故曰"甄士隐"云云. 但书中所记何事何人?自又云:"今 风尘碌碌, 一事无成,忽念及当日所有之女子,一一细考较去,觉其行止见识,皆出于 我之上

My try:

Therefore 甄士隐 tells that story.

But which events take place and what persons are involved in the book? I myself say again: Today, weary from a long journey nothing is completed. I suddenly remember that day when there was that woman, her behaviour and knowledge both surpass mine.

Breakdown:

故曰"甄士隐"云云
Therefore (just learned that 故 is "because of" here and not story!) "甄士隐" tells (云云)

但书中所记何事何人?
But in the book which events take place and what persons are involved?

自又云
I myself say again:

今 风尘碌碌
In the present time (今 is not "now" here), weary from a long journey (风尘碌碌 - abstract sense?).

一事无成
Nothing is completed (lit.: not one thing is finished)

忽念及当日所有之女子
I suddenly remember (念及) that day (当日) when there was a woman.

一一细考较去
When I think more precicely (一一+细 - finer/better, 考较 - think/ponder/evaluate) 去 than all 一一 (?)

觉其行止见识
Then I find (觉) her (其) behaviour (行止) and knowledge (见识)

皆出于我之上
both (皆 ) surpass 出于+之上 me/mine (我)

何我堂堂须眉,诚不若彼裙钗哉?实愧则有余,悔又无益之大无可如何之日也

Can such a kinglike man really not compare with those women? Actually, it is only shame I have abundant, but regret is of no use, whatever I do, the chance just cannot come!

Breakdown:

何我堂堂须眉,诚不若彼裙钗哉?
堂堂 kinglike
须眉 a man
彼裙钗 that womanfolks (裙钗 Skirt + hairpin = woman! Cool piece of vocab!)
哉 (exclamatory particle)

何我堂堂须眉
Such (何) a kinglike 堂堂 man须眉 like me,

Really (诚) cannot compare with (不若) those (彼) women (裙钗) 哉 (exclamatory particle)


实愧则有余,悔又无益之大无可如何之日也
Really shame is all that I have abundant

实愧则有余
Really (实) shame (愧) however (则)  [I] have in excess (有余)

悔又无益之大无可如何之日也
But regretting again (悔又) does not help / is of no good (无益), whatever I do (之大?) 无可如何 there is just no day (之日)!! (也)

当此, 则自欲将已往所赖天恩祖德, 锦衣纨绔之时, 饫甘餍肥之日, 背父兄教育之恩, 负师友规谈之德, 以至今日一技无成,半生潦倒之罪,编述一集,以告天下人:我之罪 固不免, 然闺阁中本自历历有人,万不可因我之不肖,自护己短,一并使其泯灭也.

My try:
Therefore I am longing for those formerly times of milk and honey which relied on the good deeds of the forefathers (which have been inherited from the forefathers). Bearing the positive education of the rules of my father’s generation and the virtues discussed with teachers and friends – not even a single skill became satisfying, half (my) lifetime I disappointed.

I compose this story to tell the world – my sins are utterly unavoidable. But in the lady’s chambers there is clearly and naturally someone who absolutely should not due to my unworthiness and shortcomings be – along with the others –be spoiled.

 
Breakdown:

So (当此), therefore (则) I desire (自欲)


Passive with 将 (functions like 把 here)


已往所赖天恩祖德

the past (已往) [days -->之日c.f. below] relying (赖) on the good deeds (天恩祖德) of the forefathers


锦衣纨绔饫甘餍肥之日,

The days full of good clothes (锦衣纨绔) and sweet and rich (lit. “fat”) food (饫甘餍肥)


背父兄教育之恩

Carrying (背) the kindness of the education (教育之恩) of  the father’s generation (父兄)


负师友规谈之德,

bearing (负) the virtues (之德) of the rules discussed (谈) with teachers and friends (师友)


 以至今日一技无成,

up to (以至) today (今日) where not even one skill is up to par (一技无成)
 

半生潦倒之罪,

Half a lifetime (半生) disappointing (潦倒) the sin (之罪) [the sin of disappointing]


编述一集,

composing (编述) this work (一集)

 
以告天下人:

by telling the people in the world


我之罪固不免,

my sins are utterly (固?) unavoidable (不免)


然闺阁中

But (然) in this lady’s chamber (闺阁中)

 
本自历历有人,

naturally (本自?) clearly (历历) there is someone (有人)
 

万不可因我之不肖,

absolutely cannot (万不可) [à should not] because of me being unworthy (因我之不肖)


自护己短,.

Having deficits [?]

 
一并使其泯灭也

Along with the others (一并)

Let them (使其) be spoiled (泯灭) / be destroyed

A small one today (time budget too tight):

虽 今日之茅椽蓬牖, 瓦灶绳床,其晨夕风露,阶柳庭花,亦未有妨我之襟怀笔墨者
 

My try (digest with care):

Despite the recent poor conditions, (茅椽蓬牖, 其晨夕风露, 瓦灶绳床, 阶柳庭花) nothing could yet stop my will to write.

 
Breakdown:

Although (虽) the recent (今日) [now comes all stuff that describes the living conditions)

also (亦) have not yet 未有 hindered (妨) my bosoms 我之襟怀 "pen and ink" (writing / will to write)

Here the hard part - the four components of the "living condition":

茅椽蓬牖

茅 (máo)      thatch                               

椽 (chuán)    beam/rafters                        

蓬 (péng)      (grass), dishevelled              

牖Yǒu      enlighten, lattice window  

--> Poor housing with a thatched roof and lattice windows

 

瓦灶绳床

瓦     wǎ           tile                              

灶     zào          kitchen stove              

绳     shéng       rope                           

床     chuáng      bed                           

 --> poor living conditions with a simple stove and a bed made from ropes


其
晨夕风露

晨     chén           morning, dawn           

夕     xī, xì          evening, dusk             

风     fēng           wind                           

露     lù               dew 

--> the house is also not tight, wind and dew enter...

 

阶柳庭花

阶     jiē              rank, step          

柳     liǔ              willow              

庭     tíng            courtyard

花     huā             flower               

--> and on the stairs grows a willow and in the courtyard flowers
--> relatively wild and uncared for

虽我 未学, 下笔无文,又何妨用假语村言,敷演出一段故事来,亦可使闺阁昭传,复可悦世 之目,破人愁闷,不亦宜乎?"故曰"贾雨村"云云.

My try:

But as I have no proper education, and my writing shows my lack thereof, then why not as well speak in the name of an invented/fake village dweller (?) and use a story about the tale about the woman ’s chamber (-> about the woman). And isn’t pleasing the eyes of the world, breaking the people’s gloomyness not also something good? Therefore I will speak in the name of (with the words of) 贾雨村.



Breakdown:
Although I have not studied, modest for: no proper education (虽我 未学)
And my writing shows I lack education (下笔无文)

又何妨用假语村言
Then (又) why not as well (何妨)
Speak in the name of an invented/fake village dweller (假语村言)

Apply (敷) the performance (演出) 一段故事来 „of a section of a story“ --> using a story

亦可使闺阁昭传
On the one hand / also (亦) use the woman’s chamber (闺阁)
昭传 (Manifest-spread)  tale (?)

复可悦世 之目
Again / on the other hand please (可悦) the eyes of the world (世 之目)

[Actually 亦…复 is a construction with the meaning "on the one hand, on the other hand", but that doesn't really fit here, so I more or less dropped that]

破人愁闷
Break the people’s gloomyness

不亦宜乎
Is that not also (不亦) something good (宜)? [乎 --> exclamation]

Therefore (故) speak (曰)  with the words (云云) of 贾雨村

此回中凡用"梦"用"幻"等字,是提醒阅者眼目,亦是此书立意本旨.列位看官:你道此书从何而来?说起根由虽近荒唐,细按则深有趣味.待在下 将此 来历注明,方使阅者了然不惑.

My try:

In this chapter often words like „dream“ or „fantasy” etc. are used – readers be reminded that this is the very idea behind the conception of this book.
Ladies and gentlemen (reader): Do you know where this book comes from? Let’s mention that although the story may seem absurd, if you look at in more detail, in the depths there are yet interesting things to find. Please wait for me to clearly explain the origin of it, clarify it for the reader.

Breakdown:
[Need to know 在下is a humble form for I here…that really threw me off…]

In this chapter (此回中) often words like „dream“ or „fantasy/illusion“ etc. are used (用"梦"用"幻"等字)
Remind (提醒) the readers (阅者) eyes (眼目) also (亦) this the conception of this book (此书立意) is of that purpose (本旨)

Ladies and gentlemen (列位看官)
[看官-> functions like a 各位 here]

你道此书从何而来
Do you know (道) where this book (此书) comes from (从何而来)

说起根由虽近荒唐,
Mentioning (说起) the logic/reasoning/cause (根由)
although虽 is preposterous/absurd (荒唐)

细按则深有趣味
Looking in more detail (细按) however (则) in the deep there are (深有) interesting things (趣味)

待在下将此 来历注明,方使阅者了然不惑.
I  (在下) – wait for (待): I will explain it’s origin (将此 来历注明)

make (方使) [it for] the reader  (阅者) clear (了然 - clear不惑 – not confused)

原来女娲氏炼石补天之时,于大荒山无稽崖练成高经十二丈,方经二十四丈顽石 三万六千五百零一块.

My try:

[This time I am pretty lost as I do not know anything about the myth of 女娲, so please help...]

Originally, at the time when the goddess 女娲氏 prepared the stones to repair heaven, at the great wild mountains and the fabulous cliffs, she mastered 12 feet stones, handled 24 feet big boulders – 36501 pieces.

Breakdown (sort of):

Originally (原来),
at the time (之时) when 女娲氏 (nǚ Wā shì - a strange Goddess)
refined the stone (炼石) and repeared heaven (补天),

At (于) the great wild mountains (大荒山) and fabulous (无稽)  cliffs (崖) mastered (练成) 高经 (stone??) of 12 feet (十二丈),

Managed/handled (方经??)  24 feet boulders, 36501 pieces (三万六千五百零一块)

娲皇氏只用了三万六千五百块,只单单剩了一块未用,便弃在 此山青埂峰下.谁知此石自经煅炼之后, 灵性已通, 因见众石俱得补天,独自己无材不 堪入选,遂自怨自叹,日夜悲号惭愧.

My try:

Now it gets really strange. Not only heaven-fixing goddesses but also a whining stone in this one!

Empress 娲 only needed 36500 pieces, so only one piece wasn’t used. Then she got rid of it below the summit of mountain 青埂. Unexpectedly this stone, after it underwent some training, got a soul. And because it saw all those stones were used to fix heaven, and itself didn't have the ability to be chosen, it therefore started to blame and sigh. Day and night it cried sad in shame.

Breakdown:
Empress 娲 (娲皇氏) only needed 36500 pieces, so only one piece wasn’t used (只单单剩了一块未用).

Then (便!) got rid of it (弃) below the mountain (在 此山) 青埂summit (峰)

Unexpectedly (谁知, lit. “who knew?”) that stone (此石)
after it underwent some hardening/training (自经煅炼之后)

灵性已通the spirit (灵性) already connected (已通?)

-> it got a soul

因见众石俱得补天
Because it saw (因见) so many / all stones (众石) [-> and therefore the rest]
entirely (俱得) were used for fixing heaven (补天)


独自己无材不 堪入选
Alone by itself (独自己)
without the talent/quality (无材] it couldn’t (不 堪) be (入选)
-> all alone and without the ability to be chosen

遂自怨自叹
therefore (遂) it started to blame and sigh by itself (自怨自叹)

日夜悲号惭愧
Day and night (日夜) cried sad (悲号) in shame (惭愧)

一日, 正当嗟悼之际,俄见一僧一道远远而来,生得骨格不凡,丰神迥异,说说笑 笑来至峰下, 坐于石边高谈快论.

My try:

The whining stone keeps us busy...

One day, the stone was just lamenting, he suddenly saw a Buddist monk and a Daoist monk coming from the distance. Their body looked astonishing, godlike and far from the ordinary, they spoke laughing until they reached that point under the summit, where they sat by the side of the stone. And they discussed loudly and fast.

Breakdown:

One day, just when (正当) lamenting (嗟悼)

俄见一僧一道远远而来
Suddenly [he] saw a (Buddhist) monk and a Daoist monk (一道) coming along from the distance (远远而来)

生得骨格不凡,
“Their skeleton grew” (生得骨格) -> They looked like (today one would probably say 长得) out of the ordinary (不凡)

丰神迥异
Very godlike (丰神) and far from the ordinary (迥异)

说说笑笑来至峰下
Spoke laughing until [they] reached that point under the summit (至峰下)

坐于石边高谈快论
They sat by the side of the stone (坐于石边)
And discussed loudly and fast (高谈快论)

先是说些云山雾海神仙玄幻之事,后便说到红尘中 荣华富贵

My try:

I think I got what the 云山雾海神仙玄幻 was meant to say but it seems impossible for me to translate that proberly into English...

First they had discussions about [all sorts of deep / abstract / unreal / fantastic topics / hard to grasp] topics; afterwards they started talking about the glory and splendor of human society.

Breakdown:
First (先是) they talked about a lot of [hard to grasp] things
云山雾海 --> cloud, mountain, fog, sea
(Daoist) immortal (神仙)
玄幻之事 --> deep, fantastic things

Afterwards (后便, lit.: „after then“) during talking about human society (到红尘)
到 here “about” / "continued to"?
荣华富贵 “glory and splendor”

然后携你到那昌明隆盛之邦,诗礼簪缨之族,花柳繁华地,温柔富贵乡去安身乐业 ."石头听了,喜不能禁,乃问:"不知赐了弟子那几件奇处,又不知携了弟子到何地方? 望乞明示,使弟子不惑."那僧笑道:"你且莫问,日后自然明白的."说着,便袖了这石, 同那道人飘然而去,竟不知投奔何方何舍.

“Afterwards we will carry you to that flourishing and prosperous country, which is the home of educated and important people, a place bustling and lively [lit: place of flowers and willows of all sorts], a lush and rich country. We will go and make it your peaceful home for content work”

The stone heard this and was unceasingly happy, so he asked:
“I don’t know why you give this disciple such exceptional favors and I also do not know to which [exact] place you [plan to] carry this disciple? [The stone] begs for an explanation to become less confused”

The monk replied smiling: “Do not ask any further. After the day you will naturally understand.” Saying that he put the stone in his sleeve and - together with the Daoist monk - floated away in the sky. It is not known to what border [they will] travel, at which place and what residence shelter will be taken.



然后携你到那昌明隆盛之邦
Afterwards carry (携) you to that flourishing (昌明), prosperous (隆盛) country (邦)
-> 昌明 and 隆盛 obviously mean more or less the same according to erong

诗礼簪缨之族
The folk (族) of book of songs (诗礼) [-> educated?] and of “hat and ornaments” (lit: 簪: hairpin:缨hat decoration, 簪缨 hat and ornaments, here I interpret it as “rich&important people”)

花柳繁华地,
A place of flowers (花柳) and willows of all sorts (繁华) -> I think I turn this into “bustling and lively”

温柔富贵乡
Soft and gentle, rich country

去安身乐业
Go and make [it] home (安身) for "happy working" (乐业)
["happy working" - hello?]

石头听了,
The stone heard that

喜不能禁,乃问
Was endlessly happy [note the double negation with 不禁]

乃问
so (乃) he asked:

不知赐了弟子
Don’t know (不知) [why] give (赐了) Disciple

那几件奇处,
Those few exceptional (奇) favours / gifts / advantages (处)

又不知
also do not know

携了弟子到何地方?
carry this disciple to which place?

望乞明示,
I beg / desire (望乞) an explanation (明示)

使弟子不惑
To make the disciple “unconfused” [“less confused” sounds better to my ears]

那僧笑道
The monk replied smiling

你且莫问,
Do not ask (莫问) further (且)

日后自然明白的
After the day you will naturally understand


说着,.
Saying that

便袖了这石,
Then taking the stone in the sleeve (袖 can be a verb!!!)

同那道人飘然而去,
Together with the daoist monk floated in the sky (飘然而去)

竟不知投奔何方何舍
Border not know go to and take shelter (投奔) at which place (何方) and what residence (何舍)

石头笑答道:"我师何太痴耶!若云无朝代可考,今 我师竟假借汉唐等年纪添缀, 又有何难?但我想,历来野史,皆蹈一辙,莫如我这不借 此套者, 反倒新奇别致,不过只取其事体情理罢了,又何必拘拘于朝代年纪哉!再者, 市井俗人喜看理治之书者甚少,爱适趣闲文者特多.历来野史,或讪谤君相,或贬人妻 女, 奸淫凶恶,不可胜数.更有一种风月笔墨,其淫秽污臭,屠毒笔墨,坏人子弟,又不 可胜数.至若佳人才子等书,则又千部共出一套,且其中终不能不涉于淫滥,以致满纸 潘安, 子建,西子,文君,不过作者要写出自己的那两首情诗艳赋来,故假拟出男女二 人名姓,又必旁出一小人其间拨乱,亦如剧中之小丑然.且鬟婢开口即者也之乎,非文 即理.故逐一看去,悉皆自相矛盾,大不近情理之话,竟不如我半世亲睹亲闻的这几个 女子,虽不敢说强似前代书中所有之人,但事迹原委,亦可以消愁破闷,也有几首歪诗 熟话,可以喷饭供酒.

I needed some help here and there and hope that I got the core message correct in the end (changye, liansuo, derek, please have mercy!). I would boil it down to: "Folks like sex and crime, not those Disney-stories with a hero couple, a villain, and a sidekick".

So here my try:
The stone replied laughing: "Why is my master so stubborn? If you say the dynasty cannot be determined, then, my master, make use of the time of 汉, 唐 etc. and fill [the story] up accordingly, what’s so difficult about that?

But the whole time in legends all trample in the same trace. Isn’t it better that  I don’t apply that same frame and on the contrary [make this] novel special and only follow the affair’s internal logic - and there is no need to restrain the dynasty and time?

Furthermore only very few common people like to reed books on righteuous conduct ("reasonable governing"). Very many love just entertainment literature. Throughout the story either ridiculing monarchs or debasing other people’s women, endless adultery and evil. And then there is this sort of love writings, that obscene, dirty, poisonous writing [that] spoils people, sons and brothers - [those books] are also absolutely countless.

Until in those books excellent people, talented sons etc. still come out by the thousand s in one novel, it in the end [still] cannot be avoided to also involve excessiveness. While filling the paper with 潘安 (a handsome boy), 子建, (the intelligent son of Cao Cao), 西子 (a famous beauty), 文君 (yet another famous beautiful and lovely woman), the author still wants to write his own two love poems and glamorous poetic essays, [so] he invents a couple, and then there must also appear a bad person as a side role who brings chaos just like there has to be clown in the story. Moreover even the maids speak highly educated. And if it is not a story then it is a textbook

[I] read one after another. All contract themselves, most are far away from logic. [They] cannot even be compared with the women observed in half my life with my own eyes. Although I do not dare to claim that they are better than all those people that have been written about in past generations.

But the background of the story can also divert from boredom, it also has entertaining poems, hot words, and can [make one] spit out food [e.g. because of laughing] and provide fun.

Breakdown:

石头笑答道:
The stone replied laughing

"我师何太痴耶!,
Why is my master so stubborn?

若云无朝代可考
If you say the dynasty cannot be determined

今 我师竟假借汉唐等年纪添缀, 又有何难?
now my master then make use (假借) of the time of 汉, 唐 etc. and fill it up accordingly (添缀), what’s the difficulty with that?

但我想,历来野史,
but the whole time (历来) in legends (野史)

皆蹈一辙,
all trample in the same trace (辙),

莫如我这不借 此套者,
Isn’t it betterthat  I don’t lend/use/apply (借) that  same frame  (此套者)

反倒新奇别致,
And on the contrary [make this] novel different/special/unique (别致)

不过只取其事体情理罢了,
but only take this affair’s (事体) causalities (情理)

再者,
furthermore

市井俗人喜看理治之书者甚少,
“marketplace (市井) layman” (common people) like to watch books on reasonable governing are really few

爱适趣闲文者特多.
very many love just entertainment (趣闲) literature

历来野史,
throughout the legend [story]

或讪谤君相,或贬人妻 女,
either ridiculing (讪谤) monarchs or debase (贬) other people’s women (人妻 女)

奸淫凶恶 不可胜数
endless (不可胜数) adultery (奸淫) and evil

更有一种风月笔墨, ,
moreover there is this sort of love (风月!) writing

其淫秽污臭,屠毒笔墨
That obscene (淫秽) dirty poisonous writing

坏人子弟
[That] Spoil (坏 as a verb!) people, sons and brothers

,又不 可胜数.
Are also absolutely countless

至若佳人才子等书
Until such books on excellent people, talented sons etc.

,则又千部共出一套,
However still a thousand  come out in one novel

且其中终不能不涉于淫滥,
Still it in the end cannot avoid (终不能不 to involve excessiveness (淫滥)

以致满纸 潘安,
By filling the paper with潘安 (a handsome boy from Chinese history)

子建,
(a very intelligent man – son of Cao Cao)

西子,
(a famous beauty of ancient China)

文君,
(no general here: a famous beautiful and lovely woman from history - main character of a reverse Cinderella story)

不过作者要写出自己的那两首来,
But the author wants to write his own two love poems (情诗) glamorous poetic essays (艳赋)

故假拟出男女二 人名姓,
Story invented two people (man and a woman) names [and thereby these people]

又必旁出一小人其间拨乱,
Also must appear a side role (旁出一) a bad persons who brings chaos

亦如剧中之小丑然.
Just like there has to be clown of a story

且鬟婢开口即者也之乎,
Moreover [Even] the servant[s]/maid[s] (鬟婢) speak[s] (开口) educuated / eloquent (者也之乎)

非文 即理.
If it is not a story (非文) then it is a (即) "logic book" -> scientific book ("Sachbuch"? - I make this a textbook]
非 -> 即 if not-then

故逐一看去,
[I] read one after another

悉皆自相矛盾,
(悉 in the sense of “be”??) all contract themselves (自相矛盾)

大不近情理之话,
Most are far away from (do not approach) logic (情理之话)

竟不如我半世亲睹亲闻的这几个 女子,
Even [I make this 竟 "even" to match the context better than "after all"] cannot compare with the women observed in half my life with my own eyes

虽不敢说强似前代书中所有之人,
Although I do not dare to claim that they are stronger/better than all those people that have been written about in past generations

但事迹原委,
But the background 原委 of the story (事迹)

亦可以消愁破闷,
Also can divert from boredom (消愁破闷)

也有几首歪诗 熟话,
also have "casual" / "entertaining" poems  [better English word for歪诗?], hot words,

可以喷饭供酒.
Can [make one] spit out food [e.g. because of laughing] and provide fun (供酒) [酒 as a metaphor for fun]