I could go without sleeping, he told himself. But it would be too dangerous

He started to work his way back to the stern on his hands and knees (он начал свой путь к корме на руках и коленях = на четвереньках), being careful not to jerk against the fish (стараясь не дернуть рыбу; careful — старательный; осторожный). He may be half asleep himself (она, может быть, тоже дремлет), he thought. But I do not want him to rest (но я не хочу, чтобы она отдыхала). He must pull until he dies (она должна тянуть, пока не умрет).

Back in the stern (добравшись до кормы) he turned so that his left hand held the strain of the line across his shoulders (он повернулся так, что его левая рука держала натяжение лесы, перекинутой через плечи) and drew his knife from its sheath with his right hand (и вытащил из ножен нож правой рукой). The stars were bright now (звезды светили ярко теперь) and he saw the dolphin clearly (и он видел дорадо отчетливо) and he pushed the blade of his knife into his head (и он воткнул лезвие ножа в ее голову) and drew him out from under the stern (и вытащил ее из под /настила/ кормы). He put one of his feet on the fish (он поставил одну из своих ног на рыбу) and slit him quickly (и разрезал ее быстро) from the vent up to the tip of his lower jaw (от хвоста до кончика ее нижней челюсти; vent — анальное отверстие у птиц и рыб). Then he put his knife down (затем он положил нож; put down — откладывать, прерывать работу) and gutted him with his right hand (и выпотрошил ее правой рукой), scooping him clean (вычерпав /внутренности/ начисто; to scoop — черпать, вычерпывать) and pulling the gills clear (и выдернув жабры; clear — ясный; совершенно, полностью).

He started to work his way back to the stern on his hands and knees, being careful not to jerk against the fish. He may be half asleep himself, he thought. But I do not want him to rest. He must pull until he dies.

Back in the stern he turned so that his left hand held the strain of the line across his shoulders and drew his knife from its sheath with his right hand. The stars were bright now and he saw the dolphin clearly and he pushed the blade of his knife into his head and drew him out from under the stern. He put one of his feet on the fish and slit him quickly from the vent up to the tip of his lower jaw. Then he put his knife down and gutted him with his right hand, scooping him clean and pulling the gills clear.

He felt the maw heavy and slippery in his hands (желудок был тяжелым и скользким в его руках; maw — сычуг; утроба) and he slit it open (и он разрезал его). There were two flying fish inside (внутри были две летучих рыбы). They were fresh and hard (они были свежие и твердые) and he laid them side by side (и он выложил их бок о бок; side by side — бок о бок, рядом) and dropped the guts and the gills over the stern (и выбросил кишки и жабры за корму). They sank leaving a trail of phosphorescence in the water (они пошли ко дну: «опустились», оставляя след свечения = светящийся след в воде). The dolphin was cold and a leprous gray-white now in the starlight (дорадо была теперь холодной и грязно-белой в свете звезд; leprous — прокаженный, лепрозойный; чешуйчатый) and the old man skinned one side of him (и старик содрал кожу с одного ее бока) while he held his right foot on the fish's head (держа правую ногу на рыбьей голове). Then he turned him over (затем он перевернул ее) and skinned the other side (и содрал кожу с другого бока) and cut each side off from the head down to the tail (и срезал /мясо/ с каждой стороны от головы до хвоста).

He slid the carcass overboard (он выбросил скелет за борт; to slide — скользить; совать) and looked to see if there was any swirl in the water (и посмотрел, нет ли каких-нибудь кругов на воде: «водоворотов»). But there was only the light of its slow descent (но был только свет его медленного погружения; descent — снижение). He turned then (тогда он повернулся) and placed the two flying fish inside the two fillets of fish (и положил две летучие рыбы между двумя филе дельфина; fillet — филе) and putting his knife back in its sheath (и, убрав свой нож обратно в ножны), he worked his way slowly back to the bow (он медленно пробрался на нос лодки). His back was bent with the weight of the line across it (его спина была согнута под тяжестью лесы на ней) and he carried the fish in his right hand (и он нес рыбу в правой руке).

He felt the maw heavy and slippery in his hands and he slit it open. There were two flying fish inside. They were fresh and hard and he laid them side by side and dropped the guts and the gills over the stern. They sank leaving a trail of phosphorescence in the water. The dolphin was cold and a leprous gray-white now in the starlight and the old man skinned one side of him while he held his right foot on the fish's head. Then he turned him over and skinned the other side and cut each side off from the head down to the tail.

He slid the carcass overboard and looked to see if there was any swirl in the water. But there was only the light of its slow descent. He turned then and placed the two flying fish inside the two fillets of fish and putting his knife back in its sheath, he worked his way slowly back to the bow. His back was bent with the weight of the line across it and he carried the fish in his right hand.

Back in the bow (вернувшись на нос) he laid the two fillets of fish out on the wood (он выложил два филе рыбы на доски) with the flying fish beside them (с летучими рыбами рядом с ними). After that he settled the line across his shoulders in a new place (после этого он переместил лесу на своих плечах в новое место) and held it again with his left hand (и снова держал ее левой рукой) resting on the gunwale (опиравшейся о планшир). Then he leaned over the side and washed the flying fish in the water (затем он перегнулся через борт и вымыл летучую рыбу в воде), noting the speed of the water against his hand (обращая внимание на скорость воды у него под рукой; to note — замечать, обращать внимание). His hand was phosphorescent from skinning the fish (его рука светилась оттого, что он ею сдирал кожу рыбе) and he watched the flow of the water against it (и он наблюдал, как вода обтекает ее; to flow — струиться, течь). The flow was less strong (поток был слабее: «менее сильный») and as he rubbed the side of his hand against the planking of the skiff (и когда он потер ребро руки об обшивку лодки; planking — обшивка корабля), particles of phosphorus floated off and drifted slowly astern (частички фосфора отплыли и дрейфовали неторопливо позади лодки; astern — за кормой, позади корабля).

"He is tiring or he is resting (она устает или отдыхает)," the old man said. "Now let me get through the eating of this dolphin (теперь мне надо как-нибудь съесть дорадо: «дай-ка мне пройти через съедение дорадо») and get some rest and a little sleep (отдохнуть и немного поспать)."

Under the stars and with the night colder all the time (под звездами и при становящейся все холоднее ночи) he ate half of one of the dolphin fillets (он съел половину одного филе дорадо) and one of the flying fish (и одну летучую рыбу), gutted and with its head cut off (выпотрошенную и с отрубленной головой).

Back in the bow he laid the two fillets of fish out on the wood with the flying fish beside them. After that he settled the line across his shoulders in a new place and held it again with his left hand resting on the gunwale. Then he leaned over the side and washed the flying fish in the water, noting the speed of the water against his hand. His hand was phosphorescent from skinning the fish and he watched the flow of the water against it. The flow was less strong and as he rubbed the side of his hand against the planking of the skiff, particles of phosphorus floated off and drifted slowly astern.

"He is tiring or he is resting," the old man said. "Now let me get through the eating of this dolphin and get some rest and a little sleep."