往年怎么给林妹妹过的，如今也照依给薛妹妹过就是了。”
Just celebrate this the same way.”
但昨日听老太太说，问起大家的年纪生日来，听见薛大妹妹今年十五岁，虽不算是整生日，也算得将笄的年分儿了。
“But yesterday the old lady told me she'd been asking everybody's age and learned that Baochai would be fifteen this year,
老太太说要替他做生日，自然和往年给林妹妹做的不同了。”
If the old lady wants to celebrate her birthday specially,it'll have to be different from Daiyu's in the past.”
且说史湘云住了两日，因要回去。
Let us return now to Xiangyun.After spending several days in the Rong Mansion it was time for her to go home,
且说湘云住了两日，便要回去，贾母因说：“等过了你宝姐姐的生日，看了戏再回去。”
but the Lady Dowager urged her to wait until after Baochai's birthday and the performance of operas.
谁想贾母自见宝钗来了，喜他稳重和平，正值他才过第一个生辰，便自己蠲资二十两，唤了凤姐来，交与他置酒戏。
Ever since Bao-chai's first arrival, Grandmother Jia had been pleasurably impressed by her placid and dependable disposition, and now that she was about to spend her first ‘big' birthday in the Jia household, the old lady resolved to make it a memorable one.Taking twenty taels of silver from her private store, she summoned Xi-feng and directed her to spend it on providing wine and plays for a celebration.
凤姐凑趣笑道："一个老祖宗给孩子们作生日，不拘怎样，谁还敢争，又办什么酒戏。
Xifeng teased, “When an Old Ancestress wants to celebrate some grandchild's birthday, no matter how grandly, who are we to protest?”So there's to be a feast and opera too, is there?”
巴巴的找出这霉烂的二十两银子来作东道，这意思还叫我赔上。
- not wait until the last minute and then fish out a measly little twenty taels to pay for the party: that's just another way of telling us we've got to pay for it ourselves.
果然拿不出来也罢了，金的、银的、圆的、扁的，压塌了箱子底，只是勒揹我们。
If you really couldn't afford it, all right.But your cases are bursting with gold and silver ingots of every shape and size the bottoms of the chests are dropping out, they're so full.Yet you're still squeezing us.
难道将来只有宝兄弟顶了你老人家上五台山不成？
You forget, Grannie, when you go to heaven young Bao-yu won't be the only one who'll walk ahead of the hearse.
那些东西只留给他，我们虽不配使，也别太苦了我们，这个够酒的够戏的呢？”
You've got other grandchildren too, don't forget!
You don't have to leave everything to him.
The rest of us may not be much use, but you mustn't be too hard on us.Twenty taels!
Do you really think that's enough to pay for a party and plays?”
够戏的?"
or theatricals?”
说的满屋里都笑起来。
The whole company burst out laughing.
贾母亦笑道：“你们听听这嘴，我也算会说的了，怎么说不过这猴儿。
which Grandmother Jia joined in herself.'Just listen to her!” she said. 'I thought I had a fairly sharp tongue, but I'm no match for this one: “Clack-clack, clack-clack” ― it's worse than a pair of wooden clappers!
听曲文宝玉悟禅机 制灯谜贾政悲谶语
A Song Awakens Baoyu to Esoteric Truths Lantern-Riddles Grieve Jia Zheng with Their Ill Omens
凤姐道："二十一是薛妹妹的生日，你到底怎么样呢？"
'It's Bao-chai's birthday on the twenty-first,' said Xi-feng.'What do you think we ought to do about it?”
凤姐道："大生日料理，不过是有一定的则例在那里。
'There are fixed rules for everything when you are planning a big grown-up celebration,' said Xi-feng;
如今他这生日，大又不是，小又不是，所以和你商量。”
but this is neither big nor small, that's why I wanted your advice.”
凤姐笑道:"我婆婆也是一样的疼宝玉，我也没处去诉冤，倒说我强嘴。”
Not even your mother-in-law would think of arguing with me, but you give me tit for tat.”“My mother-in-lay dotes on Baoyu just as much as you do,”retorted Xifeng with a smile.“So I've no one to take my side.Instead, you make me out a termagant.”
说着，又引着贾母笑了一回，贾母十分喜悦。
Xi-feng's mock-lugubriousness set the old lady off in another squall of laughter.
[add]到晚间，众人都在贾母前，定昏之余，大家娘儿姊妹等说笑时,[戚序本]贾母因问宝钗爱听何戏，爱吃何物。
That night, after the family had gathered to pay their evening respects to the Lady Dowager and then gone on to chat, she asked Baochai to name her favourite operas and dishes.
宝钗深知贾母年老人，喜热闹戏文，爱甜烂之食，便总依贾母往日所喜者说了出来。
Knowing the old lady's partiality for lively shows and sweet, pappy food, Baochai gave these as her own preferences,
贾母更加欢悦。
The old lady was delighted.
次日便先送过衣服玩物礼去，王夫人、凤姐、黛玉等诸人皆有随分不一，不须多记。
The first thing next day she had presents of clothing and trinkets sent to the girl.Lady Wang, Xifeng, Daiyu and the others also sent theirs according to the status of each.But these need not be enumerated in detail.