Translation II

Assignment # 10 (due June 4) Name: 蔡駿逸

If-by-whiskey

若是威士忌

My friends, I had not intended to discuss this controversial subject at this particular
time. However, I want you to know that I do not shun controversy. On the contrary, I
will take a stand on any issue at any time, regardless of how fraught with controversy
it might be. You have asked me how I feel about whiskey. All right, here is how I feel
about whiskey.

朋友們，我本來不打算在此時討論這項爭議性話題。但是，我想讓你們知道，

我不會規避爭議。相反地，我將在任何時刻對任何議題表態，無論它多麼充滿

爭議性。你曾問過我對威士忌的看法。好，我來談談吧。

If when you say whiskey you mean the devil’s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody
monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery
and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you
mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of
righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit if degradation, and despair, and
shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainty I am against it.

如果說威士忌是魔鬼私釀、毒藥之源、嗜血狂魔，能玷汙純真、剝奪理性、摧

毀家庭，帶來痛苦貧困，奪走小孩口中的麵包；若你認為威士忌是邪惡的飲品，

能讓基督徒跌下正義蒙恩的生活之巔，掉入墮落、絕望、羞恥、無助、無望的

無底深淵。若是持以上觀點，那麼我堅決反對。

But, if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine,
the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their
hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if
you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in

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the old gentleman’s step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which
enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little
while, life’s great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the
sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to
provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our
pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I
am for it.

但若你認為威士忌是溝通的潤滑劑、是哲學之酒、是好友聚首時飲下的甘露美

酒，其使人感到快樂、笑聲四溢、心滿意足；若你認為威士忌是聖誕節的怡情

小酒，是種提神飲料，讓老人在寒冷清冽的早晨步履輕快；可以讓人放大喜悅

和幸福，能使人遺忘生命中的所有悲劇、心痛和憂慮之事之飲品，即使僅僅只

是暫時忘記。若你認為賣威士忌的錢匯入我們國庫數不清的資產中，其銷售之

利潤用於悉心照顧社會裡殘障兒童、盲人、聾人、亞人及可憐的年邁老人；以

及用於興建高速公路、醫院及學校。那麼我絕對支持。

This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise.

這就是我的立場。我既不退縮，也不妥協。

If-by-whiskey by Noah S. Sweat

諾亞．斯威特《若是威士忌》