No matter how well the matter has been explained to them, these young spectators are always shocked and sickened at the sight.
不管大人们把这事对那些青年人怎么解释，这些青年看到那孩子的悲惨情状都不禁大为震惊并感到恶心。
They feel disgust, which they had thought themselves superior to. They feel anger, outrage, impotence, despite all the explanations.
他们感到厌恶，这是他们原来所没有料到的。尽管他们听了许多的解释，他们还是感到气愤、愤怒但又无能为力。
They would like to do something for the child. But there is nothing they can do.
他们本想为那孩子做点什么的，但却什么也不能做。
If the child were brought up into the sunlight out of the vile place, if it were cleaned and fed and comforted, that would be a good thing, indeed;
假若能把那孩子弄出那个悲惨的地方，让他(她)重见天日，假若能把他(她)洗得干干净净，将他(她)喂得饱饱的，并让他(她)有个舒舒服服的睡觉的地方，那无疑是一件很好的事情。
but if it were done, in that day and hour all the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed.
但只要那样做了，奥米勒斯的一切，包括她的繁荣气象、美丽景色和欢乐生活等都会立刻化为乌有。
Those are the terms. To exchange all the goodness and grace of every life in Omelas for that single, small improvement:
这是条约上有明文规定的。为了做那一件微不足道的善事而牺牲善良的奥米勒斯全体众生，
to throw away the happiness of thousands for the chance of the happiness of one: that would be to let guilt within the walls indeed.
为了给一个人创造幸福的机会而破坏千万人的幸福，那无疑是将罪恶引进奥米勒斯城。
The terms are strict and absolute; there may not even be a kind word spoken to the child.
条约上的规定极其严格，没有半点变通的余地。就连对那孩子讲一句仁慈友善的话都在被禁止之列。
Often the young people go home in tears, or in a tearless rage, when they have seen the child and faced this terrible paradox.
当那些青年去看了那个孩子，面对那种痛苦的矛盾处境后再回到家里时，他们往往会痛哭流涕，或是悲愤难抑。
They may brood over it for weeks or years. But as time goes on they begin to realize that even if the child could be released, it would not get much good of its freedom:
他们可能要为此悲伤若干个星期，甚至若干年。但随着时间的推移，他们会渐渐认识到，即使那孩子获得释放，
a little vague pleasure of warmth and food, no doubt, but little more. It is too degraded and imbecile to know any real joy.
他(她)也不会感受到自由的好处。当然，他(她)可能因为温饱问题得到解决而感受到一点模模糊糊的愉悦，
It has been afraid too long ever to be free of fear.
再不会有多少别的好处了。