双语：在墓地里创造生活

2013-04-03 00:00:00来源：网络

　　The Manila North Cemetery is one of the biggest cemeteries in the Philippines. With several thousand homeless people living there, it can be a strange sight for first-time visitors.

　　位于菲律宾首都马尼拉的"诺特墓地"是该国最大的墓地之一，同时这里生活着成千上万无家可归的人。对于初访者而言，该地堪称一处奇特的景点。

　　Some people inherited mausoleums that they now live in from their great-grandparents. Some came from other provinces in the country and found they couldn’t make enough money to live in the big city. The graveyard is now like a small village in itself with a population of around 10,000.

　　一些人继承了从曾祖辈遗留下来的陵墓，如今把它们当作容身之所;还有一些人则是来自该国其他省份，他们发现在这个大都市中无法生活得很宽裕。如今，该墓地犹如一个小村庄，有大约一万人居住于此。

　　Mausoleums house shops that sell canned sardines, noodle packs, candy, candles and other essential items. Meals and drinks are sold at informal restaurants set up between graves. The walls of mausoleums are scaled with makeshift ladders, helping inhabitants to get in and out with ease.

　　一些陵墓被改造成商店，出售罐装沙丁鱼、袋装面条、糖果、蜡烛和其他生活必备品。几家开在坟地里的简易餐厅可供应食物和饮料。居民们借助临时的梯子攀爬陵墓的围墙，轻轻松松地进出。

　　The people here also make a living by working with the graves. At funerals, teenagers carry coffins for 50 pesos, adult men are employed to repair and maintain tombs, while women take care of cleaning mausoleums. Children collect plastic, scrap metal and other garbage, which are eventually sold.

　　这里的人们还可通过从事殡丧服务谋生。青少年在葬礼上抬棺材可赚50比索(约合人民币7.5元)，成年男子被人雇去修整坟墓，而妇女则负责清扫陵墓。小孩子们会搜集塑料、废金属及其他废品，最终将其卖钱。

　　It’s almost amusing to note that some empty mausoleums feature television and karaoke sets, where anyone can sing for five pesos. There are people of different vocations within the graveyard as well, such as dressmakers, beauticians and schoolteachers.

　　值得一提的趣事是，一些空陵墓内还设有电视和卡拉OK设备，每人只要付5比索就可以在此高歌。此外，墓地里还住着从事不同职业的人，如裁缝、美容师及教师等。

　　Over the years, the local government has made attempts to provide people here with houses, but many of these resettled families prefer to go back to their old homes. Their strong survival instincts are evident from the manner in which they have managed to create a life among the dead.

　　多年以来，当地政府试图给这里的人们提供住房，但一些移居他处的家庭还是选择回到老家。他们能够在逝者当中创造生活，从这一点可以明显看出他们拥有强大的生存本能。

　　点滴积累

　　>mausoleum [n.陵墓]

本文关键字: 墓地