"But the Tradition also says that we should believe the messages of the desert.
“但是，传统也告诉我们，要相信沙漠发出的信息。
Everything we know was taught to us by the desert." The old man gave a signal, and everyone stood.
我们掌握的所有知识都是沙漠所教。”老人做了个手势，所有的阿拉伯人都站起身来。
The meeting was over. The hookahs were extinguished, and the guards stood at attention.
会议要结束了。所有的水烟袋都熄灭了，卫兵们作出立正姿势。
The boy made ready to leave, but the old man spoke again: "Tomorrow, we are going to break the agreement that says that no one at the oasis may carry arms.
男孩也准备离开了，然而老人又开口说起来。“明天我们将打破在绿洲任何人都不准携带武器的规定。
Throughout the entire day we will be on the lookout for our enemies.
白天作好迎击敌人的准备，
When the sun sets, the men will once again surrender their arms to me.
日落之后，所有人都要把武器再交回来。
For every ten dead men among our enemies, you will receive a piece of gold."
每消灭十个敌人，你就能得到一枚金币。”
"But arms cannot be drawn unless they also go into battle.
“但是，武器一旦拿出去，就得用于战斗。
Arms are as capricious as the desert, and, if they are not used, the next time they might not function.
武器和沙漠一样变化无常，如果让武器习惯了不用于战斗，下一次它们就懒得发射子弹。
If at least one of them hasn't been used by the end of the day tomorrow, one will be used on you."
如果明天所有的武器都没有机会发射子弹，那么至少会有一种武器朝你身上发射。”
When the boy left the tent, the oasis was illuminated only by the light of the full moon.
圣地亚哥离开帐篷的时候，一轮满月正映照着绿洲。
He was twenty minutes from his tent, and began to make his way there.
赶回自己的帐篷要二十分钟，男孩迈开脚步向前走去。

He was alarmed by what had happened.
之前发生的一切令他感到惶恐。
He had succeeded in reaching through to the Soul of the World, and now the price for having done so might be his life.
他探摸到了世界之魂。为了使人相信这件事，他竟然要以生命为代价。
It was a frightening bet.
这赌注的风险太髙了。
But he had been making risky bets ever since the day he had sold his sheep to pursue his personal legend.
不过，从卖掉羊群，追寻天命的那一天开始，他就已经投下了风险极高的赌注。
And, as the camel driver had said, to die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day.
正如那赶驼人所说，今天死还是明天死全都一样。
Every day was there to be lived or to mark one's departure from this world.
每一天的开始，都是为了让人活着或者辞世。
Everything depended on one word: "Maktub."
一切都取决于一个词：“马克图布”。
Walking along in the silence, he had no regrets.
男孩默默地走着。他并不后悔。
If he died tomorrow, it would be because God was not willing to change the future.
如果明天死去，那一定是因为上帝不愿改变未来。
He would at least have died after having crossed the strait, after having worked in a crystal shop, and after having known the silence of the desert and Fatima's eyes.
即便如此，他也是在横渡了海峡，在水晶店打过工，了解了沙漠的寂静，看到了法蒂玛的那双眼睛之后才死去的。
He had lived every one of his days intensely since he had left home so long ago.
自从离开家乡，他每一天都过得很充实。
If he died tomorrow, he would already have seen more than other shepherds, and he was proud of that.
如果明天死去，他亲眼见过的事物也比其他牧羊人见过的多得多。为此，他深感自豪。