《中英對照讀新聞》Cambodia’s royal oxen predict plentiful rice harvest - 柬埔寨皇牛預測稻米豐收

柬埔寨茶膠省省長奧奇皮（Ouch Phea，右）在22日預測今年降雨分布及農收情形的「春耕節」帶頭犁田。（歐新社）

◎周虹汶

Cambodia’s royal oxen predicted a plentiful harvest of rice, the country’s biggest crop, at an ancient plowing ceremony on Wednesday.

柬埔寨皇牛週三在一場古代耕田儀式上，預測該國最大作物稻米豐收。

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King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the televised annual ritual in which two oxen are given offerings after plowing a field, marking the start of the rice-growing season in the Southeast Asian country.

國王諾羅敦．西哈莫尼主持這場電視轉播的年度典禮，兩頭公牛在耕了一塊田之後獲得供品，標誌這個東南亞國家稻米生長季節展開。

Dressed in ornate robes and colorful headdresses, the oxen ate 85% of the rice and beans on offer and 90% of the corn in decorated bowls - indicating a bountiful harvest.

穿著華麗的裙子及彩色的頭飾，公牛吃掉待售的8成5稻米與豆子，以及裝飾碗裡的9成玉米——指示豐收。

Palace astrologers make their predictions each year depending on the oxen’s choice of crops and the amount they eat.

宮廷占星家每年根據這些牛隻對作物的選擇及食用量做預測。

“I pray…for seasonal rain and regular weather,” Korng Ken, a Brahmin priest dressed in traditional white robes, said at the ceremony in Takeo province.

身著傳統白袍的婆羅門祭司康肯在茶膠省這場儀式上說，「我祈禱…風調雨順。」

He prayed that “Cambodia avoid any natural disasters that would destroy the agriculture harvests which are the lives of the people and country.” （Reuters）

他祈禱「柬埔寨免於任何可能破壞農作物收成的天災，那是全國民眾與國家命脈。」（路透）

新聞辭典

ritual：名詞，指例行公事、老規矩、儀式。例句：The newspaper is part of my morning ritual.（閱報是我每天早上的必做清單一部分。）

plow：名詞，指犁、除雪機；動詞，指耕地、用犁掘、挖溝、開路、破浪前進、苦讀。例句：They’ve plowed through all the documents related to the case.（他們努力鑽研了此案所有相關文件。）

preside：動詞，指主持、擔任主席。例句：She presided over the collapse of the firm.（在她的領導下，這間公司破產倒閉。）

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