Oh, sir, it will break bones—beware, beware!
啊，先生，它会钳碎骨头的——小心，小心！
No fear; I like a good grip; I like to feel something in this slippery world that can hold, man. What's Prometheus about there?— the blacksmith, I mean—what's he about?
怕什么；我就喜欢好钳力；在这个活里活络的世界上，我就喜欢碰碰钳得住的东西，老朋友。那个普洛米修斯（普洛米修斯——希腊神话中那个拿火给人类的神，这里借指铁匠。）在那边忙些什么？——我说的是那个铁匠——他在忙些什么呀？
He must be forging the buckle-screw, sir, now.
啊，先生，这会儿，他一定是在打旋钉。
Right. It's a partnership; he supplies the muscle part. He makes a fierce red flame there!
对，这就是合作互助；他供给筋肉方面的东西。他正在那边烧起通红的火焰！
Aye, sir; he must have the white heat for this kind of fine work.
是呀，先生，要做这种精巧活儿，就得有白热。
Um-m. So he must. I do deem it now a most meaning thing, that that old Greek, Prometheus, who made men, they say, should have been a blacksmith, and animated them with fire; for what's made in fire must properly belong to fire; and so hell's probable. How the soot flies! This must be the remainder the Greek made the Africans of. Carpenter, when he's through with that buckle, tell him to forge a pair of steel shoulder-blades; there's a pedlar aboard with a crushing pack.
唔——唔。他是一定要有白热。我承认这是桩最有意义的事情，据说那个古希腊人，那个创造了人类的普洛米修斯，原来也必定是干过铁匠的，他这才使人类火气十足；因为凡是火做成的东西，当然就一定属于火；地狱可能也是这样。那烟炱腾得多高！这一定是那个希腊人创造了非洲人剩下来的东西。木匠，等他打完了螺旋钉后，要他打一副钢肩胛骨；船上还有一个贩子给担子压得透不过气来呢。
Sir?
先生？
Hold; while Prometheus is about it, I'll order a complete man after a desirable pattern.
住嘴，趁普洛米修斯正在忙着，我倒要他按照我合意的样式做出个完整的人来。