貓的命名是一件難事，

它不僅是你的假日游戲之一；

你頭一個認為我與帽匠一樣瘋狂[6]

當我告訴你一只貓必須要有三個不同名字的時候。[7]

首先是家人每天都用的名字，

比如彼得，奧古斯塔斯，阿隆佐或者詹姆斯，

比如維克多或者喬納森，喬治或者比爾·貝利——[8]

它們?nèi)际呛锨楹侠淼娜粘Ｃ帧?

如果你認為它們聽起來太甜，那還有更高檔的名字，

有些適于紳士，有些適于貴婦：

比如柏拉圖，阿德墨托斯，厄勒克特拉，德米特——[9]

它們也都是合情合理的日常名字。

但我告訴你一只貓需要一個特別的名字，

一個奇特的且更有尊嚴的名字，

否則，他怎能翹起自己直立的尾巴，

或者張開自己的胡須，或者珍視自己的驕傲？

這類名字，我能給你一個法定人數(shù)，

比如蒙克史崔普，奎佐，或者柯利科佩特，

比如邦貝魯琳娜，或者杰利羅蘭——[10]

沒有歸屬的名字比一只貓更多。

但是在此之上仍有一個留下來的名字，

那是你根本猜不到的名字；

人類研究沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)的名字——

但貓自己知道，而且從來不會坦白。

當你注意到一只貓陷入深邃冥思的時候，

我告訴你，這個原因總是一樣的：

他的心靈勢必陷入出神的沉思

關(guān)于思想的，思想的，他的名字的思想的：

他的言語難以表達的可以表達的

實在難以表達的

深邃的不可理解的奇異的名字。

The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a diffcult matter,

It isn't just one of your holiday games;

You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter

When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.

First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,

Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,

Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey—

All of them sensible everyday names.

There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,

Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:

Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter—

But all of them sensible everyday names.

But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,

A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,

Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,

Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride？

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,

Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,

Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum —

Names that never belong to more than one cat.

But above and beyond there's still one name left over,

And that is the name that you never will guess;

The name that no human research can discover—

But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.

When you notice a cat in profound meditation,

The reason, I tell you, is always the same:

His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation

Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:

His ineffable effable

Effanineffable

Deep and inscrutable singular Name.