猫的命名

猫的命名是一件难事，

它不仅是你的假日游戏之一；

你头一个认为我与帽匠一样疯狂

当我告诉你一只猫必须要有三个不同名字的时候。

首先是家人每天都用的名字，

比如彼得，奥古斯塔斯，阿隆佐或者詹姆斯，

比如维克多或者乔纳森，乔治或者比尔·贝利——

它们全都是合情合理的日常名字。

如果你认为它们听起来太甜，那还有更高档的名字，

有些适于绅士，有些适于贵妇：

比如柏拉图，阿德墨托斯，厄勒克特拉，德米特——

它们也都是合情合理的日常名字。

但我告诉你一只猫需要一个特别的名字，

一个奇特的且更有尊严的名字，

否则，他怎能翘起自己直立的尾巴，

或者张开自己的胡须，或者珍视自己的骄傲？

这类名字，我能给你一个法定人数，

比如蒙克史崔普，奎佐，或者柯利科佩特，

比如邦贝鲁琳娜，或者杰利罗兰——

没有归属的名字比一只猫更多。

但是在此之上仍有一个留下来的名字，

那是你根本猜不到的名字；

人类研究没有发现的名字——

但猫自己知道，而且从来不会坦白。

当你注意到一只猫陷入深邃冥思的时候，

我告诉你，这个原因总是一样的：

他的心灵势必陷入出神的沉思

关于思想的，思想的，他的名字的思想的：

他的言语难以表达的可以表达的

实在难以表达的

深邃的不可理解的奇异的名字。

The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,

It isn’t just one of your holiday games;

You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter

When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES .

First of all, there’s the name that the family use daily,

Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,

Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey—

All of them sensible everyday names.

There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,

Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:

Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter—

But all of them sensible everyday names.

But I tell you, a cat needs a name that’s particular,

A name that’s peculiar, and more dignified,

Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,

Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,

Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,

Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum —

Names that never belong to more than one cat.

But above and beyond there’s still one name left over,

And that is the name that you never will guess;

The name that no human research can discover—

But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS , and will never confess.

When you notice a cat in profound meditation,

The reason, I tell you, is always the same:

His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation

Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:

His ineffable effable

Effanineffable

Deep and inscrutable singular Name.