惜春道:"这样说来，老太太做了观音，你就是龙女了。”
“It sounds as if when Lady Jia becomes Our Lady of Mercy,” said Xi-chun, “you'll have to be her inseparable companion, the Dragon King's daughter!”
却是除了老太太，别的也伏侍不来，不晓得前世什么缘分儿!"
It is true though, I could never serve anyone but Her Old Ladyship.
I must be bound to her by some karma from a past life.”
说着要走，叫小丫头把小绢包打开，拿出来道："这素纸一扎，是写《心经》的。”
With these words Faithful rose to leave, bidding the younger maid untie the little parcel, and exhibiting its contents to Xi-chun. “This roll of plain paper is to be used for the sutra.”
又拿起一子儿藏香，道:"这是叫写经时点着写的。”
And this”---- she held up a bundle of Tibetan incense “is for you to light while copying.”
鸳鸯遂辞了出来，同小丫头来至贾母房中，回了一遍，看见贾母与李纨打双陆，鸳鸯旁边瞧着。
Yuanyang, leaving her, went back with the little maid to make her report to the Lady Dowager.
Finding her playing shuanglu with Li Wan, she stood and watched.
李纨的骰子好，掷下去，把老太太的锤打下了好几个去，鸳鸯抿着嘴儿笑。
Li Wan made some lucky throws and captured several of the old lady's pieces, at which Yuanyang inwardly chuckled.
忽见宝玉进来，手中提了两个细篾丝的小笼子，笼内有几个蝈蝈儿，说道:"我听说老太太夜里睡不着，我给老太太留下解解闷。”
Then in came Baoyu with two miniature cages made of thin bamboo splints, containing green crickets. “I heard you're not sleeping well at night, madam,” he said. “So I'll leave you these to amuse you.
贾母笑道:"你别啾着你老子不在家，你只管淘气。”
“Don't go fooling around now your father's away!”she warned him with a smile.
贾母道:"你没淘气，不在学房里念书，为什么又弄这个东西呢?"
When he protested his innocence, Grandmother J ia asked: “Why aren't you at school then?
What are you up to with those things anyway?”
宝玉道:"不是我自己弄的。
“They weren't my idea, Grannie,” explained Bao-yu.
前儿因师父叫环儿和兰儿对对子，环儿对不来，我悄悄的告诉了他。
This morning, our teacher set Huan and Lan some couplets to write.
Huan couldn't do them, so I secretly helped him.
他说了，师父喜欢，夸了他两句。
When he recited it, the Preceptor was impressed and praised him highly for it.
他感激我的情，买了来孝敬我的。
He bought these for me to show his gratitude.
我才拿了来孝敬老太太的。”
That's why I'm making you a present of them.”
贾母道："他没有天天念书么？
“Doesn't he study every day?
对不上来，就叫你儒大爷爷打他的嘴巴子，看他臊不臊!
If not, then he deserves a good spanking from the Preceptor.
不记得你老子在家时，一叫做诗做词，唬的倒像个小鬼儿似的？
As for you, have you forgotten the state you got into when your father was at home and asked you for a few lines of verse?
那环儿小子更没出息：求人替做了，就变着方法儿打点人。
What a little rascal that Huan is!
To go begging for help, and then look around for a nice present to butter you up with!
博庭欢宝玉赞孤儿 正家法贾珍鞭悍仆
Baoyu, to Please His Grandmother, Praises a Fatherless Boy Jia Zhen, to Uphold Household Discipline, Has Unruly Servants Whipped
却说惜春正在那里揣摩棋谱，忽听院内有人叫彩屏，不是别人，却是鸳鸯的声儿。
As Xichun was studying the treatise on draughts, she heard Caiping's name called in the courtyard and recognized Yuanyang's voice.
彩屏出去，同着鸳鸯进来。
Caiping went out to usher in Yuanyang,
鸳鸯道："老太太因明年八十一岁，是个‘暗九'，许下一场九昼夜的功德，发心要写三千六百五十零一部《金刚经》。
“The old lady will be eighty-one next year, miss.
As that's nine times nine, she's going to offer sacrifices for nine days and nine nights, and she's vowed to have three thousand six hundred and fifty-one copies of the Diamond Sutra made.
但是俗说:《金刚经》就像那道家的符壳，《心经》才算是符胆，故此，《金刚经》内必要插着《心经》，更有功德。
But as people say this sutra, like Taoist canons, is only the shell of truth whereas the Prajnaparamitra Sutra is the kernel, this second sutra must be included as well to make the offering more meritorious.
老太太因《心经》是更要紧的，观自在又是女菩萨，所以要几个亲丁奶奶姑娘们写上三百六十五部。
So now Her Old Ladyship wants copies of that as well, and because of its greater importance as scripture and its connection with Our Lady of Mercy, she wants three hundred and sixty-five copies to be done by the young ladies and young mistresses of the family.