Английский язык с О. Уайльдом. Кентервильское привидение / О. Wilde: The Canterville Ghost

But I don't know what they mean (но я не знаю, что они означают)."

barren [`bærən] almond [`α:mənd]

"Oh, often," cried the little girl, looking up; "I know it quite well. It is painted in curious black letters, and is difficult to read. There are only six lines:

"'When a golden girl can win
Prayer from out the lips of sin,
When the barren almond bears,
And a little child gives away its tears,
Then shall all the house be still
And peace come to Canterville.'

But I don't know what they mean."

"They mean (они означают)," he said, sadly (сказал он печально), "that you must weep with me for my sins (что ты должна оплакивать вместе со мной мои грехи), because I have no tears (потому что у меня нет слез), and pray with me for my soul (и молиться со мной за мою душу), because I have no faith (потому что у меня нет веры), and then (и затем), if you have always been sweet (если ты всегда будешь милосердной), and good (и доброй), and gentle (и нежной), the angel of death will have mercy on me (ангел смерти смилостивится надо мной). You will see fearful shapes in darkness (ты увидишь страшные фигуры в темноте), and wicked voices will whisper in your ear (и злые голоса будут шептать тебе на ухо), but they will not harm you (но они не причинят тебе зла), for against the purity of a little child the powers of Hell cannot prevail (так как над чистотой ребенка силы ада не могут одержать победы; to prevail — торжествовать /over/, одержать победу; преобладать, господствовать, превалировать)."

faith [feiθ] purity [`pjυəriti] prevail [pri`veil]

"They mean," he said, sadly, "that you must weep with me for my sins, because I have no tears, and pray with me for my soul, because I have no faith, and then, if you have always been sweet, and good, and gentle, the angel of death will have mercy on me. You will see fearful shapes in darkness, and wicked voices will whisper in your ear, but they will not harm you, for against the purity of a little child the powers of Hell cannot prevail."

Virginia made no answer (Вирджиния не ответила), and the ghost wrung his hands in wild despair (и призрак заломил руки в диком отчаянии; to wring — крутить, скручивать, выламывать) as he looked down at her bowed golden head (в то время как он взглянул на ее склоненную золотистую головку; to bow — гнуть, сгибать). Suddenly she stood up (внезапно она встала), very pale (очень бледная), and with a strange light in her eyes (и в ее глазах был странный свет).” I am not afraid (я не боюсь),” she said firmly (сказала она твердо), “and I will ask the angel to have mercy on you (и я попрошу ангела смилостивиться над вами)."

wrung [rλŋ] despair [dis`pεə] mercy [`mə:si]

Virginia made no answer, and the ghost wrung his hands in wild despair as he looked down at her bowed golden head. Suddenly she stood up, very pale, and with a strange light in her eyes. "I am not afraid," she said firmly, "and I will ask the angel to have mercy on you."