I thought of that bald donkey again, thanks to a friend’s recent recommendation.
我再次想起那头秃驴，是朋友最近的推荐。
His big head, fat ears, and that mole on the right side of his upper lip—what was it hinting at?
肥头大耳，上唇偏右一颗痣，明示什么呢？
People say you shouldn’t judge by looks, but you can judge the life behind the looks.
不可"以貌取人"，但可以“以貌取人格”。
He claimed that starting a business drains your mind, tempers your will, and even saves your soul. His photos looked sharp and capable.
他说，创业不仅是心理的消耗和磨练，
也是精神的折磨和救赎，配图干练有为，
I rarely see such a holy liar. And this line of business never goes out of style:
我很少见到如此圣洁的骗子。这永不衰败：
Sell men charm, sell women beauty, sell the old health, sell kids education, sell the rich luxury, sell the poor a path to wealth.
卖男人美色，卖女人美容，卖老人保健，
卖小孩教育，卖富人奢华，卖穷人富经。
He’s good at everything, especially at teaching the poor how to “make money.”
他样样精通，尤其是教穷人赚钱：
Earn five figures a month. Work a few hours a day.
Even a rookie can do it.
It’s the next big wave.
月入五位数，日付几小时，
小白也能做，当前是风口。
A kind, generous living Bodhisattva, saving cattle and horses from fire and water.
善良慷慨的活菩萨，拯救牛马于水火。
You kneel in awe, stretch out your tender green neck,
你虔诚地跪地不起，伸出嫩绿的脖子，
Place it on his shining sickle, and with one pull,
放在菩萨锃亮的镰刀上，身子一拉，
You get sliced open—willingly, gratefully.
割得心甘情愿、感恩戴德。
Each word from him feels like gold; each word from you is taken as gospel.
菩萨一字千金地教，你一丝不苟地学。
Mothers earn fifty thousand. Students earn a hundred thousand.
宝妈月入五万，学生月入十万，
You, strong and healthy, make nothing.
你四肢发达，月入锤子与毛线。
He points at your nose and says you lack discipline.
He must be right, so you bury your head and grind harder.
菩萨指着你的鼻子说执行力不够，
菩萨英明，于是你又埋头苦干。
Money flows into his pockets. Worry flows into your dreams.
钱哗啦啦流进别人的袋，苦恼哗啦啦流进你的梦。
Until one day you wake up and see you’re the fish being cut.
直到你福至心灵，明白自己是被宰杀的鱼。
They aren’t saints. They’re merchants.
他们不是善人，他们只是商人，
They stand at the mouth of the internet, casting countless hooks with bait.
守在互联网之口，林立鱼竿，挂饵放线。
On shore, the buckets are full.
Underwater, the lines pull tight.
岸上盆满桶满，水下众钩扯线，
Beside them sit a wooden fish and a knife.
The water boils.
旁边摆着木鱼和刀，开水滚烫，
And my bald Bodhisattva is snoring—
Even cutting fish wears him out.
而我的秃驴菩萨打鼾，这宰鱼的活把他累得。
2023-4-1 jinehwan
2023 年 4 月 1 日 金河湾