Happy lived Mankind in the peaceful Valley of Ignorance.
在宁静的无知山谷里，人们过着幸福的生活。
To
the
north,
to
the
south,
to
the
west
and
to
the
east
stretched
the
ridges
of
the
Hills
Everlasting.
永恒的山脉向东西南北各个方向蜿蜒绵亘。
A
little
stream
of
Knowledge
trickled
slowly
through
a
deep
worn
gully.
知识的小溪沿着深邃破败的溪谷缓缓地流着。
It
came
out
of
the
Mountains
of
the
Past.
它发源于昔日的荒山。
It
lost
itself
in
the
Marshes
of
the
Future.
It was not much, as rivers go. But it was enough for the humble needs off the villagers.
这条小溪并不象江河那样彼澜滚滚，但对于需求浅薄的村民来说，已经绰有余裕。
In
the
evening,
when
they
had
watered
their
cattle
and
had
filled
their
casks,
they
were
content
to
sit
down
to
enjoy
life.
晚上，村民们饮毕牲口，灌满木桶，便心满意足地坐下来，尽享天伦之乐。
The
old
Men
Who
Knew
were
brought
forth
from
the
shady
corners
where
they
had
spent
their
day,
pondering
over
the
mysterious
pages
of
an
old
book.
守旧的老人们被搀扶出来，他们在荫凉角落里度过了整个白天。对着一本神秘莫测的古书苦思冥想。
They
mumbled
strange
words
to
their
grandchildren,
who
would
have
preferred
to
play
with
the
pretty
pebbles,
brought
down
from
distant
lands.
他们向儿孙们叨唠着古怪的字眼，可是孩子们却惦记着玩耍从远方捎来的漂亮石子。
Often
these
words
were
not
very
clear.
这些字眼的含意往往模糊不清。
But
they
were
writ
a
thousand
years
ago
by
a
forgotten
race.
Hence
they
were
holy.
不过，它们是一千年前由一个已不为人所知的部族写下的，因此神圣而不可亵渎。
For
in
the
Valley
of
Ignorance,
whatever
was
old
was
venerable.
在无知山谷里，古老的东西总是受到尊敬。
And
those
who
dared
to
gainsay
the
wisdom
of
the
fathers
were
shunned
by
all
decent
people.
谁否认祖先的智慧，谁就会遭到正人君子的冷落。
And
so
they
kept
their
peace.
所以，大家都和睦相处。
Fear
was
ever
with
them.
恐惧总是陪伴着人们。
What
if
they
should
be
refused
the
common
share
of
the
products
of
the
garden?
谁要是得不到园中果实中应得的份额，又该怎么办呢？
Vague
stories
there
were,
whispered
at
night
among
the
narrow
streets
of
the
little
town,
vague
stories
of
men
and
women
who
had
dared
to
ask
questions.
深夜，在小镇的狭窄街巷里，人们低声讲述着情节模糊的往事，讲述那些敢于提出问题的男男女女。
They
had
gone
forth,
and
never
again
had
they
been
seen.
这些男男女女后来走了，再也没有回来。
A
few
had
tried
to
scale
the
high
walls
of
the
rocky
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