I originally found this story on the website:
http://www.tianyabook.com/luxun/lh/006.htm (all rights reserved)
孔乙己 by 鲁迅
Kong Yiji by LuXun
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Kong Yiji by LuXun
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鲁镇的酒店的格局，是和别处不同的：都是当街一个曲尺形的大柜台，柜里面预备着热水，可以随时温酒。
The layout of Shandong province’s bar is different from anywhere else: everything is in the middle of the street, big counter, the insides of the cabinets prepared with hot water, and you can get warm liquor at any time.
做工的人，傍午傍晚散了工，每每花四文铜钱，买一碗酒，——这是二十多年前的事，现在每碗要涨到十文，——靠柜外站着，热热的喝了休息；倘肯多花一文，便可以买一碟盐煮笋，或者茴香豆，做下酒物了，如果出到十几文，那就能买一样荤菜，但这些顾客，多是短衣帮，大抵没有这样阔绰。
The workers when they get off their shift and leave work often come and eat, spending four copper coins to buy a bowl of wine, (This is a habit of over 20 years ago. Now, every bowl is 10 coins more expensive) and a copper coin to lean against the outside of the counter to rest while drinking. If you are willing to spend ten more coins you can buy a plate of salt cooked bamboo shoots, fennel, or something to eat with your drink. If you give more then a dozen coins, well then you can buy a meat dish. But all of these customers are working people, and they don't have this ability for liberalness with their money.
只有穿长衫的，才踱进店面隔壁的房子里，要酒要菜，慢慢地坐喝。
Only people wearing the long gowns can go in the inside of the sit down area of the building. They can sit and order liquor and a side dish, sitting and drinking it slowly.
我从十二岁起，便在镇口的咸亨酒店里当伙计，掌柜说，样子太傻，怕侍候不了长衫主顾，就在外面做点事罢。
Since I was 12 years old, I was a waiter and stood guard outside the Xianheng bar. The shopkeeper said my image was too foolish looking, and I was scare to serve the customers that wore the long gowns. I only took care of small matters outside the shop.
外面的短衣主顾，虽然容易说话，但唠唠叨叨缠夹不清的也很不少。
The short jacket-ed patrons outside, although easy to talk to, were numerous so the mindless chatter was unavoidable.
他们往往要亲眼看着黄酒从坛子里舀出，看过壶子底里有水没有，又亲看将壶子放在热水里，然后放心：在这严重兼督下，羼水也很为难。
They often wanted to see for themselves the yellow wine that was scooped up from the jugs, that the bottled liquid wasn't watered down, and once again watch first hand that they put the liquor jug in hot water to feel relieved. Under this serious supervision, it was very difficult to mix water with the liquor.
所以过了几天，掌柜又说我干不了这事。
So after a few days, the boss said once again that I couldn’t do this.
幸亏荐头的情面大，辞退不得，便改为专管温酒的一种无聊职务了。
Fortunately, his feelings of being like a job broker were strong, so he couldn't dismiss me, and instead changed me to being in charge of a boring position with lukewarm liquor.
Fortunately, his feelings of being like a job broker were strong, so he couldn't dismiss me, and instead changed me to being in charge of a boring position with lukewarm liquor.
我从此便整天的站在柜台里，专管我的职务。
From then on, I stood behind the counter all day long to do my job.
虽然没有什么失职，但总觉得有些单调，有些无聊。
Although there’s nothing that would make me lose my job, I always felt that it was monotonous and useless.
掌柜是一副凶脸孔，主顾也没有好声气，教人活泼不得；只有孔乙己到店，才可以笑几声，所以至今还记得。
The shopkeeper has a fierce face, and the customers aren’t fond of his voice. He taught them that they cannot be lively, and that only Kong Yiji can make a sound like a laugh. So far, until this day I have remembered this.
孔乙己是站着喝酒而穿长衫的唯一的人。
Kong Yiji was the only man standing and drinking, and furthermore the only man wearing a long gown.
他身材很高大；青白脸色，皱纹间时常夹些伤痕；一部乱蓬蓬的花白的胡子。
He had a tall stature, pale complexion, wrinkles that held scars between them, and a disheveled grizzly beard.
穿的虽然是长衫，可是又脏又破，似乎十多年没有补，也没有洗。
Although he was wearing a long gown, it was worn and dirty, looking as if it hadn’t been washed or repaired for more then ten years
他对人说话，总是满口之乎者也，教人半懂不懂的。
Whenever he was speaking to people, he was always spouting the classics, people understanding only half of what he was saying.
因为他姓孔，别人便从描红纸⑵上的“上大人孔乙己”这半懂不懂的话里，替他取下一个绰号，叫作孔乙己。
Because his last name was Kong, people gave him the nickname Kong Yiji.They based it off of the first six characters that are written in the calligraphy books which people don’t understand the meaning of, much like Kong’s nonsensical babble.
孔乙己一到店，所有喝酒的人便都看着他笑，有的叫道，“孔乙己，你脸上又添上新伤疤了！”
At one bar, all of the people looked at him and laughed, all called, “Kong Yiji, your face has added some new scars on!”
他不回答，对柜里说，“温两碗酒，要一碟茴香豆。”
He didn't reply, and said to the bartender, “Two bowls of wine, and one dish of beans.”
便排出九文大钱。
Then he took out 9 big coins.
他们又故意的高声嚷道，“你一定又偷了人家的东西了！”
They also loudly shouted out on purpose, “You must have stolen another person’s things again!”
孔乙己睁大眼睛说，“你怎么这样凭空污人清白……”
Kong Yiji opened his eyes wide and said, “How can you say such dirty and baseless things to someone innocent...?”
“什么清白？我前天亲眼见你偷了何家的书，吊着打。”
“What innocence? Yesterday I personally saw you steal books from the He family, they even beat you.”
孔乙己便涨红了脸，额上的青筋条条绽出，争辩道，
Kong Yiji turned red then, the veins on his forehead bursting as he debated,
“窃书不能算偷……窃书！……读书人的事，能算偷么？”
“Stealing books cannot be regarded as stealing...can you regard scholars as thieves?”
接连便是难懂的话，什么“君子固穷”⑶，什么“者乎”之类，引得众人都哄笑起来：店内外充满了快活的空气。
What followed was a slew of unintelligible words, which caused the crowd to burst out in laughter. The atmosphere outside the shop was happy.
听人家背地里谈论，孔乙己原来也读过书，但终于没有进学⑷，又不会营生；于是愈过愈穷，弄到将要讨饭了。
Listening to those speaking behind his back, Kong Yiji originally also read the books, but in the end he didn't advance his learning, and also was not able to earn a living. Therefore the more time went on the poorer he got. He eventually began begging for food.
幸而写得一笔好字，便替人家钞钞书，换一碗饭吃。
Fortunately, his calligraphy was really good so he was able to copy books for people.
可惜他又有一样坏脾气，便是好吃懒做。
Unfortunately, once again he has that same bad temper and eats a lot but never works.
坐不到几天，便连人和书籍纸张笔砚，一齐失踪。如是几次，叫他钞书的人也没有了。
He only had worked for a couple of days before the people’s books, papers, and ink stones went missing. Thus, after several times, people didn't want him to copy books for them any longer
孔乙己没有法，便免不了偶然做些偷窃的事。
Kong Yiji didn't know what to do; he couldn't avoid the stealing issue.
但他在我们店里，品行却比别人都好，就是从不拖欠；虽然间或没有现钱，暂时记在粉板上，但不出一月，定然还清，从粉板上拭去了孔乙己的名字。
But he was in our shop, his behavior was better then others and he never defaulted on debts. Although he occasionally didn't have cash, he would write a note up on the blackboard. He wound never go longer than a month without paying, and they would wipe his name from off the board after he did.
孔乙己喝过半碗酒，涨红的脸色渐渐复了原，旁人便又问道，“孔乙己，你当真认识字么？”孔乙己看着问他的人，显出不屑置辩的神气。
Kong Yiji drank half his cup of wine, and his red complexion gradually returned. The people beside him asked, “Kong Yiji, Do you really recognize that character?”. Kong Yiji looked at the people who questioned him, and returned them with a expression that it was beneath his dignity to answer them.
他们便接着说道，“你怎的连半个秀才也捞不到呢？”
They then said, “Are you really someone who only did half of the country level imperial exam and still haven’t finished it?”
孔乙己立刻显出颓唐不安模样，脸上笼上了一层灰色，嘴里说些话；这回可是全是之乎者也之类，一些不懂了。
Kong Yiji at once expressed a look of dispirit and unease. On his face was a layer of grayish color. This time when he spoke it was complete nonsense, people weren’t able to understand even a word.
在这时候，众人也都哄笑起来：店内外充满了快活的空气。
At this time, everyone stood up and roared with laughter: the inside and outside of the shop brimmed with the air of happiness.
在这些时候，我可以附和着笑，掌柜是决不责备的。而且掌柜见了孔乙己，也每每这样问他，引人发笑。
At times like these, I can laugh along with everyone, and the barkeeper cannot blame me. Furthermore, the barkeeper would ask Kong Yiji in this way to make people laugh.
孔乙己自己知道不能和他们谈天，便只好向孩子说话。
Kong Yiji knew himself that he couldn't talk to them, and was forced to speak to children as a result.
有一回对我说道，“你读过书么？”我略略点一点头。
He once asked me, “Have you read anything?” I briefly nodded.
他说,“读过书，……我便考你一考。茴香豆的茴字，怎样写的？”
He said to me, “Read a book, ...I will test you. How do you write the characters for fennel beans?”
我想，讨饭一样的人，也配考我么？便回过脸去，不再理会。
I thought, a person who begs for food, can test me like this? I turned my face and didn't pay attention to him anymore.
孔乙己等了许久，很恳切的说道，“不能写罢？……我教给你，记着！这些字应该记着。将来做掌柜的时候，写账要用。”
Kong Yiji waited for a long time, and earnestly stated, “You can’t write it can you?......I will teach you, remember this! You should remember these characters. When you are a barkeeper in the future you need to write these characters for your account.”
我暗想我和掌柜的等级还很远呢，而且我们掌柜也从不将茴香豆上账；又好笑，又不耐烦，懒懒的答他道，
I thought to myself, comparing my level to the barkeeper, which were very far apart. Furthermore, our barkeeper never wrote down fennel beans on the account. Once again his words were laughable and I was impatient, lazily answering him back,
“谁要你教，不是草头底下一个来回的回字么？”
“Who wants you to teach me, it's a grass top radical and under it you put the ‘hui’ from ‘huilai’, is it not?”
孔乙己显出极高兴的样子，将两个指头的长指甲敲着柜台，点头说，
Kong Yiji showed a extremely happy expression, two of his fingernails tapped the bar counter as he said,
“对呀对呀！……回字有四样写法⑸，你知道么？”我愈不耐烦了，努着嘴走远。
“Right right!.....the ___character has four ways of writing it, did you know that?” The more that I become impatient, the more he runs at the mouth.
孔乙己刚用指甲蘸了酒，想在柜上写字，见我毫不热心，便又叹一口气，显出极惋惜的样子。
Kong Yiji dipped his fingernail in the wine, and wrote the characters on the bar countertop. He looked at me with hardly any enthusiasm, sighing and in one breath as he showed an extremely pitying expression to me.
有几回，邻居孩子听得笑声，也赶热闹，围住了孔乙己。
Several times, the laughter of neighboring children and the bustling surroundings were heard around Kong Yiji.
他便给他们吃茴香豆，一人一颗。孩子吃完豆，仍然不散，眼睛都望着碟子。
He gave them some fennel beans to eat, one bean for one person. The children at them, still not leaving, their eyes looking expectantly at the small dish.
孔乙己着了慌，伸开五指将碟子罩住，弯腰下去说道，“不多了，我已经不多了。”
Kong Yiji started to panic, stretching out five fingers to cover the dish. He stooped down while saying, “Not much, I already don't have a lot.”
直起身又看一看豆，自己摇头说,“不多不多！多乎哉？不多也。”
He straightened his body out, having a look at the beans, shaking his head to himself as he said, “Not much, not much! More? No more.”
⑹于是这一群孩子都在笑声里走散了。
Thus this group of children all laughing wandered off.
孔乙己是这样的使人快活，可是没有他，别人也便这么过。
Kong Yiji is this type of person who makes others happy, if we didn't have him, how could we be this happy?
有一天，大约是中秋前的两三天，掌柜正在慢慢的结账，取下粉板，忽然说，“孔乙己长久没有来了。 还欠十九个钱呢!”我才也觉得他的确长久没有来了。
One day, about two or three days before the Mid-autumn festival, the barkeeper was in the middle of settling the accounts and getting the black board when he suddenly said, “Kong Yiji hasn’t come by for a long time. He still owes me 19 coins!”I also felt that he indeed hadn’t come by for a while.
一个喝酒的人说道，“他怎么会来？……他打折了腿了。”
A man drinking said, “How could he come?...He broke his legs.”
掌柜说，“哦！”“他总仍旧是偷。 这一回，是自己发昏，竟偷到丁举人家里去了。他家的东西，偷得的么？”“ 后来怎么样？”
The barkeeper said, “oh!” “He is still stealing. This time, he lost his judgment, he went to steal from a successful provincial candidate’s home. How can he successfully steal from him? And then what happened?”
“怎么样？先写服辩⑺，后来是打，打了大半夜，再打折了腿。”
“Then what? First they made him write a repentance letter, then they beat him, beat him in the middle of the night, then beat him again until his legs broke.”
“后来呢？”“后来打折了腿了。”
“Then what?” “After beating him until his legs broke.”
“打折了怎样呢？”“怎样？……谁晓得？许是死了。”
“What happened to him after his legs were broken?” “What?...Who knows? He’s probably dead.”
掌柜也不再问，仍然慢慢的算他的账。
The barkeeper no longer asked any questions, still slowly going over his accounting.
中秋之后，秋风是一天凉比一天，看看将近初冬；我整天的靠着火，也须穿上棉袄了。
After the Mid-Autumn festival, the wind is colder then the day before, almost like winter. All day I am and have to lean by the fire, and put on a padded cotton jacket.
一天的下半天，没有一个顾客，我正合了眼坐着。
One afternoon, there was not even one customer, and I was sitting and just about to close my eyes.
忽然间听得一个声音，“温一碗酒。”
Suddenly, he heard a voice say, “A warm bowl of wine please.”
这声音虽然极低，却很耳熟。看时又全没有人。
This voice was very low, and very familiar. When I looked, there was no person anywhere.
站起来向外一望，那孔乙己便在柜台下对了门槛坐着。
I stood up and looked out into the distance, and there was Kong Yiji sitting below the bar counter by the doorway.
他脸上黑而且瘦，已经不成样子；穿一件破夹袄，盘着两腿，下面垫一个蒲包，用草绳在肩上挂住；见了我，又说道，“温一碗酒。”
His face was black, moreover it was already ruined. He was wearing a tattered lined jacket, his two legs coiled atop a cushion with a grass bag underneath it. A rope was hanging from his shoulder. He saw me and said again, “A warm bowl of wine.”
掌柜也伸出头去，一面说，“孔乙己么？你还欠十九个钱呢！”
The barkeeper extended his head, simultaneously saying, “Kong Yiji? You still own 19 coins!”
孔乙己很颓唐的仰面答道，“这……下回还清罢。这一回是现钱，酒要好。”
Kong Yiji’s face was very dispirited as he answered, “This...I will pay you back next time, I have cash for this time.”
掌柜仍然同平常一样，笑着对他说，
The barkeeper was the same as ever, smiling as he said,
“孔乙己，你又偷了东西了！”
Kong Yiji, you’ve stolen again!”
但他这回却不十分分辩，单说了一句“不要取笑！”
But this time he didn't explain the facts 100%, he only spoke one sentence, “Don’t tease me!”
“取笑？要是不偷，怎么会打断腿？”孔乙己低声说道，“跌断，跌，跌……”他的眼色，很像恳求掌柜，不要再提。
“Tease? If you didn't steal, then how would your legs have been broken?” Kong Yiji’s low voice said, “ I fell and fractured them, fell, fell...” His glance seeming to beg for the barkeeper to not ask him again.
此时已经聚集了几个人，便和掌柜都笑了。
At this moment, several people had gathered and they along with the barkeeper were laughing.
我温了酒，端出去，放在门槛上。
I warmed up the wine, and carried it out, and placed it atop the doorway.
他从破衣袋里摸出四文大钱，放在我手里，见他满手是泥，原来他便用这手走来的。
He took out four coins from the wrecked bag’s pocket and placed them in my hand. I saw that his hands were all muddy, he had used his hands to drag himself here.
不一会，他喝完酒，便又在旁人的说笑声中，坐着用这手慢慢走去了。
Soon, he drank the wine, and once again was next to the people who were laughing. He sat at used his hand to slowly walk away.
自此以后，又长久没有看见孔乙己。
Since then, I haven’t seen Kong Yiji for a long time.
到了年关，掌柜取下粉板说，“孔乙己还欠十九个钱呢！”
The end of the year, the barkeeper took down the blackboard and said, “Kong Yiji still owes 19 coins!”
到第二年的端午，又说“孔乙己还欠十九个钱呢！”到中秋可是没有说，再到年关也没有看见他。
The second year of the boat festival arrived, and he said again, “Kong Yiji still owes 19 coppers!” The Mid-autumn festival came, but no one had seen him. The end of the year came again but still no one had seen him.
我到现在终于没有见——大约孔乙己的确死了。
Up until now I haven’t seen him – Kong Yiji must have really died.
一九一九年三月。⑻
□注释 (Marginal notes)
⑴本篇最初发表于一九一九年四月《新青年》第六卷第四号。发表时篇末有作者的附记如下：“这一篇很拙的小说，还是去年冬天做成的。那时的意思，单在描写社会上的或一种生活，请读者看看，并没有别的深意。但用活字排印了发表，却已在这时候，——便是忽然有人用了小说盛行人身攻击的时候。大抵著者走入暗路，每每能引读者的思想跟他堕落：以为小说是一种泼秽水的器具，里面糟蹋的是谁。这实在是一件极可叹可怜的事。所以我在此声明，免得发生猜度，害了读者的人格。一九一九年三月二十六日记。”
⑵描红纸：一种印有红色楷字，供儿童摹写毛笔字用的字帖。旧时最通行的一种，印有“上大人孔（明代以前作丘）乙己化三千七十士尔小生八九子佳作仁可知礼也”这样一些笔划简单、三字一句和似通非通的文字。
⑶“君子固穷”：语见《论语·卫灵公》。“固穷”即“固守其穷”，不以穷困而改便操守的意思。
⑷进学：明清科举制度，童生经过县考初试，府考复试，再参加由学政主持的院考（道考），考取的列名府、县学籍，叫进学，也就成了秀才。又规定每三年举行一次乡试（省一级考试），由秀才或监生应考，取中的就是举人。
⑸回字有四样写法：回字通常只有三种写法：回、〔外“冂”内“巳”〕、〔“面”之下部〕。第四种写作〔外“囗”内“目”〕（见《康熙字典·备考》），极少见。
⑹“多乎哉？不多也”：语见《论语·子罕》：“大宰问于子贡曰：‘夫子圣者与？何其多能也！’子贡曰：‘固天纵之将圣，又多能也。’子闻之，曰：‘大宰知我乎？吾少也贱，故多能鄙事。’君子多乎哉？不多也。”这里与原意无关。
⑺服辩：又作伏辩，即认罪书。
⑻据本篇发表时的作者《附记》（见注1），本文当作于一九一八年冬天。按：本书各篇最初发表时都未署写作日期，现在篇末的日期为作者在编集时所补记。
* I have read the story Ah Q by 鲁迅 LuXun too, and though I liked Ah Q better this story was a very good one. Ah Q is someone who constantly changes his ideas and feelings with the times and that of those around him, but Kong Yiji stands firm to what he thinks and feels. After reading both,I can now get a clearer image of what 鲁迅 LuXun's idea of what chinese people should strive to be like: someone who is able to change with the times to a certain extent but who does not forget the past completely. Kong Yiji is someone who is completely stuck in the old days, wearing his tattered long robe that shows his prior status and speaking the nonsensical language of old officials. 鲁迅 LuXun shows through this story that this is not the way to be in order to survive in China's now changing times, and that one needs to be open to new things.
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