His line was strong and made for heavy fish and he held it against his back until it was so taut that beads of water were jumping from it.

他的钓丝很结实，是用来钓大鱼的，他把它放在脊背上拽，由于绷得太紧，钓丝上面的水珠都溅出来。

Then it began to make a slow hissing sound in the water and he still held it, bracing himself against the thwart and leaning back against the pull.

然后钓丝在水里开始慢慢地发出一阵咝咝的声音，但他依旧把钓丝握紧在手里，坐在座板上鼓起了劲儿拼命地支撑着，仰着身子去抵抗鱼拉钓丝的拉力。

The boat began to move slowly off toward the north-west.

小船慢慢地向西北方漂去了。

The fish moved steadily and they travelled slowly on the calm water.

大鱼不慌不忙地游着，鱼、船和人都在平静无波的水上慢慢地漂流。

The other baits were still in the water but there was nothing to be done.

别的鱼食还在水里，可是一点儿办法也没有。

"I wish I had the boy" the old man said aloud.

“要是孩子在这儿多好啊，”老头儿大声嚷着说。

"I'm being towed by a fish and I'm the towing bitt. I could make the line fast. But then he could break it. I must hold him all I can and give him line when he must have it. Thank God he is travelling and not going down."

“我给鱼拉着跑，倒变成一根系绳的短桩啦。我可以把钓丝系紧，不过这样一来它就把钓丝扯断了。我一定要拼命牵住它，它要钓丝的时候就把钓丝放长些。谢天谢地，它还在游着，没钻到海底去。”

What I will do if he decides to go down, I don't know.

如果它要钻下去，我该怎么办呢?我不知道。

What I'll do if he grounds and dies, I don't know.

如果它竟然钻进海底去，死了，我该怎么办呢?我也不知道。

But I'll do something.

可是我一定要想点儿办法出来。

There are plenty of things I can do.

我能做的事情还多着呢。

He held the line against his back and watched its slant in the water and the skiff moving steadily to the north-west.

他抓紧了背在脊梁上的钓丝，目不转睛地望着钓丝浸在水里的斜线，望着小船一直向西北方漂去。

This will kill him, the old man thought.

老头儿想：这就会送它的命啦。

He can't do this forever.

它可不能永远这样啊。

But four hours later the fish was still swimming steadily out to sea, towing the skiff, and the old man was still braced solidly with the line across his back.

但是，四个钟头以后，那条大鱼照旧拖着这只小船不慌不忙地向着浩渺无边的海面上游去，老头儿呢，照旧不松劲地拉住背在脊梁上的钓丝。

"It was noon when I hooked him," he said. "And I have never seen him."

“我是中午把它钓住的，”他说。“可是我一直没有看见过它。”

He had pushed his straw hat hard down on his head before he hooked the fish and it was cutting his forehead.

他在钓住那条大鱼以前，就把草帽拉下来，紧紧地扣在头上，脑门都给草帽勒痛了。

He was thirsty too and he got down on his knees and, being careful not to jerk on the line, moved as far into the bow as he could get and reached the water bottle with one hand.

他也渴得要命，因此他便跪倒下去，小心地不扯动钓丝，爬到船头上他够得着的地方，伸出一只手去把那只水瓶拿过来。

He opened it and drank a little. Then he rested against the bow.

他揭开水瓶盖子，喝了一点儿水，然后靠在船头上。

He rested sitting on the un-stepped mast and sail and tried not to think but only to endure.

他靠在取下来的桅杆和帆上坐着，竭力不去想什么，只是忍耐下去。

Then he looked behind him and saw that no land was visible.

他再回过头去看时，陆地已经从眼前消失了。

That makes no difference, he thought.

那没关系，他想。

I can always come in on the glow from Havana.

我总可以凭着哈瓦那的灯火回来的。

There are two more hours before the sun sets and maybe he will come up before that.

再过两个钟头，太阳就要落下去了，也许它在太阳落下去以前就会上来。

If he doesn't maybe he will come up with the moon.

要不然，也许它在月亮出现的时候上来。

If he does not do that maybe he will come up with the sunrise.

再不然，也许它在太阳出来的时候上来。

I have no cramps and I feel strong.

我的手脚不会抽筋，我有的是力气。

It is he that has the hook in his mouth.

倒是它的嘴给钩住了。

But what a fish to pull like that.

可是它能这样的拉钓丝，该是多大的一条鱼啊。

He must have his mouth shut tight on the wire.

它的嘴一定给铁丝堵得严严的。

I wish I could see him.

我很想看到它。

I wish I could see him only once to know what I have against me.

我希望能够知道我钓住的究竟是一条什么鱼，哪怕只看一眼。