"Were it not better," said he, "that you use my poor skill to-night? Verily, dear sir, we must take pains to make you strong and vigorous for this occasion of the Election discourse. The people look for great things from you; apprehending that another year may come about, and find their pastor gone."
“今天夜里，”他说，“你再采用一下我这微不足道的医术，是不是更好呢？真的，亲爱的先生，我们应该尽心竭力使你精力充沛地应付这次庆祝选举的宣讲。人们对你期望极大呢；因为他们担心，明年一到，他们的牧师就会不在了。”

"Yea, to another world," replied the minister, with pious resignation. "Heaven grant it be a better one; for, in good sooth, I hardly think to tarry with my flock through the flitting seasons of another year! But, touching your medicine, kind sir, in my present frame of body, I need it not."
“是啊，到另一个世界去了，”牧师带着一切全都听天由命的神气回答说。“但愿上天保佑，那是个更好的世界；因为，说老实话，我认为我难以再和我的教众度过转瞬即逝的另一个年头了！不过，亲爱的先生，至于你的药品嘛，就我目前的身体状况而论，我并不需要了。”

"I joy to hear it," answered the physician. "It may be that my remedies, so long administered in vain, begin now to take due effect. Happy man were I, and well deserving of New England's gratitude, could I achieve this cure!"
“我很高兴听到这一点，”医生回答说。“或许是，我提供的治疗长时间以来末起作用，但如今却开始生效了。我当真能成功地治好你，我会深感幸福，并且对新英格兰的感激之情受之无愧！”

"I thank you from my heart, most watchful friend," said the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, with a solemn smile. "I thank you, and can but requite your good deeds with my prayers."
“我衷心地感激你，我最尽心的朋友，”丁梅斯代尔牧师先生说着，郑重地一笑。“我感激你，只有用我的祈祷来报答你的善行。”

"A good man's prayers are golden recompense!" rejoined old Roger Chillingworth, as he took his leave. "Yea, they are the current gold coin of the New Jerusalem, with the King's own mint, mark on them!"
“一个好人的祈祷如同用黄金作酬谢！”老罗杰·齐灵渥斯一边告别，一边接口说：“是啊，那都是些新耶路撤冷通用的金币，上面铸着上帝本人的头像的！”

Left alone, the minister summoned a servant of the house, and requested food, which, being set before him, he ate with ravenous appetite. Then, flinging the already written pages of the Election Sermon into the fire, he forthwith began another, which he wrote with such an impulsive flow of thought and emotion, that he fancied himself inspired; and only wondered that Heaven should see fit to transmit the grand and solemn music of its oracles through so foul an organ-pipe as he. However, leaving that mystery to solve itself, or go unsolved for ever, he drove his task onward, with earnest haste and ecstasy. Thus the night fled away, as if it were winged steed, and he careering on it; morning came, and peeped, blushing, through the curtains; and at last sunrise threw a golden beam into the study and laid it right across the minister's bedazzled eyes. There he was, with the pen still between his fingers, and a vast immeasurable tract of written space behind him!
牧师剩下单独一个人后，便叫来住所的仆人，吩咐摆饭。饭菜放到眼前之后，他就狼吞虎咽起来。然后，他把已经写出来的庆祝选举布道词的纸页抛进炉火，提笔另写，他的思绪和激情源源涌到笔尖，他幻想着自己是受到了神启，只是不明所以为什么上天会看中他这样一件肮脏的管风琴，去传送它那神谕的崇高而肃穆的乐曲。管它呢，让那神秘去自行解答，或永无解答吧，他只顾欣喜若狂地奋笔疾书。那一夜就这样象一匹背生双翼的骏马般飞驰而去，而他就骑在马背上；清晨到来了，从窗帘中透进朝霞的红光；终于，旭日将一束金光投入书斋，正好照到牧师晕眩的双目上。他坐在那里，指间还握着笔，纸上已经写下洋洋洒洒鲍一大篇文字了！