"But Elrond saw many things and read many hearts. One day, therefore, before the fall of the year he called Aragorn to his chamber, and he said: "Aragorn, Arathorn's son, Lord of the Dunedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above the height of all your fathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall neither have wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time comes and you are found worthy of it."
"Then Aragorn was troubled, and he said: "Can it be that my mother has spoken of this?"
"'No indeed,' said Elrond. 'Your own eyes have betrayed you. But I do not speak of my daughter alone. You shall be betrothed to no man's child as yet. But as for Arwen the Fair, Lady of Imladris and of Lorien, Evenstar of her people, she is of lineage greater than yours, and she has lived in the world already so long that to her you are but as a yearling shoot beside a young birch of many summers. She is too far above you. And so, I think, it may well seem to her. But even if it were not so, and her heart turned towards you, I should still be grieved because of the doom that is laid on us.'
"'What is that doom?' said Aragorn.
"'That so long as I abide here, she shall live with the youth of the Eldar,' answered Elrond, 'and when I depart, she shall go with me, if she so chooses.'
-------- 译林版 --------
但埃尔隆德见貌辨色,世事洞明。在那年的秋天来临前的一天,他把阿拉贡召唤到他的王宫,说:“阿拉贡,阿拉桑之子,杜内丹人的统领,请听我说!摆在你面前有一个重大的命运选择:要末超越伊伦迪尔以来历代国王【不确切】,要末与你的族人沉入黑暗。你要经历多年的磨难,在此期间,你不能娶妻,也不得与任何女人亲近【……这不是亲近啊orz 否则还不如翻成“不近女色”……】,直到胜利的一天到来,直到你可以当之无愧地成家立室。”
阿拉贡感到十分困惑【这不是困惑是困扰】,问道:“是我母亲讲出了我心中的秘密吗?”
“不,”埃尔隆德说,“是你自己的眼睛背叛了你。但我指的并不是我的女儿,你跟任何人的女儿都不能结婚【状语哪去了……否则你要他搅基去吗囧】。至于“天仙”【这个也不能忍】阿尔温,林谷与萝林之女,她是人民心中的长庚星,她的血统要比你高贵得多,她在这个世界上已经活了很久。与她相比,你不过是一棵长在历经春秋的年轻白桦树旁的小苗。她比你高得多【这话真别扭】,我觉得她也是这么认为的。即便不是如此,即使她倾心于你,我依然为我们的宿命悲哀。”
“什么宿命?”阿拉贡问。
“只要我坚守【坚守阵地吗orz】在这里,她要和年轻的埃尔达生活在一起【……大错特错】。”埃尔隆德答道,“如果我离开,她将与我同行,如果她作出这样的选择的话。”
-------- 校译后 --------
但是,埃尔隆德察言观色,洞悉人心。因此,那年秋天来临前的一天,他把阿拉贡叫到自己房中,说:“阿拉桑之子阿拉贡,杜内丹人的统领,听我说!等待你的命运至关重要:要么超越自伊伦迪尔统治以来你的历位祖先的荣光,要么与你仅存的族人一同堕入黑暗。多年考验在前,你不能娶妻,也不得与任何女子终身相许,直到你功成名就、当之无愧。”
听了这话,阿拉贡感到困扰,他问:“难道是我母亲提到了这事?”
“并不是她,”埃尔隆德说,“是你自己的眼睛背叛了你。然而,我说的不单单是我的女儿,不管谁的女儿,你都还不能订婚。至于美貌的阿尔文,她是林谷与萝林的公主,是她族人的长庚星。她血统比你更高贵,而且她已度过世间漫长岁月,你之于她,只如区区一棵小苗长在历经寒暑的年轻白桦旁。她是你可望不可及的,而我想,她很可能也这么看。但是,即使她不这么看、并且倾心于你,我依然会因我们身负的宿命而悲哀。”
“什么宿命?”阿拉贡问。
“那宿命是:只要我留在中洲,她就享有埃尔达的青春活力。”埃尔隆德答道。“而当我离去,她将与我同行,若她如此选择。”