He held the tiller under his arm and soaked both his hands in the water as the skiff drove forward

"God knows how much that last one took," he said.

"But she's much lighter now." He did not want to think of the mutilated under-side of the fish. He knew that each of the jerking bumps of the shark had been meat torn away and that the fish now made a trail for all sharks as wide as a highway through the sea.

He was a fish to keep a man all winter (она была рыбой, которая могла прокормить человека всю зиму), he thought. Don't think of that. Just rest and try to get your hands in shape to defend what is left of him (просто отдыхай и постарайся привести руки в форму, чтобы защитить то, что от нее осталось). The blood smell from my hands means nothing now (запах крови от моих рук теперь ничего не значит) with all that scent in the water (со всем этим запахом в воде). Besides they do not bleed much (кроме того, они не так сильно кровоточат). There is nothing cut that means anything (на ней нет порезов, которые что-либо значат = нет серьезных ран). The bleeding may keep the left from cramping (а кровопускание может уберечь левую руку от судороги).

What can I think of now (о чем я могу сейчас думать)? he thought. Nothing (ни о чем). I must think of nothing (мне лучше ни о чем не думать) and wait for the next ones (и ждать следующих /акул/). I wish it had really been a dream (хотелось бы мне, чтобы это действительно был сон), he thought. But who knows (но кто знает)? It might have turned out well (все может закончиться хорошо; to turn out — выйти, закончиться /с таким-то результатом/).

The next shark that came was a single shovelnose (следующая появившаяся акула была одна, и тоже широконосая). He came like a pig to the trough (она подплыла, как свинья /подходит/ к своему корыту) if a pig had a mouth so wide that you could put your head in it (если бы у свиньи был рот настолько широк, что в него можно было бы положить голову). The old man let him hit the fish (старик позволил ей укусить рыбу) and then drove the knife on the oar down into his brain (а затем вонзил нож на весле в мозг). But the shark jerked backwards as he rolled (но акула дернулась назад, когда переворачивалась) and the knife blade snapped (и лезвие ножа сломалось).

He was a fish to keep a man all winter, he thought. Don't think of that. Just rest and try to get your hands in shape to defend what is left of him. The blood smell from my hands means nothing now with all that scent in the water. Besides they do not bleed much. There is nothing cut that means anything. The bleeding may keep the left from cramping.

What can I think of now? he thought. Nothing. I must think of nothing and wait for the next ones. I wish it had really been a dream, he thought. But who knows? It might have turned out well.

The next shark that came was a single shovelnose. He came like a pig to the trough if a pig had a mouth so wide that you could put your head in it. The old man let him hit the fish and then drove the knife on the oar down into his brain. But the shark jerked backwards as he rolled and the knife blade snapped.

The old man settled himself to steer (старик уселся за руль). He did not even watch the big shark sinking slowly in the water (он даже не смотрел, как большая акула медленно тонет в воде), showing first life-size (показывая сначала /свой/ реальный размер), then small (затем /становясь/ меньше), then tiny (а затем /став/ совсем крошечной). That always fascinated the old man (это всегда захватывало старика; to fascinate — восхищать, приводить в восторг, очаровывать, пленять; гипнотизировать, зачаровывать). But he did not even watch it now (но теперь он даже не смотрел).

"I have the gaff now (у меня есть багор = у меня остался багор)," he said. "But it will do no good (но от него толку мало). I have the two oars (у меня есть два весла) and the tiller (румпель) and the short club (и короткая дубинка)."

Now they have beaten me (теперь они меня победили), he thought. I am too old to club sharks to death (я слишком стар, чтобы забить дубиной акулу до смерти). But I will try it as long as I have the oars (но я буду пробывать до тех пор, пока у меня будут весла) and the short club (дубинка) and the tiller (и румпель).

He put his hands in the water again to soak them (он снова опустил руки в воду, чтобы намочить их). It was getting late in the afternoon (близился вечер) and he saw nothing but the sea and the sky (и он не видел ничего, кроме море и неба). There was more wind in the sky than there had been (ветра в небе было больше = ветер дул сильнее), and soon he hoped that he would see land (и он надеялся, что вскоре увидет землю).

"You're tired, old man (ты устал, старик)," he said. "You're tired inside (ты устал внутри = душа у тебя устала)."

The old man settled himself to steer. He did not even watch the big shark sinking slowly in the water, showing first life-size, then small, then tiny. That always fascinated the old man. But he did not even watch it now.

"I have the gaff now," he said. "But it will do no good. I have the two oars and the tiller and the short club."