Chinese translation to english
Hello, I am new to this group! I found out about it thanks to my religion class about family history.
I have a letter written by my great grandfather who was chinese. We don't know anything about him other than his spanish name and that he was from china. Please can someone help me translate the letter?
Here are photos of it.
Comments
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For some reason, this message only just now popped up on my feed. Strange, because I see you wrote it back in September! I'm so sorry you have not received any answers yet. I'm so glad you found out about FamilySearch Community! It is a great resource for sure.
Let me see if I can direct you to someone who may be able to help. I have a couple of suggestions:
1) FamilySearch has a one-on-one consultation. I know others have received help with translations or been directed to those who can help. Here is the link to sign up: https://www.familysearch.org/family-history-library/family-history-library-research-consultations
2) There is a Chinese group here on Community. You may want to post this question in that group as well. Here is the link for that group you can join: https://community.familysearch.org/en/group/21-chinese-genealogy-research-%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%87%E5%AE%B6%E8%AD%9C%E5%B0%8B%E6%A0%B9
3) There is a large Facebbook group that is over the Asian area. Here is a link to that group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367146666771463/
@서강원 , @Jay Chen 陳仁傑 , @Lina Lee , @Anupong , @Chai , or @吴志宏 Lena Stout do you have any other suggestions to help get this letter translated?
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父親大人膝下，敬稟者，未接。
嚴諭數載，於茲不知旅況若何，家人甚為思念，每欲裁箋求候，祗因地址不詳，無法投遞，焦急萬分，至今年始聞，大人旅居位亞居埠，得悉之下，不勝欣喜，目下總無詳細地址以投寄，但該埠縣僑眾多，為收寄付，來任何梓友亦可代為探交，不肖乃有此信與。大人此書，係先付與張玉波君，代為探交與大人望收，貴址用信？書寫付回，以便日後通訊為禱。
今將家庭狀況略為陳之，大人出國時，不肖仍蟄伏娘胎，去後數月始呱呱墜地，由母親親自接養，自先祖父去世後，祖母胸懷二心，拆我母子分㸑為炊，田產毫無分給，此時由母親個人努力工作，備感艱辛，以維生活，至不肖行將長成，始與瘠田數畝，母親容忍受之，躬耕節食，稍能勉強支持？，近年來人口增多，應酬亦隨之而廣？？，？？？？債臺高築，有不可遏止之勢，不肖今年二十九歲，應該作業贍養家人，奈身軀孱弱，不能做耕𦶮工作，想為商，而錢種又不我許，又無其他清閒工作可做，迫得賦閒在家，僅捕些魚蝦，以資菜餸而已矣。現在家中，母親因在少年時，負擔家政，勤勞過度，身體受些打擊，消瘦不堪，不能出外工作，僅在家中，撫抱招呼孫女，及做些內務工夫，能出外操作者惟拙㓝一人，試問一人之力有限，何能養給數人，所以債台高築者此也，每到年底，討債之聲不絕於耳，登門追討，急為星火，戶堦幾之為穿，迫得同人借本清利，不肖午夜思之，不寒而悚，母親身體之弱，對此亦有關係。母親覩此惡劣環境，每欲挈眷前往南洋，以謀生計，不肖䛷言勸求，力阻其行，並願探訪大人旅止何處，付信請求付錢接濟家用，今探得大人在位埠，她始暫留家鄉，如果聽候至六月
※未接=許久沒有連絡。
※裁箋=寫信。
※不肖=不肖子(筆者自稱)。
有幾個字還未確認，明天繼續努力，晚安。
The below is using online translation tool:
Father's knee, respectfully reported, did not answer.
Yan Yu has been telling me for several years. I don't know how the trip is. My family misses it very much. Every time I want to cut a note, I can't deliver it because the address is unknown. I'm very anxious. Until this year, I heard that my LORD lives in Yaju port. I'm very glad to learn that he doesn't have a detailed address to post at present. However, there are many overseas Chinese in the port county. In order to receive and pay, any catalpa friends can also make friends on his behalf. It's not true that I have this letter. Sir, this book is paid to Mr. Zhang Yubo in advance. I hope to receive it on behalf of you. Do you want to use the letter at your address? Write back for future correspondence.
Today, the family situation is a little different. When adults went abroad, they were still dormant. A few months later, they were born and raised by their mother. Since the death of their grandfather, my grandmother had two hearts and split my mother and son into cooks. There was no distribution of land. At this time, my mother worked hard and felt hard to maintain life. Until Xiao Xing was about to grow, she began to share acres of barren land, Mother tolerates it, goes on a diet and can barely support it?, In recent years, with the increase of population, entertainment has become more and more popular??,???? Debt is high, and there is an irresistible trend. Unfortunately, at the age of 29, I should work to support my family. Nai is weak, can't do farming work, and wants to be a business. I don't allow money planting, and there is no other leisure work to do. I'm forced to be idle at home. I just catch some fish and shrimp to feed my vegetables. Now at home, because she was a teenager, she was overworked and overworked. Her body suffered some blows. She was too thin to go out to work. Only at home, she caressed her granddaughter and did some housekeeping work. Only one person can go out. How can one person support several people with limited power? Therefore, those who are heavily in debt continue to collect debts at the end of each year, When I came to the door to recover, I was anxious for a spark. I had to wear it for a few days. I forced my friends to borrow money to clear profits. I missed it at midnight. It was not cold and creepy. It also had something to do with the weakness of my mother's body. Because of this harsh environment, my mother always wants to send her family members to Nanyang to make a living. She urges them to stop them. She is willing to visit where adults travel and pay letters to ask for money to help their families. Now she has found that adults are in power. She began to stay in her hometown. If she waits until June
※ missed = not contacted for a long time.
※ paper cutting = letter writing.
※ unworthy = unworthy (the author claims to be).
A few words have not been confirmed. Continue to work hard tomorrow. Good night.
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Thank you for your comments. This is all new information and I am so happy to learn more about my chinese great grandfather.
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The following is another part of the letter.
如果聽候至六月無錢付返，？怎樣阻撓，亦萬難阻其行，非她故意將作此舉，實出於萬不得已之事，因為現下家計日非，無法撐持，若不往書，長此過去，惟有坐以待斃，終非善策，㨿母親說謂：南洋係工業地方，每日有工可做，每工最少可得數角，該地生活程度不高，除伙食外，尚有盈餘，並且所做之工全數過手，不過肩，較之在鄉優勝數倍，所以她往洋者此也，惟是不肖要遠離家鄉，遺棄𠫂墓，心有所不願耳，特地將情稟告，望閱書後俯念妻子之情，付回數百元，以資清償債東，及做些小小生意，一方面安置不肖之身，不致無所事事，一面賺些錢以維家務，另一面減少母親憂慮，恢復其健康，及打消其往洋之念，有些種種關係，請大人不要漠視，勿作斯言為？？可也，為？之？，請即回音示知，以免企盼為禱。
再者，發生戰爭以來，四行侵略，派出戰艦封鎖我沿海，本縣海面時有敵船，在此游弋停泊，舊？舊曆九月二十日，敵船派遣電船數艘、拖帆船數艘，載敵兵數百，企圖在本鄉登陸，我？？及壯丁即分伏本村四週，俟敵船駛至距陸不遠，一聲號令，奮勇抗戰，槍聲卜卜，密為燃放炮竹，在海外敵船數艘，亦發炮百餘響掩護，猛向本村射擊，同時，敵又派飛機十餘，在本村空中投彈廿餘枚，可幸技術低劣，盡數落空，復開機關槍，向村內掃射全村之屋，瓦面盡被戳穿，為米篩一樣，此役約戰數小時，始將敵擊退，敵死傷數十人，我方無捐失，僅？教之園、先園松柏、及其侄？之屋，被炮彈擊燬，亦云不幸中之幸也。
現在家人自母親以次，俱各無恙，差堪告慰，餘寫後續，專此，敬請金安
不肖男黃玉義跪稟，舊曆一月廿九日。
※㨿=據
※生活程度=消費水準
※過手，不過肩=工作項目只要搬抬至手的高度，不必扛過肩膀的高度。形容工作輕鬆。
※舊曆=農曆
※密為燃放炮竹=多到像放炮竹一樣
※為米篩一樣=像米篩一樣(都是洞)
※差堪告慰=稍微能够感到安慰
If you have no money to pay back until June,? It's hard to stop her from doing anything. She didn't do it on purpose. It's really a last resort because now her family has a bad day and can't support it. If she doesn't go to the book, it's not a good policy to wait and die in the long past. Her mother said: Nanyang is an industrial place. There are jobs to do every day, and each job can get at least a few cents. The living standard in this place is not high. In addition to food, there is still a surplus, And all the work she has done is no more than the shoulder, which is several times better than that in her hometown. Therefore, she also goes abroad. However, she has to stay away from her hometown and abandon her tomb. She doesn't want to hear it. She especially reports her feelings. After reading the book, she pays back hundreds of yuan to pay off her debts and do some small business. On the one hand, she arranges for an unworthy body and doesn't have to do anything, On the one hand, I earn some money to maintain my housework. On the other hand, I reduce my mother's anxiety, restore her health, and eliminate her desire to go abroad. Please don't ignore and make such remarks?? But why? Of course?, Please reply immediately so as not to pray.
Moreover, since the war, the four lines of aggression have sent warships to blockade our coast. There are enemy ships in the sea of our county, cruising and berthing here. Old? On September 20 of the old calendar, the enemy ship dispatched several electric boats and several tugboats, carrying hundreds of enemy soldiers, in an attempt to land in our hometown. I?? When the enemy ships arrived not far from the land, they gave an order to fight bravely, and the gunfire was divined. Several enemy ships overseas also fired more than 100 shots to cover them and shot at the village. At the same time, the enemy sent more than 10 aircraft to drop more than 20 bombs in the air of the village. Fortunately, they were all defeated by poor technology. They reopened machine guns and shot at the houses of the whole village, The tile surface was completely exposed. It was like a rice sieve. The battle lasted for several hours before the enemy was repulsed. The enemy died and injured dozens of people. We didn't lose anything, only? The garden of religion, the first garden of pines and cypresses, and their nephew? The house of was destroyed by shells, which is also a blessing in misfortune.
Now the family is all right from their mother. I'm sorry. I'll write the follow-up. Please Jin'an
Huang Yuyi, an unworthy man, knelt down and reported it on January 29 of the old calendar.
※ 㨿 = Data
※ living standard = consumption standard
※ overhand, but shoulder = work items only need to be carried to the height of hand, not over shoulder. Describe work as easy.
※ old calendar = lunar calendar
※ the density is to set off firecrackers = as many as firecrackers
※ like a rice screen = like a rice screen (all holes)
※ poor comfort = a little comfort
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Thank you so much brother!!! I am so grateful for your help! It is incredible what internet can do and how it is a blessing.
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