If the boy were here he could rub it for me and loosen it down from the forearm, he thought. But it will loosen up

Then, with his right hand he felt the difference in the pull of the line before he saw the slant change in the water. Then, as he leaned against the line and slapped his left hand hard and fast against his thigh he saw the line slanting slowly upward.

"He's coming up," he said. "Come on hand. Please come on."

The line rose slowly and steadily and then the surface of the ocean bulged ahead of the boat and the fish came out. He came out unendingly and water poured from his sides. He was bright in the sun and his head and back were dark purple and in the sun the stripes on his sides showed wide and a light lavender. His sword was as long as a baseball bat and tapered like a rapier and he rose his full length from the water and then re-entered it, smoothly, like a diver and the old man saw the great scythe-blade of his tail go under and the line commenced to race out.

"He is two feet longer than the skiff (она на два фута длиннее лодки)," the old man said. The line was going out fast but steadily (леса уходила быстро, но равномерно) and the fish was not panicked (и рыба не паниковала = не была напугана). The old man was trying with both hands to keep the line just inside of breaking strength (старик пытался обеими руками удержать лесу, натянув ее до отказа: «внутри = в границах ее разрывающейся прочности»). He knew that if he could not slow the fish with a steady pressure (он знал, что если он не сможет замедлить рыбу равномерным давлением; to press — давить) the fish could take out all the line and break it (рыба сможет забрать всю лесу и сорваться: «порвать ее»).

He is a great fish and I must convince him (она огромная рыба, и я должен убедить ее), he thought. I must never let him learn his strength (я вовсе не должен допустить, чтобы она узнала о своей силе) nor what he could do if he made his run (или о том, что она может сделать, если пустится наутек). If I were him I would put in everything now (если бы я был на ее месте, я бы приложил все усилия; to put in — напрягать /силы/, прилагать усилия) and go until something broke (и плыл до тех пор, пока что-нибудь бы не лопнуло). But, thank God, they are not as intelligent as we who kill them (но, слава Богу, они не настолько умны, как мы, кто ловит их); although they are more noble and more able (хотя они и более благородны и на большее способны; able — способный, талантливый).

The old man had seen many great fish (старик повидал множество больших рыб). He had seen many that weighed more than a thousand pounds (он видел много таких рыб, которые весили более тысячи фунтов) and he had caught two of that size in his life (и он поймал две рыбы такого размера за всю свою жизнь; to catch), but never alone (но никогда в одиночку). Now alone (сейчас один = сейчас же, когда он был один), and out of sight of land (и в открытом море), he was fast to the biggest fish that he had ever seen (он был привязан к самой большой рыбе, которую он когда-либо видел) and bigger than he had ever heard of (и больше, чем он когда-либо слышал = и о какой даже никогда не слышал), and his left hand was still as tight as the gripped claws of an eagle (а его левая рука все еще была сжата = сведена судорогой, как сжатые когти орла; to grip — схватить, сжать).

"He is two feet longer than the skiff," the old man said. The line was going out fast but steadily and the fish was not panicked. The old man was trying with both hands to keep the line just inside of breaking strength. He knew that if he could not slow the fish with a steady pressure the fish could take out all the line and break it.

He is a great fish and I must convince him, he thought. I must never let him learn his strength nor what he could do if he made his run. If I were him I would put in everything now and go until something broke. But, thank God, they are not as intelligent as we who kill them; although they are more noble and more able.

The old man had seen many great fish. He had seen many that weighed more than a thousand pounds and he had caught two of that size in his life, but never alone. Now alone, and out of sight of land, he was fast to the biggest fish that he had ever seen and bigger than he had ever heard of, and his left hand was still as tight as the gripped claws of an eagle.

It will uncramp though (все же она разойдется), he thought. Surely it will uncramp to help my right hand (конечно же она разойдется, чтобы помочь моей правой руке). There are three things that are brothers (есть три вещи, которые являются братьями): the fish and my two hands (рыба и две мои руки). It must uncramp (она должна разойтись). It is unworthy of it to be cramped (это подло/недостойно с ее стороны — быть сведенной судорогой). The fish had slowed again and was going at his usual pace (рыба снова замедлила движение и плыла с прежней скоростью; pace — скорость, темп).

I wonder why he jumped (интересно, зачем она прыгнула), the old man thought. He jumped almost as though to show me how big he was (она прыгнула как будто для того, чтобы показать, насколько она большая). I know now, anyway (ну что ж, теперь я знаю; anyway — каким бы то ни было образом; так или иначе; во всяком случае; что бы то ни было), he thought. I wish I could show him what sort of man I am (жаль, что я не могу ей показать, что я за человек/мужчина: «какого сорта я человек»). But then he would see the cramped hand (но тогда она бы увидела мою сведенную судорогой руку). Let him think I am more man than I am (пусть думает, что я лучше, чем есть на самом деле: «больше мужчина, чем я есть») and I will be so (и я буду таким). I wish I was the fish (хотел бы я быть рыбой), he thought, with everything he has against only my will and my intelligence (со всем, что у нее есть против всего лишь моей воли и ума = со всем, что она может противопоставить моей воле и моему уму, кроме которых у меня ничего нет).

He settled comfortably against the wood (он удобно устроился, прислонившись к доскам) and took his suffering as it came (и безропотно переносил страдания: «принимал страдания, какими они приходили») and the fish swam steadily (а рыба плыла равномерно) and the boat moved slowly through the dark water (и лодка двигалась медленно через темную воду = разрезая темную воду). There was a small sea rising with the wind coming up from the east (восточный ветер поднял небольшую волну) and at noon the old man's left hand was uncramped (и в полдень левая рука старика разошлась).

It will uncramp though, he thought. Surely it will uncramp to help my right hand. There are three things that are brothers: the fish and my two hands. It must uncramp. It is unworthy of it to be cramped. The fish had slowed again and was going at his usual pace.

I wonder why he jumped, the old man thought. He jumped almost as though to show me how big he was. I know now, anyway, he thought. I wish I could show him what sort of man I am. But then he would see the cramped hand. Let him think I am more man than I am and I will be so. I wish I was the fish, he thought, with everything he has against only my will and my intelligence.

He settled comfortably against the wood and took his suffering as it came and the fish swam steadily and the boat moved slowly through the dark water. There was a small sea rising with the wind coming up from the east and at noon the old man's left hand was uncramped.

"Bad news for you, fish (плохие новости для тебя, рыба)," he said and shifted the line over the sacks that covered his shoulders (и переместил лесу над мешками, которые покрывали его плечи).

He was comfortable but suffering (ему было удобно, но больно), although he did not admit the suffering at all (хотя он и не признавал, что испытывал: «не признавал боль совсем»).

"I am not religious (я неверующий; religious — религиозный, верующий)," he said. "But I will say ten Our Fathers and ten Hail Marys (но я прочту десять раз Отче наш и десять раз Богородицу; to hail — приветствовать; звать, окликать) that I should catch this fish (чтобы поймать эту рыбу), and I promise to make a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Cobre if I catch him (и я обещаю совершить паломничество к Деве Кобре, если поймаю ее). That is a promise (обещаю: «это — обещание»)."

"Bad news for you, fish," he said and shifted the line over the sacks that covered his shoulders.