那天京华老友在长话中说， 他们有些上年纪的同行，正在散书或考虑散书。
The other day, my friend Jing Hua told me over the long-distance that some of his elderly colleagues were giving away Or considering giving away the books they owned and that he himself was doing the same.
他就是其中的一个。
The idea originated with a venerable old veteran writer, who said something to the effect that youth is the time for collecting books and old age for giving away books.
原来"散书"之谈，出自一位德高望重的世纪老人、前㹃作家，大意 谓少年是集书的时候，老年是散书的时候。
Yes, getting on in years, one needs to ponder over the question of how to deal with certain things in life.
是啊，人到老年，有些 事不能不考虑该如何处理了。
In recent years, 1, too, have often turned over in my mind the question of books though, in fact, my so-called private library is not worth mentioning.
散书也是近年来我常常想到的问题。
Nevertheless, it has kept aceumulating in the scores of years of my literary career.
我的所谓藏书，实在并不足 道，不过从幼时学文开始，数十年文学生涯中，相偕而来的书日益增 多。
Now. piled up in a jumble here and there in my house, they add up to quite a large a number though.
现在只能将书刊杂乱地到处堆置，倘若集中起来，也是一个小小 的书城。
Years ago, when was transferred to a new post in Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian Province, the removal of my books gave me a big headache.
那年我的工作调到福州，搬家最苦最累的是搬书。
During the several years when I was in that city, my books were lucky enough to survive the disaster of the so-called "Cultural Revolution." But, when I was sent to do manual labour in the remote mountains of northern Fujian, all the books had to 90 with me by truck, which plunged me into a world of trouble.
到福州数年， "文革"期间我的书幸而未遭劫，及至下放到偏僻的闽北山区，全部 书籍都随卡车装去，那真是一种磨难。
Two years later, when I was suddenly transferred back to Fuzhou, the books had to be loaded on a truck again for a long ride over mountains and rivers, exposing themselves to the dew drops of the mountain area and inhaling the aroma of green grass.
两年后忽又调回省城，于是所 有的书又装车回到福州。
It was not until many years later that the books, then packed in boxes, were at last transported back to Shanghai, the place where I had originally come from.
长途漫漫，车上驮着沉重的书，山一程，水 一程，书上沾着山野的露水，带着青草的香味。
I owe the safety of my books to the efforts of my second son, who is physically strong and bright and clever.
直至数年后，那整箱 整箱的书又运回上海，重返我离去的地方。
Books that have survived the age of obscurantism are without doubt an invaluable asset.
全靠我家老二的强劳力和 灵巧聪慧，才能保全颠沛流离中的旧书。
All my old books are my life-long companions.
在焚书的年代d，保存旧书 无异是一笔小财富。
The longer the companionship, the more profound my attachment for them.
这些旧书伴随我一生。
Generally speaking, there are three kinds of books in my private collection, namely, books for required reading that have not yet been read, books for optional reading and books unworthy of reading.
在我的人生道路上相伴愈久，依恋之情也 愈深。
Books of the last kind can be disposed of easily, that is, by selling them off cheap as waste paper bound for the pulp mill.
一般说来，私人藏书大致可分三类：待读又不可不读的书，可 读可不读的书，不读的书。
The second kind of books are most difficult to handle.
最后一类最简单，论斤卖掉当纸浆即可。
I a generally give a glance into them before making a difficult decision on whether to keep them or not.
第二类最难处理，大体上总要过目一遍，常常为一本书的去留煞费踌 躇。
Books are emotional and always reluctant to part from me.
书是有感情的，总是藕断丝连地依依不舍，恨起来快刀斩乱麻统 统散掉。
And sometimes, in a fit of impatience, I will a even feel like resolutely doing away with them all at once.
我年轻时曾说过，书是最忠实的，只要你不离奔，它永不背 叛你。
As I said in my young days, books are most faithful and will never betray you so long as you don't abandon them.
啊，我的书！
Oh, my books!
说到第一类书，古典文学名著的精品以外，有许多文友们著作的 签名本，也有自己喜欢的杂书，都是非保留不可的，生也有涯，将来 不得而知。
Books of the first kind consist of many autographed copies of works by my literary friends and miscellaneous favorite books of mine as well as de luxe editions of literary classics.
散书的年纪到了。
They are to be kept intact by all means.