第一回: Chunk 40

henning
October 20, 2008, 12:08 PM posted in General Discussion

他岳丈名唤封肃,本贯大如州人氏,虽是务农,家中都还殷实.今见女婿这等狼狈 而来, 心中便有些不乐.幸而士隐还有折变田地的银子未曾用完,拿出来托他随分就 价薄置些须房地,为后日衣食之计.那封肃便半哄半赚,些须与他些薄田朽屋.

I have some trouble with three parts in this section that I marked red in the breakdown.

My try:
His father in law was called 封肃, a native from a place called大如州. Although being in the agriculture business, the family nevertheless was well-off. Now that he saw the son in law hat come in such a difficult situation, he therefore felt very unhappy. Fortunately the money 士隐 got from selling off his land had not yet been used up. He took it and entrusted it to him to get a share which was - under consideration of the market price - a rather small field and house. Preparing for the living later that 封肃 therefore was half cheating, half making money. He gave him a little meager field and a rotten house.

Breakdown:
他岳丈名唤封肃,
His father in law was called 封肃

本贯大如州人氏
That (贯) native place 大如州 [was his] (人氏) place of origin -> He was a native from a place of 大如州

虽是务农,
Although (务农) being in the agriculture business

家中都还殷实.
the family nevertheless was (殷实) well-off

今见女婿这等狼狈 而来,
Now that he saw the son in law hat come in such a (狼狈) difficult situation

心中便有些不乐.
He therefore felt (有些 - “a bit”, I guess this is understatement) very unhappy (in his heart)

幸而士隐还有折变田地的银子未曾用完,
Fortunately the money 士隐 got from selling off his land (未曾) was not yet used up.

拿出来托他随分就 价薄置房地,
He took it (托他) and entrusted it to him (随分) to get a share (就价, “by the price”) – [which was] under consideration of the market price - (薄置) a meager field and house

为后日衣食之计
Preparing for the living later

那封肃便半哄半赚,
That 封肃 therefore was half cheating, half making money

些须与他些薄田朽屋
(与他) Gave him (些须) a little (薄田) meager field and a (朽屋) rotten house

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changye
October 20, 2008, 01:43 PM

Hi henning,

本贯(domicile)大如州人氏 He was born in 大如州.
Someone says on the Internet that
封肃 = 风俗 and = .

At first I thought that 大如 would rhyme with 大儒 (da4 ru2, great scholar), which is an irony for the peasant “岳丈封肃”.

虽是务农 = even though he is a farmer.
托他 随分 (= 一部分的钱) 就价 (at a market price)
(= 稍微) (purchase) 些须房地

(laugh)半赚(make money)
些须(a little)(give)他些薄田朽屋 I think your translation is right.

Anyway, his father in law is not a good person.

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henning
October 20, 2008, 02:23 PM

Thanks, Changye. Good comment as always. Those red sentences almost drove me crazy.

BTW: I hope derek comes back soon. I see that scary poem looming there close to the end of the chapter...