透过它们她能看到船上白色的船帆和天空中的红色云彩；

she could see through them the white sails of the ship, and the red clouds in the sky;

它们的话语悦耳动听，但太空灵了，凡人的耳朵听不到，就像凡人的眼睛也看不见它们一样。

their speech was melodious, but too ethereal to be heard by mortal ears, as they were also unseen by mortal eyes

小美人鱼发觉自己有一个和它们一样的身体，并且她不断地从泡沫中越升越高。

the little mermaid perceived that she had a body like theirs, and that she continued to rise higher and higher out of the foam

“我在哪里？”

“where am i”

她问道，她的声音听起来很空灵，就像和她在一起的那些生灵的声音一样；

asked she, and her voice sounded ethereal, as the voice of those who were with her;

世间的音乐无法模仿这种声音。

no earthly music could imitate it

“在空中的女儿们中间。” 其中一个回答道。

“among the daughters of the air,” answered one of them

“美人鱼没有不朽的灵魂，除非她赢得一个人类的爱，否则也无法获得一个。

“a mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being

她永恒的命运取决于他人的力量。

on the power of another hangs her eternal destiny

但是空中的女儿们，虽然她们没有不朽的灵魂，却能通过自己的善行，为自己获得一个。

but the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves

我们飞往温暖的国度，使那用瘟疫毁灭人类的闷热空气变得凉爽。

we fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence

我们带着花朵的芬芳去传播健康和活力。

we carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration

在我们竭尽全力做了三百年善事之后，我们就会得到一个不朽的灵魂并分享人类的幸福。

after we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind

你，可怜的小美人鱼，已经全心全意地尝试像我们一样去做了；

you, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing;

你受苦受难，通过自己的善行使自己提升到精灵的世界；

you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit - world by your good deeds;

现在，通过以同样的方式奋斗三百年，你就可以获得一个不朽的灵魂。”

and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul”

小美人鱼抬起她那充满荣耀的眼睛望向太阳，第一次感觉到自己的眼睛里充满了泪水。

the little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears

在她离开王子的那艘船上，有生机和喧闹声；

on the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise;

她看到他和他美丽的新娘在寻找她；

she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her;

他们悲伤地凝视着珍珠般的泡沫，仿佛知道她已经跳进了海浪里。

sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves

她悄悄地亲吻了新娘的额头，为王子扇风，然后和其他空中的孩子一起升上一朵在天空中漂浮的玫瑰色云彩。

unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether

“三百年后，我们将这样飘入天国，” 她说。

“after three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven,” said she

“我们甚至可能更快到达那里，” 她的一个同伴小声说。

“and we may even get there sooner,” whispered one of her panions

“我们可以悄悄地进入有孩子的人家，如果我们发现一个好孩子，他是父母的欢乐、值得父母的爱，那我们的考验时间就会缩短。

“unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened

孩子不知道，当我们飞过房间时，我们会为他的良好行为而高兴地微笑，因为我们可以把三百年的时间减少一年。

the child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years

但是当我们看到一个淘气或者邪恶的孩子时，我们会悲伤地流泪，每一滴眼泪都会使我们的考验时间增加一天！”

but when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!”