原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
龍神不在 “The Dragon-Gods Aren't Home”
只聽得那國王問道：「寡人這裡洗耳誠聽，你那裡四聲令響，不見風雨，何也？」道士云：「今日龍神都不在家。」只听得那国王问道：「寡人这里洗耳诚听，你那里四声令响，不见风雨，何也？」道士云：「今日龙神都不在家。」
逐句解 Line by line
只聽得那國王問道：「寡人這裡洗耳誠聽，你那裡四聲令響，不見風雨，何也？」
只听得那国王问道：「寡人这里洗耳诚听，你那里四声令响，不见风雨，何也？」
He only heard that king ask, “Here I have washed my ears and listened in earnest; there on your side the tablet sounded four times, yet no wind or rain is seen — how is that?”
Deictic 那國王 and locative 你那裡: 那 = nà (×2). 聽得: 得 = de. 洗耳誠聽 “to cleanse the ears and listen sincerely.” 不見: 不 = bú before 4th tone.
道士云：「今日龍神都不在家。」
道士云：「今日龙神都不在家。」
The Daoist said, “Today the dragon-gods are none of them at home.”
都不在家: 都 = dōu; 不 = bú before 在 (4th tone). 龍神 “the dragon-deities” (the rain-bringers).
The immortal's excuse — the dragon-gods happen to be away — is a transparent face-saving fiction, and one Wukong is uniquely placed to refute, since he has just been giving those very gods their orders. The stage is set for the Great Sage to call the lie in open court and claim the altar by demonstration.