Omelas sounds in my words like a city-in a fairy tale, long ago and far away, once upon a time. Perhaps it would be best if you imagined it as your own fancy bids,
叫我说来，奥米勒斯城就似乎是很久很久以前存在于童话世界的某个遥远地方的一座城市。倘若读者有足够的想象力的话，最好还是自己去想象奥米勒斯城的情形吧。
assuming it will rise to the occasion, for certainly I cannot suit you all.
因为让我一个人来描述，肯定是难合所有读者的口味。
For instance, how about technology?
比如，奥米勒斯城的科技发展状况如何?
I think that there would be no oars or helicopters in and above the streets; this follows from the fact that the people of Omelas are happy people.
我认为那儿的街道上不会有汽车奔驰，空中不会有飞机盘旋。其依据是这样的事实：奥米勒斯人民是快乐幸福的人民。
Happiness is based on a just discrimination of what is necessary, what is neither necessary nor destructive, and what is destructive.
快乐幸福的基础是能分辨什么是生活必需之物，什么是既不必需又无危害之物，以及什么是有害之物。
In the middle category, however—that of the unnecessary but undestructive, that of comfort, luxury, exuberance, etc.they could perfectly well have central heating, subway trains, washing machines, and all kinds of marvelous devices not yet invented here, floating light-sources, fuelless power, a cure for the common cold.
奥米勒斯人自然不会要汽车、飞机等有害之物。不过，在第二类物品中--那些虽不必需但却无害的物品，即那些给人带来舒适享受的奢侈品中--他们却完全可能拥有中央空调、地铁火车、洗衣机以及其他各种各样尚未发明出来的东西，如流动光源、无燃料动力、治疗伤风感冒的秘方等等。
Or they could have none of that: it doesn't matter.
也许他们根本没有这些玩意，那也无关紧要。就由你自己去想象吧。
As you like it. One thing I know there is none of in Omelas is guilt.But what else should there be?
有一样东西我确知是奥米勒斯城所没有的，那就是罪恶。除此以外还有些什么呢?
I thought at first there were no drugs, but that is puritanical.
我想，首先是他们没有毒品，但那样他们的生活又显得太像苦行僧了。
For those who like it, the faint insistent sweetness of drooz may perfume the ways of the city, drooz which first brings a great lightness and brilliance to the mind and limbs,
如果人们喜欢的话，城区的街道上也可以闻到一种称作"德鲁斯"的麻醉药品散发出的清淡而沁人心脾的香味。服了这种麻醉品后最初的反应是四肢变得十分轻灵，头脑变得十分灵活;
and then after some hours a dreamy languor, and wonderful visions at last of the very arcana and inmost secrets of the Universe,
过几个小时以后，便昏昏沉沉地进入一种梦境，并产生各种各样奇妙的幻觉，使人得以窥视宇宙间最玄妙、隐藏最深的奥秘;
as well as ex-citing the pleasure of sex beyond all belief; and it is not habit-forming.
另外，它还能极大的增强性交的快感。