The author leaves Laputa; is conveyed to Balnibarbi; arrives at the metropolis. A description of the metropolis, and the country adjoining. The author hospitably received by a great lord. His conversation with that lord. 作者离开勒皮他；被送往巴尔尼巴比；到达巴尔尼巴比首都；对首都及其近郊的描写；作者受到一位贵族的殷勤接待；他与贵族的谈话。
Although I cannot say that I was ill treated in this island, yet I must confess I thought myself too much neglected, not without some degree of contempt; for neither prince nor people appeared to be curious in any part of knowledge, except mathematics and music, wherein I was far their inferior, and upon that account very little regarded. 虽然不能说在这座岛上我受到了虐待，但应该承认我觉得他们都不大理睬我，对我有几分轻视。除了数学和音乐，国王和普通人似乎对其他学问都不感兴趣，而我的这两门学问是远远赶不上他们的，因此他们一点也不重视我。
On the other side, after having seen all the curiosities of the island, I was very desirous to leave it, being heartily weary of those people. They were indeed excellent in two sciences for which I have great esteem, and wherein I am not unversed; but, at the same time, so abstracted and involved in speculation, that I never met with such disagreeable companions. I conversed only with women, tradesmen, flappers, and court-pages, during two months of my abode there; by which, at last, I rendered myself extremely contemptible; yet these were the only people from whom I could ever receive a reasonable answer. 另一方面，我看过了这岛上所有稀奇古怪的东西之后很想离开，因为我从心眼里厌倦这些人。他们的确在那两门学问上很了不起，我也推崇那两门学问，而且这两方面我也不是一窍不通；可他们未免太专心了，一味地沉思苦想，让我觉得自己从来没碰到过这么令人厌烦的伴侣。住在那儿的两个月里，我只和女人、商人、拍手和宫仆们交谈，这样就更叫人瞧不起了，可我只有从这些人那里才能得到合情合理的回答。
I had obtained, by hard study, a good degree of knowledge in their language. I was weary of being confined to an island where I received so little countenance, and resolved to leave it with the first opportunity. 我痛下苦功，因此获得了不少关于他们语言的知识。我厌倦困守在这岛上，在这儿很少受到支持。我下决心一有机会就离开这儿。
There was a great lord at court, nearly related to the king, and for that reason alone used with respect. He was universally reckoned the most ignorant and stupid person among them. He had performed many eminent services for the crown, had great natural and acquired parts, adorned with integrity and honour; but so ill an ear for music, that his detractors reported, "he had been often known to beat time in the wrong place;" neither could his tutors, without extreme difficulty, teach him to demonstrate the most easy proposition in the mathematics. He was pleased to show me many marks of favour, often did me the honour of a visit, desired to be informed in the affairs of Europe, the laws and customs, the manners and learning of the several countries where I had travelled. He listened to me with great attention, and made very wise observations on all I spoke. He had two flappers attending him for state, but never made use of them, except at court and in visits of ceremony, and would always command them to withdraw, when we were alone together. 朝廷里有一位大贵族是国王的近亲，就因为这个，别人才尊敬他。他被公认为是最无知、最愚蠢的人。他为国王立过许多功劳，天分和学历都有很高的造诣，集正直、荣耀于一身；但对音乐却一窍不通，诽谤他的人到处传扬说他连拍子都常常打错；在数学上，他的教师就是费尽力气也教不会他怎样来证明最简单的定理。他乐于向我表示友好，常常大驾光临我住的地方，希望我跟他说说欧洲的事情以及我到过的几个国家的法律、风俗、礼仪与学术。他很注意听我讲话，对我所讲的一切都能发表非常有智慧的见解。他跟前有两名拍手摆摆场面，但是除了在朝廷或者正式访问的时候，他从来都不用他们帮忙；我们单独在一起时，他总是叫拍手们暂时退下。
I entreated this illustrious person, to intercede in my behalf with his majesty, for leave to depart; which he accordingly did, as he was pleased to tell me, with regret: for indeed he had made me several offers very advantageous, which, however, I refused, with expressions of the highest acknowledgment. 我恳请这位杰出的人物代我说情，求国王准许我离开这里。他确实照办了，但是心里觉得很遗憾。确实，他曾向我提供了几件很肥的差使，我谢绝了，但很感激。
On the 16th of February I took leave of his majesty and the court. The king made me a present to the value of about two hundred pounds English, and my protector, his kinsman, as much more, together with a letter of recommendation to a friend of his in Lagado, the metropolis. The island being then hovering over a mountain about two miles from it, I was let down from the lowest gallery, in the same manner as I had been taken up. 二月十六日，我告别了国王和朝廷里的人。国王送了我一份价值约两百英镑的礼物；我的恩主即国王的亲戚也送了我一份同样价值的礼，还有他的一封推荐信，让我捎给他在首都拉格多的一位朋友。飞岛当时正停在离首都约两英里的一座山的上空，我用上来时的方法，从最底下一层走廊上又被放了下去。
The continent, as far as it is subject to the monarch of the flying island, passes under the general name of Balnibarbi; and the metropolis, as I said before, is called Lagado. I felt some little satisfaction in finding myself on firm ground. I walked to the city without any concern, being clad like one of the natives, and sufficiently instructed to converse with them. I soon found out the person's house to whom I was recommended, presented my letter from his friend the grandee in the island, and was received with much kindness. This great lord, whose name was Munodi, ordered me an apartment in his own house, where I continued during my stay, and was entertained in a most hospitable manner. 就飞岛国王的领土而言，这一块大陆被称作巴尔尼巴比。我在前面已提到过了，它的首都叫拉格多。踏上坚实的土地，我感到几分小小的满足。我穿的衣服和本地人一样，学会的话也足以同他们交谈，这样我就毫无顾虑地朝这座城市走去。我很快就找到了朋友介绍的那人的房子，呈给他飞岛上那位贵族朋友的信。我受到了他十分友好的接待。这位大贵人叫孟诺迪，他在自己家里给我预备了一间房子。我在这地方停留期间就一直住在那里，而且受到了十分殷勤热情的款待。
The next morning after my arrival, he took me in his chariot to see the town, which is about half the bigness of London; but the houses very strangely built, and most of them out of repair. The people in the streets walked fast, looked wild, their eyes fixed, and were generally in rags. We passed through one of the town gates, and went about three miles into the country, where I saw many labourers working with several sorts of tools in the ground, but was not able to conjecture what they were about; neither did I observe any expectation either of corn or grass, although the soil appeared to be excellent. I could not forbear admiring at these odd appearances, both in town and country; and I made bold to desire my conductor, that he would be pleased to explain to me, what could be meant by so many busy heads, hands, and faces, both in the streets and the fields, because I did not discover any good effects they produced; but, on the contrary, I never knew a soil so unhappily cultivated, houses so ill contrived and so ruinous, or a people whose countenances and habit expressed so much misery and want. 到这儿第二天早晨，他就带着我坐马车去参观这个城市。这城大概有伦敦一半大小，可是房屋盖得很奇怪，大多年久失修。街上行人走得很快，样子粗野，双眼凝滞，大半还衣衫褴褛。我们穿过城门走了约三英里，到了乡下。我看到许多工人拿着各式各样的工具在地里劳作，却猜不出他们是在干什么。虽然土壤看上去极其肥美，但我却看不到有任何庄稼或草木。对城里和乡下的这些奇异的景象，我不禁感到惊奇。我冒昧地请我的向导给我解释一下这一切到底是怎么回事。为什么大街上和田野里有那么多忙碌的脑袋、双手和脸，但是我却看不出他们忙出什么好成果呢？正相反，我倒还从没见过这么荒芜的田地，造得这么糟糕、这么颓败的房屋，也从没见过哪个民族的人脸上、衣服上显示出这么多悲惨和穷困。
This lord Munodi was a person of the first rank, and had been some years governor of Lagado; but, by a cabal of ministers, was discharged for insufficiency. However, the king treated him with tenderness, as a well-meaning man, but of a low contemptible understanding. 这位孟诺迪老爷是位上层人士，曾担任过几年拉格多政府的行政长官；但是由于阁员们的阴谋排挤，以不适合这份职业为由被解职。国王对他倒还宽爱，觉得他是个善良的人，只是见识低劣可鄙罢了。
When I gave that free censure of the country and its inhabitants, he made no further answer than by telling me, "that I had not been long enough among them to form a judgment; and that the different nations of the world had different customs;" with other common topics to the same purpose. But, when we returned to his palace, he asked me "how I liked the building, what absurdities I observed, and what quarrel I had with the dress or looks of his domestics?" This he might safely do; because every thing about him was magnificent, regular, and polite. I answered, "that his excellency's prudence, quality, and fortune, had exempted him from those defects, which folly and beggary had produced in others." He said, "if I would go with him to his country-house, about twenty miles distant, where his estate lay, there would be more leisure for this kind of conversation." I told his excellency "that I was entirely at his disposal;" and accordingly we set out next morning. 我对这个国家和人民说了这些不客气的指责话之后，他没有做出更多的回答，只是对我说，我来到他们中间的日子还不长，下结论还为时过早；而且世界上不同的民族，风俗也各不相同。他还说了其他一些普通的话，都是一个意思。但我们回到他府上后，他又问我觉得他的房子怎么样，是否发现什么荒唐可笑之处，关于他家里人的服装和面貌我有没有要指责的。他是可以这样问的，因为他身上的一切都很庄严、齐整、有教养。我回答说阁下精明谨慎、出身高贵、家财万贯，当然不会有那些缺点；别人的那些缺点也都是愚蠢和贫困造成的。他说如果我愿意同他去他的乡下住宅（大约二十英里外，他的产业就在那里），我们就可以有更多的闲暇来进行这样的交谈了。我说我完全听阁下安排，于是第二天早上我们就出发了。
During our journey he made me observe the several methods used by farmers in managing their lands, which to me were wholly unaccountable; for, except in some very few places, I could not discover one ear of corn or blade of grass. But, in three hours travelling, the scene was wholly altered; we came into a most beautiful country; farmers' houses, at small distances, neatly built; the fields enclosed, containing vineyards, corn-grounds, and meadows. Neither do I remember to have seen a more delightful prospect. His excellency observed my countenance to clear up; he told me, with a sigh, "that there his estate began, and would continue the same, till we should come to his house; 旅途中，他要我注意农民经营管理土地的各种方法，我看了却十分莫名其妙。因为除了极少的几个地方外，我看不到一穗谷子或一片草叶。但又走了三个钟头，景色却完全变了。我们走进了美丽无比的一片田野；农舍彼此相隔不远，修建得十分整齐；田地被围在中间，里边有葡萄园、麦田和草地。我从不记得自己见过比这更赏心悦目的景象。那位贵族见我面色开始晴朗起来，就叹了口气说从这里开始就是他的产业了，一直到他的住宅都是这样子。
that his countrymen ridiculed and despised him, for managing his affairs no better, and for setting so ill an example to the kingdom; which, however, was followed by very few, such as were old, and wilful, and weak like himself." 他的同乡们还因此嘲笑他、轻视他，说他不会管理产业，还给王国树立了一个如此坏的榜样。但是也有极少一些人学他的样子，可那些都是像他一样年老而又任性的人。
We came at length to the house, which was indeed a noble structure, built according to the best rules of ancient architecture. The fountains, gardens, walks, avenues, and groves, were all disposed with exact judgment and taste. I gave due praises to every thing I saw, whereof his excellency took not the least notice till after supper; when, there being no third companion, he told me with a very melancholy air "that he doubted he must throw down his houses in town and country, to rebuild them after the present mode; destroy all his plantations, and cast others into such a form as modern usage required, and give the same directions to all his tenants, unless he would submit to incur the censure of pride, singularity, affectation, ignorance, caprice, and perhaps increase his majesty's displeasure; that the admiration I appeared to be under would cease or diminish, when he had informed me of some particulars which, probably, I never heard of at court, the people there being too much taken up in their own speculations, to have regard to what passed here below." 我们终于到了他的家——的确是一座高贵的建筑，合乎最优秀的古代建筑的典范。喷泉、花园、小径、大路、树丛都安排布置得极有见识、极有趣味。我每见一样东西都给予适当的赞扬，可他却毫不注意。直到晚餐后没有其他人在场的时候，他才带着一副忧郁的神情告诉我：他怀疑自己应该拆掉现在城里和乡下的房子了。他得按照目前的式样重新建造，那就是毁掉所有的种植园，改建成现在流行的样子；还得指示所有的佃户都这么去做，不然他就会遭人责难，被人说成是傲慢、标新立异、做作、无知、古怪，说不定还会更让国王讨厌。等他把具体的一些事告诉我之后，我也许就不会像现在那么惊奇了。这些事我在朝廷时可能闻所未闻，因为那里的人一心埋头沉思，注意不到下面发生的事情。
The sum of his discourse was to this effect: "That about forty years ago, certain persons went up to Laputa, either upon business or diversion, and, after five months continuance, came back with a very little smattering in mathematics, but full of volatile spirits acquired in that airy region; that these persons, upon their return, began to dislike the management of every thing below, and fell into schemes of putting all arts, sciences, languages, and mechanics, upon a new foot. To this end, they procured a royal patent for erecting an academy of projectors in Lagado; and the humour prevailed so strongly among the people, that there is not a town of any consequence in the kingdom without such an academy. In these colleges the professors contrive new rules and methods of agriculture and building, and new instruments, and tools for all trades and manufactures; whereby, as they undertake, one man shall do the work of ten; a palace may be built in a week, of materials so durable as to last for ever without repairing. All the fruits of the earth shall come to maturity at whatever season we think fit to choose, and increase a hundred fold more than they do at present; with innumerable other happy proposals. The only inconvenience is, that none of these projects are yet brought to perfection; and in the mean time, the whole country lies miserably waste, the houses in ruins, and the people without food or clothes. By all which, instead of being discouraged, they are fifty times more violently bent upon prosecuting their schemes, driven equally on by hope and despair; that as for himself, being not of an enterprising spirit, he was content to go on in the old forms, to live in the houses his ancestors had built, and act as they did, in every part of life, without innovation; that some few other persons of quality and gentry had done the same, but were looked on with an eye of contempt and ill-will, as enemies to art, ignorant, and ill commonwealth's men, preferring their own ease and sloth before the general improvement of their country." 他谈话的内容总结起来大致是这样的：约在四十年前，某些人因为有事或是为了散散心，到勒皮他上面住了五个月，虽然带回来的数学常识只是一知半解，但却学会了十足的轻浮风气。这些人一回来就开始对地上的任何东西都厌烦，计划把艺术、科学、语言、技术统统都要重新设计。为了达到此目的，他们努力取得皇家特许，在拉格多建立了一所设计家科学院。这一时的任性在百姓中倒是十分流行，结果王国内没有一座重要的城市不建有这么一所科学院的。在这些学院里，教授们设计出新的农业与建筑规范和方法，为一切工商业设计了新型的工具和仪器。应用这些方法和工具，他们保证一个人可以干十个人的活。一座宫殿七日内就可以建成，并且建筑材料经久耐用，永远也不用维修；地上一切的果实都可以在任何季节或者在我们随意选定的时候成熟，而且产量比现在要多一百倍；他们还提出了无数其他高明的建议。唯一的麻烦是这些计划到现在没有一项完成。现在，全国上下一片废墟，房屋颓败，百姓缺衣少食。所有这一切，他们见了不仅不灰心，反而在希望与绝望的同时驱使下变本加厉地要去实施那些计划。至于他本人，因为没有什么进取心，也就满足于老式的生活方式，住在先辈们建造的房子里，生活中的事情都完全模仿祖辈，没有什么革新。还有少数一些贵族和绅士也都像我这么做，但他们却遭人冷眼和讽刺，被认为是艺术的敌人，而且是国人中无知的败类。全国普遍都在改革发展，他们却一味懒散、自顾逍遥。
His lordship added, "that he would not, by any further particulars, prevent the pleasure I should certainly take in viewing the grand academy, whither he was resolved I should go. " He only desired me to observe a ruined building, upon the side of a mountain about three miles distant, of which he gave me this account: "That he had a very convenient mill within half a mile of his house, turned by a current from a large river, and sufficient for his own family, as well as a great number of his tenants; that about seven years ago, a club of those projectors came to him with proposals to destroy this mill, and build another on the side of that mountain, on the long ridge whereof a long canal must be cut, for a repository of water, to be conveyed up by pipes and engines to supply the mill, because the wind and air upon a height agitated the water, and thereby made it fitter for motion, and because the water, descending down a declivity, would turn the mill with half the current of a river whose course is more upon a level." He said, "that being then not very well with the court, and pressed by many of his friends, he complied with the proposal; and after employing a hundred men for two years, the work miscarried, the projectors went off, laying the blame entirely upon him, railing at him ever since, and putting others upon the same experiment, with equal assurance of success, as well as equal disappointment. " 这位贵人非要我去参观一下大科学院，说我肯定会感兴趣的；他就不再详细谈论以前的事了，以免扫我的兴。他只叫我去看大约三英里外山坡上的一所破房子，并对此给了这样的说明：以前，在离他房子不到半英里的地方有一座十分便利的水磨，靠从一条大河里来的水转动，完全可以自给，并能帮助他的佃户。可是大约七年前，来了一伙设计家建议把这水磨毁掉，在那座山的山坡上重建一个；打算在山岗上开凿一条长长的水渠，再用水管和机器把水送到山上蓄水池，最后就用这水来给水磨提供动力，说是因为从高处来的风可以使水力更大，又因为水是从斜坡上下来，和平地上的河水比起来，只需一半的水动力就可以推动水磨了。他说自己那时和朝廷的关系不太和睦，又因为许多朋友催迫，也就接受了这个建议。他雇了一百人花了两年功夫，结果失败了。设计家们走了，把责任全都推到他身上，并且从此一直都在怪他。他们又去拿别人做试验，同样说是保证成功，结果都一样令人失望。
In a few days we came back to town; and his excellency, considering the bad character he had in the academy, would not go with me himself, but recommended me to a friend of his, to bear me company thither. My lord was pleased to represent me as a great admirer of projects, and a person of much curiosity and easy belief; which, indeed, was not without truth; for I had myself been a sort of projector in my younger days. 几天后，我们回到了城里。他考虑到自己在科学院名声不好，没有亲自陪我去，只介绍了一个朋友陪我前往。我这位老爷向朋友们说我是一位崇尚发明、十分好奇、轻信的人。他这话的确不无道理，因为在年轻时候，我自己就做过设计家之类的人物。