父亲节的周末，吴工翻译练笔的内容也来篇家庭亲情主题的千古名篇。
《陈情表》作于西晋初年，李密写给晋武帝的奏章。当时，晋武帝征召李密为太子洗马，李密以祖母病笃，作此篇，固辞。文章从幼年家庭不幸遭遇写起，突出了祖孙相依为命的特殊感情，然后感谢朝廷知遇之恩的同时，表达了无法奉召的遗憾和苦衷。言辞恳切、真挚。
陈情表
A Memorial to His Majesty
臣密言：臣以险衅，夙遭闵凶。生孩六月，慈父见背；行年四岁，舅夺母志。祖母刘悯臣孤弱，躬亲抚养。臣少多疾病，九岁不行，零丁孤苦，至于成立。既无伯叔，终鲜兄弟，门衰祚薄，晚有儿息。外无期功强近之亲，内无应门五尺之僮，茕茕孑立，形影相吊。而刘夙婴疾病，常在床蓐，臣侍汤药，未曾废离。
Your Majesty,
Your humble servant Li Mi begs to report: Born under an unlucky star, I had a miserable childhood. My father died when I was only six months old, and my mother was forced by her brother to remarry when I was four years of age. My grandmother, surnamed Liu, took pity on me and brought me up on her own. I was a sickly child and could not even walk properly at the age of nine. With no uncles or brothers to depend on, I grew up alone and helpless. My family – an unblessed one it was – struggled hard against ill fortune, and I myself did not get a male descendant until late in life. I have neither close relatives who will wear mourning for me when I die nor any boy servant to attend to the household affairs. All I have is my own shadow to keep myself company. And as my grandmother is constantly bedridden due to bad health, I have to attend upon her without negligence.
逮奉圣朝，沐浴清化。前太守臣逵察臣孝廉；后刺史臣荣举臣秀才。臣以供养无主，辞不赴命。诏书特下，拜臣郎中，寻蒙国恩，除臣洗马。猥以微贱，当侍东宫，非臣陨首所能上报。臣具以表闻，辞不就职。诏书切峻，责臣逋慢；郡县逼迫，催臣上道；州司临门，急于星火。臣欲奉诏奔驰，则刘病日笃，欲苟顺私情，则告诉不许。臣之进退，实为狼狈。
Under Your Majesty’s wise and enlightened reign, I was first recommended by Prefect Kui as a xiaolian and then by Governor Rong as a xiucai. But I declined both offers because I had to take care of my grandmother. Later, an imperial edict came, appointing me as langzhong, and before long, by another imperial favour, I was further granted the position ofxianma to serve His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. But such an honorable position was more than I, a man of humble origin, was worthy of. That is why I declined the offer by way of a letter to Your Majesty. Soon came another edict, which, in an extremely severe tone, reprimanded me for my procrastination, and officials from the county, prefectural, and even provincial, governments visited me in person, urging me time and again to set off without delay to take up the post. I wished to comply, but was held up by my grandmother’s failing health. Despite my appeals for sympathy, they remained adamant. Caught in a genuine dilemma, I am now at a loss what to do.
伏惟圣朝以孝治天下，凡在故老，犹蒙矜育，况臣孤苦，特为尤甚。且臣少仕伪朝，历职郎署，本图宦达，不矜名节。今臣亡国贱俘，至微至陋，过蒙拔擢，宠命优渥，岂敢盘桓，有所希冀！但以刘日薄西山，气息奄奄，人命危浅，朝不虑夕。臣无祖母，无以至今日，祖母无臣，无以终余年。母孙二人，更相为命，是以区区不能废远。
I understand that filial piety is the fundamental principle on which Your Majesty rules the country. Old, venerable ministers who have served the former dynasty, as long as they are still alive, are being taken good care of. And I, for may part, expect special kindness due to my helpless situation. During my youth, I served in the Imperial Secretariat of the former dynasty, chasing fame and position in total disregard of my own good name and integrity. What else is there for me, now a humble captive, to hesitate over in the face of such undue favour from Your Majesty? The only thing that has held me back is my grandmother’s worrying health. She is at her last gasp now, like the feeble sun sinking beyond the hills, and may die any moment. Without her, I could not have grown up to be what I am today. And without me, my grandmother would have no one else to keep her company during her twilight years. We depend on each other for survival. That is why I cannot afford to leave home to join your service right now.
臣密今年四十有四，祖母今年九十有六，是臣尽节于陛下之日长，报养刘之日短也。乌鸟私情，愿乞终养。臣之辛苦，非独蜀之人士及二州牧伯所见明知，皇天后土实所共鉴。愿陛下矜悯愚诚，听臣微志，庶刘侥幸，保卒余年。臣生当陨首，死当结草。臣不胜犬马怖惧之情，谨拜表以闻。
This year, I am 44 years old, and my grandmother 96. In other words, ahead of me, the years are long in which I may serve Your Majesty, while the days are few in which I may repay my grandmother for her love and care. Even a crow knows well enough, when it grows older, to feed its elderly parents. I would entreat Your Majesty to allow me to stay and wait upon my grandmother until her death. My plight is known not only to the local people of Shu, but to the officials of Liangzhou and Yizhou provinces. It is laid bare for Heaven and Earth to see as well. I pray Your Majesty will show sympathy with me and allow me to continue to serve my grandmother till her last. Then I will do anything to reciprocate your kindness, even at the cost of my own life. I am shivering in awe as I present this memorial to Your Majesty.
（吴洲 英译）
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