娶我女兒─《請你準備好那份聘禮》

Do you want to marry my daughter? Please prepare yourself for that betrothal money.

我想，總有一天，你會帶著你的父母來提親，因為我的女兒是如此美麗、可愛、有才氣、貼心，簡直就像上帝派來凡間的天使。

I reckon that sooner or later you would bring your parents to my home to propose marriage to my daughter; for she is such a beautiful, vivacious, talented and thoughtful girl, just like an angel sent from Heaven to this mundane world.

你要跟我談聘金嗎？我想你是付不起的。

Gonna talk about the betrothal money with me? I bet you can’t afford it.

我們就來談談從小我在女兒身上花費的錢吧！

Okay, let’s talk about the money I’ve spent on my daughter since she was born.

你知道為什麼她的英文如此流利，各國通行無阻，英、日文難不倒她呢？

Do you know why she is so proficient in English, as well as in Japanese, that she is capable of travelling anywhere in the world without much ado?

因為從小每一年花在上英文日文課的錢，一年超過十萬塊，她少說學了十年，光是語言方面，就花掉一百多萬。

Because since she was a kid, I had invested in her learning English and Japanese for over a hundred thousand NT for no less than ten years, so on her language classes alone, it had cost me over one million.

還有你最愛她彈著鋼琴的優美模樣，但是，這也是錢堆砌起來的，十幾年來學鋼琴的費用，兩百萬是跑不掉的。

And that graceful way she’s playing the piano has been the very sight for the sore eyes of yours; I’m telling you, that is also the result of piles of money, at least two millions in ten odd years.

還有每一年的學費，私立高中、私立大學，幾年來也絕對不少於一百萬。

Furthermore, the tuition of private high school and college over the years had been no less than a million.

更別提每天的三餐，留學的費用，光是能夠拿到「收據」的費用，你可能付我五百萬都無法全部 cover 掉。

There are a lot more, let alone the meals every day, studying abroad; most likely a sum of five millions couldn’t be enough for those expenses with “receipts” only.

更何況，我不要把女兒「賣」給你，所以，你是不可能用錢買到我女兒的，因為我女兒的價值，還不僅僅於此。

Much less, my daughter is not for “sale”; therefore, you can’t buy her with your money because she’s worth much, much more than this.

在我心裡，她是無價之寶。

She is the priceless treasure to me!

她的一個微笑，是我生命中最美好的禮物。

A single smile from her lips brings me the most wonderful gift of my life.

她貼心的按摩，是任何專業按摩師都無法取代的，因為每一個手勢，有她的愛，有我的感動。

The intimate massage she gives me is irreplaceable by anyone, not even a professional, for every loving stroke she’s moving moves me deep.

她的每一顆晶瑩淚珠，都是我與她不斷衝突下，溶解彼此的美好果實，我們在爭吵、和解、瞭解、更加緊密相愛中不斷成長。

Every teardrop glistening in her eyes has been the sweet fruit out of melting egos throughout continual dissonance between us. Our affection for each other grows among bickering, reconciling, understanding, and thus becomes ever closer.

女兒與我之間的愛，是拿數億金錢也無法切斷的。

Our bond of love is absolutely indestructible; not even a billion dollars can tear us apart.

所以，親愛的女婿，即使你有萬貫家財，你也買不起我的女兒。

Therefore, my dear son-in-law, even if you are a billionaire, still you can’t afford to buy my daughter.

所以，我的女兒不「賣」給你，也不「嫁」給你。

So I won’t “sell” my daughter to you, nor “marry” her to you.

她只是要跟你結婚，跟你一起共組一個家庭。

You two are just going to wed each other, organizing a family of yours.

所以，不要跟我談聘金了，你是付不起的，我的女兒，她是無價之寶。

Again, don’t you discuss betrothal money with me any more; you just can’t afford it because my daughter is priceless.

即使你們結婚了，即使你們住在一個獨立的小房子裡面，她仍然是我的女兒，我仍然是她的母親，我們之間的愛，也永遠不會消失。

Even you two get married, and live in an independent cabin, she is still my girl; I am still her mother. Our affection will never, ever fade away.

既然我不是要賣女兒，而你，也不可能買得起。

Now that I am not selling my daughter, and you can not afford buying her,

我跟我的女兒，仍然要像以前那樣互動，那樣相愛。

So let’s get real, my daughter and I will maintain our relationship with loving care like we are used to be.

你們是立下婚約，婚約是宣示兩人要彼此相守，而不是簽訂某一方的奴隸條約。

Granted that you guys enter into an agreement, a marriage vow, in stead of signing an unilateral slave contract,

所以，我也要你承諾，用對待一個人該有的態度對待她，不是把她當成佣人或奴僕。

So I want you to guarantee that you will treat her with humanity, not like a maid or a slave.

你會難過的事情，她也會難過。

When you feel sad, so will she.

你會感到疲憊的事情，她也會感到疲憊。

When you feel weary, so will she, too.

請以體貼你自己的方式，來體貼她。

Please be kind and considerate towards her like the way towards yourself.

我仔細想了想，我還是想要一樣聘金。

I have been thinking about this matter over and over again; at last I do have something like the betrothal money to ask from you.

那就是你的心，願意用良善、同理心、無限的愛，來對待我女兒的心。

That is your true heart, willing to treat her with kindness, empathy and your boundless love.

雖然，我的女兒現在只有三歲，不過，我相信總有一天你會看到這篇文章的。

My daughter now is only three; nonetheless, I believe someday, somewhere you will read this article of mine.

我怕等你來提親時，我已經老邁的想不起這些話了，所以先寫在這裡。

I am afraid by the time you come to me for the proposal, I shall have been too old to recall these words, so I write them down here in advance.

請你準備好那份聘禮── 你的心。

Please prepare yourself for the “betrothal money”—-Your heart.