Mildendo, the metropolis of Lilliput, described, together with the emperor’s palace. —
迷尔登多是利利普特的大都市，与皇宫一同被描述。 —

A conversation between the author and a principal secretary, concerning the affairs of that empire. —
作者和一个首席秘书之间的对话，涉及这个帝国的事务。 —

The author’s offers to serve the emperor in his wars.
作者提供为皇帝在他的战争中服务的建议。

The first request I made, after I had obtained my liberty, was, that I might have license to see Mildendo, the metropolis; —
我获得自由后提出的第一个请求是，让我有权见识迷尔登多，即首都。 —

which the emperor easily granted me, but with a special charge to do no hurt either to the inhabitants or their houses. —
皇帝很容易地同意了我的请求，但是特别嘱咐我既不能伤害居民也不能破坏他们的房屋。 —

The people had notice, by proclamation, of my design to visit the town. —
人们通过公告得知了我参观城市的计划。 —

The wall which encompassed it is two feet and a half high, and at least eleven inches broad, so that a coach and horses may be driven very safely round it; —
围绕城市的墙高两英尺半，宽至少十一英寸，以便马车很安全地绕行； —

and it is flanked with strong towers at ten feet distance. —
而且它每隔十英尺就有一个坚固的塔楼。 —

I stepped over the great western gate, and passed very gently, and sidling, through the two principal streets, only in my short waistcoat, for fear of damaging the roofs and eaves of the houses with the skirts of my coat. —
我迈过了巨大的西部城门，穿过了两条主要街道，只穿着短背心，小心翼翼地走过，以免我大衣的摆裙损坏屋顶和檐口。 —

I walked with the utmost circumspection, to avoid treading on any stragglers who might remain in the streets, although the orders were very strict, that all people should keep in their houses, at their own peril. —
我小心翼翼地走着，以避免踩到可能留在街上的任何流浪者，尽管命令非常严格，要求所有人都要留在自己的房子里，自责于自身。 —

The garret windows and tops of houses were so crowded with spectators, that I thought in all my travels I had not seen a more populous place. —
顶楼的窗户和房屋顶部挤满了观众，我觉得在我所有的旅行中，我还没有见过一个人口如此众多的地方。 —

The city is an exact square, each side of the wall being five hundred feet long. —
这座城市是一个完美的正方形，城墙的每一条边都有500英尺长。 —

The two great streets, which run across and divide it into four quarters, are five feet wide. —
这两条穿过城市，将其分为四个区域的大街，宽度为五英尺。 —

The lanes and alleys, which I could not enter, but only view them as I passed, are from twelve to eighteen inches. —
那些我无法进入的小巷和胡同，在我经过时只能看到它们，宽度从十二到十八英寸不等。 —

The town is capable of holding five hundred thousand souls: —
这个城镇可以容纳五十万人口。 —

the houses are from three to five stories: —
房屋有三到五层高。 —

the shops and markets well provided.
商店和市场供应充足。

The emperor’s palace is in the centre of the city where the two great streets meet. —
皇帝宫殿位于城市中心，两条大街交汇处。 —

It is enclosed by a wall of two feet high, and twenty feet distance from the buildings. —
它由一道两英尺高的墙围起来，距建筑物有二十英尺的距离。 —

I had his majesty’s permission to step over this wall; —
我有陛下的允许可以翻过这道墙； —

and, the space being so wide between that and the palace, I could easily view it on every side. —
而且，空间在那和宫殿之间是如此宽阔，我可以轻易地从各个方面观看它。 —

The outward court is a square of forty feet, and includes two other courts: —
外庭是一个四十英尺的正方形，包括另外两个庭院： —

in the inmost are the royal apartments, which I was very desirous to see, but found it extremely difficult; —
最内部是皇室的住所，我非常渴望能够看到，但发现非常困难； —

for the great gates, from one square into another, were but eighteen inches high, and seven inches wide. —
因为从一个庭院到另一个庭院的大门只有十八英寸高、七英寸宽。 —

Now the buildings of the outer court were at least five feet high, and it was impossible for me to stride over them without infinite damage to the pile, though the walls were strongly built of hewn stone, and four inches thick. —
现在外庭的建筑物至少有五英尺高，我不可能跨过它们而不对整个建筑物造成无限的破坏，尽管墙壁是用巨石精心建造的，厚四英寸。 —

At the same time the emperor had a great desire that I should see the magnificence of his palace; —
同时，皇帝非常希望我能够看到他宫殿的壮丽景象； —

but this I was not able to do till three days after, which I spent in cutting down with my knife some of the largest trees in the royal park, about a hundred yards distant from the city. —
但是直到三天后我才能够实现这个愿望，这三天我一直在皇家公园里砍伐一些最大的树木，距离城市约一百码远。 —

Of these trees I made two stools, each about three feet high, and strong enough to bear my weight. —
我用这些树木做了两个凳子，每个凳子高约三英尺，足够承受我的重量。 —

The people having received notice a second time, I went again through the city to the palace with my two stools in my hands. —
人们第二次收到通知后，我再次手提着两个凳子穿过城市来到皇宫。 —

When I came to the side of the outer court, I stood upon one stool, and took the other in my hand; —
当我到达外院的一侧时，我站在一个凳子上，手拿着另一个凳子； —

this I lifted over the roof, and gently set it down on the space between the first and second court, which was eight feet wide. —
我将这个凳子举过屋顶，轻轻地放在第一庭院和第二庭院之间的空地上，那个地方宽有八英尺。 —

I then stept over the building very conveniently from one stool to the other, and drew up the first after me with a hooked stick. —
然后我非常方便地从一个凳子上踏足到另一个凳子上，并用一根钩形的棍子将第一个凳子拉了上来。 —

By this contrivance I got into the inmost court; —
通过这个设计，我成功进入了最内部的庭院。 —

and, lying down upon my side, I applied my face to the windows of the middle stories, which were left open on purpose, and discovered the most splendid apartments that can be imagined. —
躺在一边，我把脸贴在特意敞开的中层窗户上，发现了最华丽的公寓。 —

There I saw the empress and the young princes, in their several lodgings, with their chief attendants about them. —
我看见了皇后和年轻的王子们，分别住在自己的房子里，身边有他们的首席侍从。 —

Her imperial majesty was pleased to smile very graciously upon me, and gave me out of the window her hand to kiss.
她的皇帝陛下很亲切地对我微笑，并从窗户里伸出手让我亲吻。

But I shall not anticipate the reader with further descriptions of this kind, because I reserve them for a greater work, which is now almost ready for the press; —
但我不会提前给读者过多描述，因为我把这些保留在一个即将出版的更大作品中； —

containing a general description of this empire, from its first erection, through along series of princes; —
该作品将包含这个帝国的整体描述，从它的建立开始，经过一系列的君主； —

with a particular account of their wars and politics, laws, learning, and religion; —
还有各种战争和政治、法律、学问和宗教的详细描述； —

their plants and animals; their peculiar manners and customs, with other matters very curious and useful; —
以及他们的植物和动物、独特的风俗习惯，以及其他一些非常有趣和有用的事情。 —

my chief design at present being only to relate such events and transactions as happened to the public or to myself during a residence of about nine months in that empire.
目前我主要的设计只是叙述在那个帝国居住约九个月期间发生在公众或我自己身上的事件和交易。

One morning, about a fortnight after I had obtained my liberty, Reldresal, principal secretary (as they style him) for private affairs, came to my house attended only by one servant. —
有一天早晨，我获得自由后大约两周，雷尔德雷萨尔，作为私事主要秘书（正如他们称呼他）带着一个仆人来到我的房子。 —

He ordered his coach to wait at a distance, and desired I would give him an hours audience; —
他命令他的马车在远处等候，并要求我给他一个小时的时间来面谈； —

which I readily consented to, on account of his quality and personal merits, as well as of the many good offices he had done me during my solicitations at court. —
鉴于他的地位、个人优点以及他在朝廷上对我所做的许多好事，我很愿意同意。 —

I offered to lie down that he might the more conveniently reach my ear, but he chose rather to let me hold him in my hand during our conversation. —
我提议躺下，以便他更方便地达到我的耳朵，但他选择让我手持他进行交谈。 —

He began with compliments on my liberty; said “he might pretend to some merit in it; —
他以我获得自由为开场白，说“他可能有某种功绩”。 —

” but, however, added, “that if it had not been for the present situation of things at court, perhaps I might not have obtained it so soon. —
“但是，”他补充道，“要是朝廷的现状不是这样的话，或许我不会这么快得到它。 —

For,” said he, “as flourishing a condition as we may appear to be in to foreigners, we labour under two mighty evils: —
“因为，”他说，“尽管我们在外国人看来似乎状况良好，但我们面临着两个巨大的问题： —

a violent faction at home, and the danger of an invasion, by a most potent enemy, from abroad. —
“一是国内的激烈派系斗争，二是来自强大敌人的侵略威胁。 —

As to the first, you are to understand, that for about seventy moons past there have been two struggling parties in this empire, under the names of Tramecksan and Slamecksan, from the high and low heels of their shoes, by which they distinguish themselves. —
“至于第一个问题，你要知道，在过去的七十个月里，这个帝国内一直存在着两个对立的派系，分别以特拉梅克桑和斯拉梅克桑为名，因为他们的鞋子的高跟和低跟不同而自我区分。 —

It is alleged, indeed, that the high heels are most agreeable to our ancient constitution; —
“确实有人说，高跟鞋更符合我们的古代宪法，但不管怎样，国王决定在政府的管理和所有由皇冠赐予的职位中只使用低跟鞋，您必定已经注意到了； —

but, however this be, his majesty has determined to make use only of low heels in the administration of the government, and all offices in the gift of the crown, as you cannot but observe; —
如上所述。” —

and particularly that his majesty’s imperial heels are lower at least by a drurr than any of his court (drurr is a measure about the fourteenth part of an inch). —
特别是他的陛下的帝国高跟鞋，至少比他的宫廷成员低了一个drurr（指四分之一英寸左右）。 —

The animosities between these two parties run so high, that they will neither eat, nor drink, nor talk with each other. —
这两个派别之间的敌意如此之深，以至于他们不愿意共进午餐、共饮酒，甚至不愿意相互交流。 —

We compute the Tramecksan, or high heels, to exceed us in number; —
我们估计Tramecksan，或者说高跟鞋人数超过我们； —

but the power is wholly on our side. We apprehend his imperial highness, the heir to the crown, to have some tendency towards the high heels; —
但是实力完全掌握在我们这一边。我们担心他贵族的皇储对高跟鞋有某种倾向； —

at least we can plainly discover that one of his heels is higher than the other, which gives him a hobble in his gait. —
至少我们可以明显看出他的一只脚跟高于另一只脚跟，这使他步履蹒跚。 —

Now, in the midst of these intestine disquiets, we are threatened with an invasion from the island of Blefuscu, which is the other great empire of the universe, almost as large and powerful as this of his majesty. —
而在这些内乱的同时，我们还面临来自Blefuscu岛的入侵威胁，这个岛是宇宙中另一个几乎同样庞大和强大的帝国，几乎与我们陛下的帝国相当。 —

For as to what we have heard you affirm, that there are other kingdoms and states in the world inhabited by human creatures as large as yourself, our philosophers are in much doubt, and would rather conjecture that you dropped from the moon, or one of the stars; —
就我们听到的你所断言的，世界上还有其他与你一样大的人类居住的王国和国家，我们的哲学家们对此颇有疑虑，更倾向于猜测你是从月球或星星上掉下来的； —

because it is certain, that a hundred mortals of your bulk would in a short time destroy all the fruits and cattle of his majesty’s dominions: —
因为可以肯定的是，如果有一百个像你这样体型的人类，很快就会摧毁陛下的领土上的所有粮食和牲畜； —

besides, our histories of six thousand moons make no mention of any other regions than the two great empires of Lilliput and Blefuscu. —
此外，我们长达六千个月的历史中没有提到除了利利普特和布列弗斯古这两个大帝国之外的其他地区； —

Which two mighty powers have, as I was going to tell you, been engaged in a most obstinate war for six-and-thirty moons past. —
正如我即将告诉你的那样，这两个强大的势力已经在过去三十六个月里进行了一场非常顽强的战争； —

It began upon the following occasion. It is allowed on all hands, that the primitive way of breaking eggs, before we eat them, was upon the larger end; —
这场战争是由以下事件引起的。众所周知，在我们食用鸡蛋之前，最早的破蛋方式是从大端开始的。 —

but his present majesty’s grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers. —
然而，他现任陛下的祖父在他还是个孩子的时候，去吃一个鸡蛋，按照古老的习俗打破它时，碰巧割伤了他的一个手指。 —

Whereupon the emperor his father published an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs. —
因此，皇帝的父亲颁布了一道法令，命令所有臣民必须打破鸡蛋的较小一头，否则将受到极大的惩罚。 —

The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us, there have been six rebellions raised on that account; —
人民对这项法律大为不满，我们的历史记载中讲述了六次以此为原因发生的叛乱。 —

wherein one emperor lost his life, and another his crown. —
在其中，一个皇帝失去了生命，另一个皇帝失去了王位。 —

These civil commotions were constantly fomented by the monarchs of Blefuscu; —
这些内乱经常是由布鲁弗斯库的君主煽动起来的。 —

and when they were quelled, the exiles always fled for refuge to that empire. —
当他们被镇压后，流亡者总是逃往布鲁弗斯库帝国寻求庇护。 —

It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death, rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end. —
这被统计为有11000人在不同时间遭受了死亡，而不愿打破他们的鸡蛋较小一头。 —

Many hundred large volumes have been published upon this controversy: —
已经出版了几百卷关于这个争议的大部头著作。 —

but the books of the Big-endians have been long forbidden, and the whole party rendered incapable by law of holding employments. —
但是大恩德派的书籍早已被禁止，整个派别的成员也被法律规定不能就职。 —

During the course of these troubles, the emperors of Blefusca did frequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of making a schism in religion, by offending against a fundamental doctrine of our great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the Blundecral (which is their Alcoran). —
在这些纷争期间，布莱弗斯卡的皇帝经常通过大使进行抗议，指责我们在宗教上犯了一个基本教义的分裂，这个教义写在布伦德克拉尔的第54章（他们的《古兰经》）中。 —

This, however, is thought to be a mere strain upon the text; for the words are these: —
然而，这被认为是对文本的纯粹解读；因为这段话是这样的： —

‘that all true believers break their eggs at the convenient end. —
“所有真正的信徒都应该从方便的一端打破他们的蛋。 —

’ And which is the convenient end, seems, in my humble opinion to be left to every man’s conscience, or at least in the power of the chief magistrate to determine. —
而什么是方便的一端，根据我个人的观点，应该是由每个人的良心决定，或者至少由最高行政长官决定。 —

Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so much credit in the emperor of Blefuscu’s court, and so much private assistance and encouragement from their party here at home, that a bloody war has been carried on between the two empires for six-and-thirty moons, with various success; —
如今，大端流亡者在布雷弗斯夸皇帝的朝廷中获得了很高的声望，并得到了我们国内同党的私人支持和鼓励，以至于两个帝国之间已经进行了三十六个月的血腥战争，各有胜负。 —

during which time we have lost forty capital ships, and a much a greater number of smaller vessels, together with thirty thousand of our best seamen and soldiers; —
在此期间，我们失去了四十艘主力舰船，以及更多数量的小型船只，还有三万名我们最优秀的海员和士兵。 —

and the damage received by the enemy is reckoned to be somewhat greater than ours. —
据估计，敌人所受到的损失略微超过了我们的。 —

However, they have now equipped a numerous fleet, and are just preparing to make a descent upon us; —
然而，他们现在已经组建了一支庞大的舰队，并正在准备对我们进行登陆。 —

and his imperial majesty, placing great confidence in your valour and strength, has commanded me to lay this account of his affairs before you.”
鉴于陛下对您的勇气和力量有很高的信任，他命令我向您陈述他的情况。

I desired the secretary to present my humble duty to the emperor; —
我请求秘书将我的谦逊致意呈递给皇帝，并让他知道：“我认为作为一个外国人，干涉各方并不适合我。 —

and to let him know, “that I thought it would not become me, who was a foreigner, to interfere with parties; —
我希望能保持中立，以及为任何一方带来不必要的麻烦。 —

but I was ready, with the hazard of my life, to defend his person and state against all invaders.”
但是我已经准备好了，以我生命的危险，保卫他的人和国家免受所有入侵者的侵害。”