双语故事:天要下雨,娘要嫁人
It rains when Heaven deems fit, mother remarries when she wants to—a [url=http://kkdict.com/en/popular][color=#0066cc]popular[/color][/url] saying often heard in [url=http://kkdict.com/en/China][color=#0066cc]China[/color][/url], what's the [url=http://kkdict.com/en/source][color=#0066cc]source[/color][/url] of it? It comes from a [url=http://kkdict.com/en/legend][color=#0066cc]legend[/color][/url].中国有句老话叫：天要下雨娘要嫁人。这句话从何而来呢？来自一个古老的传说。
In ancient times there was a scholar called Zhu Yaozong who came first in the highest [url=http://kkdict.com/en/imperial][color=#0066cc]imperial[/color][/url] examination. Conferred the title Number One Scholar, he was chosen to be the emperor's son-in-law. By [url=http://kkdict.com/en/convention][color=#0066cc]convention[/color][/url], he would first return to his hometown in silken official robes. Before he left he begged the emperor for a favor--to erect a [url=http://kkdict.com/en/chastity][color=#0066cc]chastity[/color][/url] archway in honor of his widowed mother. His [url=http://kkdict.com/en/request][color=#0066cc]request[/color][/url] was granted.
传说古时候有个名叫朱耀宗的书生，进京赶考高中状元。皇上殿试将他招为驸马。按惯例，朱耀宗一身锦绣新贵还乡。临行前，朱耀宗请求皇上为多年守寡一直不嫁的母亲竖立贞节牌坊。皇上准允所奏。
His mother, however, appeared [url=http://kkdict.com/en/uneasy][color=#0066cc]uneasy[/color][/url] when she was told about the [url=http://kkdict.com/en/chastity][color=#0066cc]chastity[/color][/url] archway. She had to admit that she was [url=http://kkdict.com/en/determined][color=#0066cc]determined[/color][/url] to remarry and her would-be husband was Zhu's former [url=http://kkdict.com/en/tutor][color=#0066cc]tutor[/color][/url] to whom he owed a great deal. [url=http://kkdict.com/en/Devastated][color=#0066cc]Devastated[/color][/url] by the idea Zhu [url=http://kkdict.com/en/fell][color=#0066cc]fell[/color][/url] to his knees in front of his mother: "Mom. That's [url=http://kkdict.com/en/absolutely][color=#0066cc]absolutely[/color][/url] [url=http://kkdict.com/en/impossible][color=#0066cc]impossible[/color][/url]. How could I face others if you do so. Besides, it will [url=http://kkdict.com/en/mean][color=#0066cc]mean[/color][/url] I have deceived the emperor--a felony deserving death [url=http://kkdict.com/en/penalty][color=#0066cc]penalty[/color][/url]."
当朱耀宗向娘述说了竖立贞节牌坊一事后，朱母露出了不安的神色，于是说出了想要嫁给朱耀宗的恩师张文举的想法。朱耀宗顿时跪在娘的面前：“娘，这千万使不得。您改嫁叫儿的脸往哪搁? 再说，欺君之罪难免杀身之祸啊。”
As he was caught in a fix and nothing could be done, his mother sighed:"Since things have come to a head，let's trust to luck." She then took off a skirt and handed it to him, saying:"Wash it tomorrow and dry it in the sun for a day. If it dries up by dawn the next morning, I'll drop the idea; if not, you are not to [url=http://kkdict.com/en/interfere][color=#0066cc]interfere[/color][/url], for it's the will of Heaven."
正值左右为难、无可奈何之际，朱母不由长叹一声：“听天由命吧。”她随手脱下身上一件罗裙，告诉朱耀宗说：“明天你替我把裙子洗干净，一天一夜晒干。如果裙子晒干，我答应不改嫁；如果裙子不干，天意如此，你也不用再阻拦了。”
That day was very fine with the sun shining brightly in a clear sky. But during the night clouds gathered and the sky became overcast. It broke into a [url=http://kkdict.com/en/violent][color=#0066cc]violent[/color][/url] shower towards daybreak. The skirt remained wet long after dawn. His mother said to him seriously:"Look here, son. It rains when Heaven deems fit, mother remarries when she wants to. The will of Heaven is not to be [url=http://kkdict.com/en/opposed][color=#0066cc]opposed[/color][/url]." So Zhu could do nothing but report to the emperor and express his readiness to be punished. The emperor was greatly surprised by the story and issued an [url=http://kkdict.com/en/imperial][color=#0066cc]imperial[/color][/url] decree:"He who is [url=http://kkdict.com/en/unaware][color=#0066cc]unaware[/color][/url] is not [url=http://kkdict.com/en/liable][color=#0066cc]liable[/color][/url]. Since the match has been made by Heaven, it has to be allowed."
这一天，晴空朗日，谁知当夜阴云密布，天明下起暴雨，裙子始终是湿漉漉的。朱耀宗心中叫苦不迭，知是天意。朱母则认认真真地对儿子说：“孩子，天要下雨，娘要嫁人，天意不可违!”朱耀宗只得将母亲和恩师的婚事报告皇上，请皇上治罪。皇上连连称奇，降道御旨：“不知者不怪罪，天作之合，由他去吧。”
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