The Last Translator
我叫小林，是一个翻译。
I called Xiaolin, am one (M) translator.
My name is Xiaolin. I'm a translator.
现在大家用手机就能听懂别国的话。
Now everyone use phone then can listen-understand other country (POSS) words.
These days everyone uses a phone to understand other languages.
人不用学外国话了。
People not need learn foreign-country words (PERF).
People don't need to study foreign languages anymore.
我的工作越来越少。
My (POSS) work more-come-more few.
I have less and less work.
以前，公司里有很多翻译。
Before, company inside have very many translator.
The company used to have many translators.
现在只有几个人。
Now only have several (M) people.
Now there are only a few of us.
我是最年轻的，也快没工作了。
I am most young (POSS), also soon not-have work (PERF).
I'm the youngest, and almost out of work too.
那天，一个老人给我打电话。
That day, one (M) old person to me hit-phone.
One day, an old man called me.
他说他家在山里很远的地方。
He says his home at mountain inside very far (POSS) place.
He said his home was deep in the mountains, very far away.
他想请我去帮他翻一封信。
He want invite me go help him translate one (M) letter.
He wanted me to come translate a letter for him.
他说：“手机的翻译做不好。”
He says: "Phone (POSS) translate make not good."
He said, “The phone can't do this translation.”
他的妈妈以前的话，手机听不懂。
His (POSS) mother before (POSS) words, phone listen not understand.
The words his mother used to speak — the phone couldn't understand them.
我坐了八个小时的车，才到他家。
I sit (PERF) eight (M) hour (POSS) car, only-then arrive his home.
I rode for eight hours by car before I reached his house.
他的家在小山旁边。
His (POSS) home at small mountain side.
His home stood beside a small hill.
家里很安静。
Home inside very quiet.
Inside, it was very quiet.
他从一个旧盒子里，给我一封信。
He from one (M) old box inside, give me one (M) letter.
From an old box, he handed me a letter.
信纸已经很黄了。
Letter-paper already very yellow (PERF).
The paper was already very yellow.
他说：“这是我妈妈写给我的，可是我看不太懂。”
He says: "This is my mom write to me (POSS), but I look not too understand."
He said, “My mother wrote this for me, but I can't quite read it.”
他妈妈的话是一种很少有人会的语言。
His mom (POSS) words is one (M) very few have-people can (POSS) language.
His mother's tongue was a language almost no one still spoke.
我打开手机，手机也帮不了我。
I open phone, phone also help not (PERF) me.
I opened my phone, but it couldn't help me either.
我看了很久。
I look (PERF) very long.
I stared at the letter for a long time.
有的字我能猜，有的字我不认识。
Some character I can guess, some character I not recognize.
Some words I could guess. Others I didn't know.
我请老人坐下，慢慢给我读。
I invite old person sit down, slowly to me read.
I asked the old man to sit down and read it to me, slowly.
他读一句，我写一句。
He read one sentence, I write one sentence.
He read a line; I wrote a line.
两个人坐了一下午。
Two (M) people sit (PERF) one afternoon.
The two of us sat there for the whole afternoon.
最后，我用普通话把信写下来。
Finally, I use standard-speech (BA) letter write down.
In the end, I wrote the whole letter out in Mandarin.
信里是：“儿子，你要好好活着。妈妈在山里等你。”
Letter inside is: "Son, you must good-good live (CONT). Mom at mountain inside wait you."
The letter said, “Son, live well. Mom is waiting for you in the mountains.”
老人哭了。我也哭了。
Old person cry (PERF). I also cry (PERF).
The old man cried. So did I.
我明白了：有的话，手机永远翻不出来。
I understand (PERF): some words, phone forever translate not out.
I understood: some words, no phone will ever be able to translate.