Confessions of dogs before death 狗狗臨終前的自白

1. How Could You？
你怎麼可以這樣呢？
Author : Jim Willis
作者：吉姆威利斯
編譯編輯：老編西歪
changcy0326
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2. When I was a puppy I entertained you with my antics and
made you laugh. You called me your child and despite a
number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw
pillows, I became your best friend.
當我還是一頭小狗的時候，我用
滑稽動作逗你開心，使你發笑。
儘管一些鞋子和枕頭被我咬破，
你還是把我當成你的孩子。我成
了你最好的朋友。

3. 每當我是使壞時，你會搖動你
的手指對我說：「你怎可以這
樣呢？」，但最後你還是變得
寬容，將我翻過身來用手撫摸
我的肚子。
Whenever I was "bad," you'd shake
your finger at me and ask "How could
you?" - but then you'd relent and roll
me over for a belly rub.

4. 因為你忙得不可開交，我的
日常訓練比預期時間要長一
些，但我們都在一起從事培
訓工作。
My housetraining took a little longer than
expected, because you were terribly busy, but we
worked on that together.

5. 我記得沉默地躺在你床上，
傾聽著你自信和神秘夢想的
那些夜晚，而我認為，生命
中不可能有比這些日子更完
美的了。
I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed, listening to your
confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not
be any more perfect.

6. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops
for ice cream (I only got the cone because "ice cream is bad
for dogs," you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting
for you to come home at the end of the day.
我們出去散步，在公園中奔跑，
遊車河，停下來買冰淇淋 (我只
能吃甜筒，因為你說「狗吃了冰
淇淋對健康不好」)，在陽光下打
盹到傍晚等著你回家。

7. Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on
your career, and more time searching for a human mate.
事漸
業漸
上地
，，
更你
多開
的始
時花
間很
尋多
找的
人時
生間
伴在
侶工
。作
和

8. 我耐心地守候著你，在心碎
和失望時安慰你，做了錯誤
決定時從來沒有責備而附和
著你，當你墜入愛河回到家
門時，總是歡欣雀躍地迎接
你。
I waited for you patiently, comforted you
through heartbreaks and disappointments,
never chided you about bad decisions, and
romped with glee at your homecomings, and
when you fell in love.

9. She, now your wife, is not a "dog person" -
still I welcomed her into our home, tried to
show her affection, and obeyed her. I was
happy because you were happy.
你現在的妻子，她並不是「愛狗人士」- 我還是歡迎
她進入到我們家裡來，服從她，並對她表示我的情感
和愛意。因為你感到幸福所以我也很覺得幸福。

10. 不久，嬰兒們出生了，我
也分享你們的歡欣。我被
他們的粉嫩膚色迷住了，
聞起來是什麼味道，我也
想去照顧他們。
Then the human babies came along and I shared your
excitement. I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they
smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too.

11. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I
spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a
dog crate. Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became a
"prisoner of love."
只有太太和你擔心我可能
會傷害他們，大部分時間
我被趕到另一個房間，或
關在狗籠中。噢！我多麼
想去愛他們呀！但是我變
成了「愛的囚犯」。

12. As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my
fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in
my eyes, investigated my ears and gave me kisses on my nose.
I loved everything about them, especially their touch - because
your touch was now so infrequent - and I would have defended
them with my life if need be.
當他們開始長大，我成了他
們的朋友。他們緊抓著我的
毛皮，拉拔著自己以顫抖的
小腳站起來，用手指戳我的
眼睛，研究我的耳朵，吻我
的鼻子。我喜歡他們所做的
一切，尤其是他們的撫摸
(因為你現在很少碰觸我
了)， 如果需要的話我會以
我的生命來保護他們。

13. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries
and secret dreams. Together we waited for the sound of
your car in the driveway.
我會偷偷溜到他們床上，傾
聽著他們的煩惱和意願。我
們一起等待著你回家汽車開
進車道的聲音。

14. There had been a time, when others
asked you if you had a dog, that you
produced a photo of me from your wallet
and told them stories about me. These
past few years, you just answered "yes"
and changed the subject. I had gone
from being your dog to "just a dog," and
you resented every expenditure on my
behalf.
曾幾何時，人們問你家裡是否養狗，你
馬上從皮夾中拿出你幫我照的相片，告
訴他們一些有關我的糗事。而這幾年
來，你只是回答「有」，就將話題轉
開。我已經從「你的狗兒」變成了「只
是一隻狗」了，你甚至於不願意為我付
出任何的花費開銷。

15. 曾寵家現
幾物人今
何。們你
時你將在
我已搬另
是經到一
你作那個
家出邊城
庭了的市
中「公找
唯家寓到
一庭，一
的成而份
成員公新
員」寓的
Now you have a new career opportunity in 呀的中高
。正規就
another city and you and they will be moving to 確定機
an apartment that does not allow pets. You've 決不會
made the right decision for your "family," but there 定准，
，飼你
was a time when I was your only family. 但養和

16. I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal
shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness.
懼了我
絕動坐
望物在
的收車
氣容上
息所感
。。到
聞非
到常
貓興
和奮
狗，
的直
味到
道我
以們
及來
恐到

17. 年看到您
貓著一填
狗你個寫
終。好了
究他歸一
將們宿些
要理的文
面解」件
臨，。，
的縱他並
現然們說
實擁聳「
問有聳我
題各肩知
。種，道
「以你 You filled out the paperwork and said "I know
證苦們 you will find a good home for her." They
書澀會
」的為 shrugged and gave you a pained look. They
，眼牠 understand the realities facing a middle-aged
中光找 dog or cat, even one with "papers."

18. 你扳開你兒子緊抓我頸圈的
手，他大叫：「不可以！爸
爸！請不要讓他們帶走我的
狗！」，我擔心，剛才你教
導了他什麼是友誼和忠誠，
愛情和責任，以及對所有生
命的尊重。
You had to pry your son's fingers loose from my collar as he
screamed "No, Daddy! Please don't let them take my dog!" And I
worried for him and what lessons you had just taught him about
friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about
respect for all life.

19. You gave me a goodbye pat on the head, avoided my
eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash
with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have
one, too.
你拍拍我的頭要再見了，避開了我的眼光，柔和
地鬆開抓著我頸圈的皮帶。你會碰到一個期限，
現在我的最後期限也將來臨。

20. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew
about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt
to find me another good home. They shook their heads and
asked "How could you?"
你離開後，兩位善心女士聊到，幾個月前你大概就知道即將要
遷移，但是並沒有嘗試幫我尋找一個好歸宿。他們搖搖頭說：
「你怎可以這樣呢？」

21. They are as attentive to us
here in the shelter as their
busy schedules allow. They
feed us, of course, but I lost
my appetite days ago.
為了安排我們的住所，使得
他們的工作日程非常忙碌。
他們餵養我們，當然，幾天
前我已失去了胃口。

22. At first, whenever anyone passed
my pen, I rushed to the front,
hoping it was you - that you had
changed your mind - that this
was all a bad dream...or I hoped
it would at least be someone who
cared, anyone who might save
me.
起初，每當有人走過我的籠子，
我趕快跑到前面，希望那是你 (也
許你已經改變了主意)，但是這所
有的一切簡直是一場噩夢 ...至少
我還是希望有人會來領養或拯救
我。

23. When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for
attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I
retreated to a far corner and waited.
當我意識到，無法與嬉戲而引人注目的小狗競爭時，無視
於自己的命運，我退避至邊遠的角落，在那兒等待著。

24. I heard her footsteps as she came
for me at the end of the day and I
padded along the aisle after her to
a separate room. A blissfully quiet
room.
最後一天終於來臨，我聽到她的腳
步聲向我走來。跟著她，沿著通道
來到一個單獨的房間，一個極樂而
安靜的場所。

25. She placed me on the table, rubbed my ears and told me
not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was
to come, but there was also a sense of relief.
她抱我放在桌上，揉我的耳朵，告訴我不要擔心。我的心猛
烈地跳動，不知道什麼事情將要來臨，但也意識到一種解脫
的感覺。

26. She gently placed a tourniquet
around my foreleg as a tear ran
down her cheek. I licked her hand
in the same way I used to comfort
you so many years ago.
她的臉頰流下了眼淚，輕柔地將止
血繃帶繞著我的前腳。用多年前安
慰你的同樣方式，我舔著她的手。

27. She expertly slid the hypodermic
needle into my vein. As I felt the
sting and the cool liquid coursing
through my body, I lay down
sleepily, looked into her kind eyes
and murmured "How could you?"
她以熟練的手法，將注射針插入我
的靜脈。當我感到刺痛時，一陣冷
流奔向我的全身，我感到睏倦而躺
下，望著她慈悲的眼神，有氣無力
的說「你怎可以這樣呢？」。

28. 或許是因為她懂得我的狗話，她說：
「我很抱歉」。她擁抱著我，趕緊
解說這是她的工作，以確保我去了
一個更美好的地方，在那裡我不會
被忽視、不會被虐待、不會被遺棄，
也不需自我謀生，是一個充滿愛和
光明，與塵世完全不同的地方。
Perhaps because she understood my dog speak, she said
"I'm so sorry." She hugged me and hurriedly explained it was
her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I
wouldn't be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend
for myself - a place of love and light so very different from
this earthly place.

29. With my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump
of my tail that my "How could you?" was not meant for her. It
was you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of. I will think of
you and wait for you forever.
用了最後一點力氣，搖著我的尾巴想向她表達，「你怎可以這
樣呢？」並不意味著是對她說的。我想這是對你說的，親愛的
主人。我將永遠懷念你，永遠等待著你。

31. May everyone in your life continue
to show you so much loyalty.
但願在你生命中的每一個人，都能
以像我這麼忠心的繼續對待你。
Goodbye!
My beloved master!
別了！我親愛的主人！

32. THE END
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