Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 6, Text 2
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
雨
Rain
春雨連綿。浹旬不己。
It rained in spring for ten days without interruption.
兒問母曰。雨從何來。
A boy asked his mother, “Where does rain come from?”
母曰地上之水。爲日光所熏蒸化汽上升。
His mother said, “Water upon the earth under influence of the sun-shine changes into vapor and rises (in the air).
聚而爲雲。遇冷則成雨矣。
(There) the vapor thickens and forms clouds. When exposed to the cold it produces rain.”
他日兒隨母入廚下。
Another day the boy went with his mother down to the kitchen.
母注水入釜。須臾水沸。蒸汽上騰。
The mother poured some water into a kettle. Soon the water boiled, and the vapor rose.
母告兒曰。此水熱而化汽也。
The mother told her son, “This water became hot, and therefore changed into vapor.”
揭其蓋視之。
She raised the lid of the kettle and looked at it.
蓋中水凝如。球滴瀝而下。
Inside the lid the water condensed (into small drops) like small globes which dripped down.
母又告兒曰。此汽冷而化水也。
The mother again said to her son, “This vapor is chilled, and therefore changed into water.”
兒恍然曰。今乃知降雨之理矣。
The boy exclaimed (lit. said) suddenly, “Now then I know all about rain (lit. the principle of the rainfalling)!”