： —

first, my lawyer, being practised almost from his cradle in defending falsehood, is quite out of his element when he would be an advocate for justice, which is an unnatural office he always attempts with great awkwardness, if not with ill-will. —
首先，我的律师几乎从婴儿时期就练就了为虚假辩护的技巧，因此当他试图为正义辩护时，他就处于他不擅长的领域，他总是笨拙地尝试，甚至可能带有恶意。 —

The second disadvantage is, that my lawyer must proceed with great caution, or else he will be reprimanded by the judges, and abhorred by his brethren, as one that would lessen the practice of the law. —
第二个劣势是，我的律师必须非常谨慎地行事，否则他将受到法官的训斥，并被他的同行所憎恶，因为他会减少律师的实践。 —

And therefore I have but two methods to preserve my cow. —
因此，我只有两种方法来保护我的奶牛。 —

The first is, to gain over my adversary’s lawyer with a double fee, who will then betray his client by insinuating that he hath justice on his side. —
第一种方法是用双倍的费用击败对手的律师，然后通过暗示他拥有正义一方来背叛他的客户。 —

The second way is for my lawyer to make my cause appear as unjust as he can, by allowing the cow to belong to my adversary: —
第二种方法是让我的律师尽可能地让我的案子看起来不公正，承认这头奶牛是属于我的对手的。 —

and this, if it be skilfully done, will certainly bespeak the favour of the bench. —
如果这样做得好，一定会赢得法官的青睐。 —

Now your honour is to know, that these judges are persons appointed to decide all controversies of property, as well as for the trial of criminals, and picked out from the most dexterous lawyers, who are grown old or lazy; —
现在，阁下应该知道，这些法官被任命为解决所有财产争议，并为犯罪审判，他们是从最熟练的律师中挑选出来的，这些律师已经变老或变得懒散； —

and having been biassed all their lives against truth and equity, lie under such a fatal necessity of favouring fraud, perjury, and oppression, that I have known some of them refuse a large bribe from the side where justice lay, rather than injure the faculty, by doing any thing unbecoming their nature or their office.
他们的一生都被偏袒不真实和不公正所影响，以致不得不偏袒欺诈、伪证和压迫，我曾见过其中一些人拒绝从正义一方收受巨额贿赂，而不愿因为做出任何与他们的本性或职责不符的行为而损害律师的形象。

“It is a maxim among these lawyers that whatever has been done before, may legally be done again: —
“在这些律师中有一条格言，就是任何先前做过的事情，都可以合法地再次做； —

and therefore they take special care to record all the decisions formerly made against common justice, and the general reason of mankind. —
因此他们特别注意记录一切违背公正和普世理性的先前裁决。 —

These, under the name of precedents, they produce as authorities to justify the most iniquitous opinions; —
他们将这些裁决作为先例，用来证明最不公正的观点； —

and the judges never fail of directing accordingly.
法官们从不忘记按照这些先例来指导裁决。

“In pleading, they studiously avoid entering into the merits of the cause; —
“在辩论中，他们刻意避免谈论案件的实质问题； —

but are loud, violent, and tedious, in dwelling upon all circumstances which are not to the purpose. For instance, in the case already mentioned; —
而是大声、激烈、冗长地纠缠于与问题无关的各种细节。比如，在前面提到的案例中； —

they never desire to know what claim or title my adversary has to my cow; —
他们从不关心我的对手对我的奶牛有什么主张或权利； —

but whether the said cow were red or black; her horns long or short; —
而是关心奶牛是红色还是黑色；她的角是长还是短； —

whether the field I graze her in be round or square; whether she was milked at home or abroad; —
她在哪个地方喂养；她是否在家里或外面挤奶； —

what diseases she is subject to, and the like; —
她有什么疾病等等；” —

after which they consult precedents, adjourn the cause from time to time, and in ten, twenty, or thirty years, come to an issue.
之后他们会咨询先例，不断从一段时间到另一段时间中间停顿，最终在十年、二十年或三十年后得出结果。

“It is likewise to be observed, that this society has a peculiar cant and jargon of their own, that no other mortal can understand, and wherein all their laws are written, which they take special care to multiply; —
“同样要注意的是，这个社团有着自己特有的隐语和行话，其他凡人无法理解，也是他们所有法律的表述方式，他们极力繁衍这些法律； —

whereby they have wholly confounded the very essence of truth and falsehood, of right and wrong; —
由此他们已经完全混淆了真理和虚假、对错的本质； —

so that it will take thirty years to decide, whether the field left me by my ancestors for six generations belongs to me, or to a stranger three hundred miles off.
以至于要花三十年时间才能决定，由先辈传承了六代的土地究竟属于我，还是属于三百英里之外的陌生人。

“In the trial of persons accused for crimes against the state, the method is much more short and commendable: —
“在对针对国家罪行的被告进行审判时，这种方法更为简短和可取： —

the judge first sends to sound the disposition of those in power, after which he can easily hang or save a criminal, strictly preserving all due forms of law.”
法官首先会派人去试探当权者的态度，之后他就可以轻易地处决或者释放罪犯，严守所有相关法律的规定。”

Here my master interposing, said, “it was a pity, that creatures endowed with such prodigious abilities of mind, as these lawyers, by the description I gave of them, must certainly be, were not rather encouraged to be instructors of others in wisdom and knowledge. —
在这里，我的主人插话说，“这些律师这样具有惊人的智慧能力，正是令人惋惜的，根据我所描述的，他们一定是被鼓励成为智慧和知识的教导者。 —

” In answer to which I assured his honour, “that in all points out of their own trade, they were usually the most ignorant and stupid generation among us, the most despicable in common conversation, avowed enemies to all knowledge and learning, and equally disposed to pervert the general reason of mankind in every other subject of discourse as in that of their own profession.”
为了回答他的问题，我向他保证，“在他们自己行业之外的所有方面，他们通常是我们中最无知和愚蠢的一代人，在普通的交谈中最不值得尊重，公开宣称他们是知识和学问的敌人，并且同样倾向于在其他话题上歪曲人类的普遍理性，就像在他们自己的职业中一样。”