Foolishness

Gimpel's Foolishness
In many stories there are series of conflicts with an individual and his society.
In "Gimpel the Fool," written by Isaac Bashevis Singer, there is conflict between
Gimpel and the society in which he lives in. Gimpel is portrayed as a foolish man
who has been getting stepped on by the townspeople ever since he was a child. In
"Gimpel the Fool" Singer shows how society can abuse the weakness of one man for
their own personal enjoyment, therefore, shaping ones role in the community.
The major conflict of the story deals with Gimpel's relationship towards
people in his community. Gimpel is always being mocked at for being naive. The
people in his community take advantage of his short coming and make it even worse.
The odd thing is that Gimpel allows this to be done to him. He even admits to
knowing they are lying. Gimpel says, "I knew very well that nothing of the sort had
happened, but... maybe something had happened." (Singer 62) This proves that
Gimpel is not as dumb as others believe. The thing Gimpel has that no one else is
shown as having is moral values. Gimpel's conscience does not allow him to perceive
what is true and what is not true. Gimpel will end up feeling bad if he accuses
someone of lying, so he perceives everyone as trying to tell the truth.. Gimpel sees
everyone as trustworthy, hoping that they would have the same values as himself.
An even bigger and more complex conflict seems to arise between Gimpel
himself. He is fearful of what others might think of him if he acts rationally. He
believes he is going to offend them, when in reality he is offending himself. Again,
this is an example of his conscience getting in his way. Gimpel says, "...the whole
town came down on me! If I ever dared say, 'Ah, you're kidding!'" (Singer 62)
Gimpel would rather look foolish than have to deal with the scrutiny of having to
fight back. He even describes himself as a strong man who cannot be easily pushed
around, but wants to avoid confrontation at all means possible. Gimpel himself creates
the conflict between him and society.
The townspeople are to blame as well for this conflict. They have been able to
intimidate Gimple into believing anything they say. Whenever Gimpel tries to
confront them about their pranks they become outraged. As if there was no reason not
to believe them. The town does a good job working as a collective group against
Gimpel. They are careless, viscous, and do not know when to leave Gimple alone.
They are the ones that shaped Gimpel into being a foolish man with all the ridicule
they gave him.
Gimpel's wife is a symbol of how society has treated him. His wife did not
respect him or care about him, but Gimpel stayed by her side because he had high
moral values. All his wife did during her lifetime was make Gimpel look like a fool.
She cheated on him various times and had children out of wedlock. Gimpel was
never able to confront his wife without ever feeling foolish afterwards. Whenever he
would try to confront his wife about the men he has seen sleeping in her bed, she

would say he was hallucinating. Gimpel being a fool would believe her and
eventually forgive her at the end. Instead of pulling pranks on him, she would cheat
on him, yell names and obscenities and, continually lie to him. Even though his wife
treated him badly, he still cared for her and her children as if they were his own.
Gimpel's problem is that he thinks to much about what other people think. His
entire life he has been labeled as the foolish one. All of a sudden, if he began to
confront the community about how he felt, he would no longer have a role in society.
He is afraid of what other people are going to tell him and how they will react towards
him. He has already grown and adapted this role that society has placed on him. He
knows what everyone thinks of him. In the opening paragraph Gimpel says he was
called names like, "imbecile, donkey, flax-head, dope, glump, ninny, and fool."
(Singer 61) Its not like Gimpel was not aware of what people thought of him.
Gimpel almost sought to the same level as the townspeople. After his wife
passed away Gimpel felt depressed and this is when he was tempted by the devil to
urinate on all the bread. Gimpel seriously contemplated the idea to the point where he
actually did do it. Later on that night though he had a dream with his wife that made
him feel guilty. Even though, the only thing the townspeople have ever made him feel
is low. He still was not able to get back at them when he had his chance because he
keeps letting his conscience get to him.
The conflict between Gimpel and the townspeople is only resolved when
Gimpel assures himself that anything can happen. Singer is able to show how society
can make someone feel if they are continually attacked and the impact they can have
on someone's life. a If Gimpel was never mocked at he could have turned into a man
who would not be able to express his opinion. But since society decided to label him
as a fool, that is what he stayed for most of his life. Most importantly, Singer is trying
to explain how outside sources can shape ones life and turn them into someone they
are not.

Bibliography:
Works Sited
Singer, Isaac Bashevis. "Gimpel the Fool." Introduction to Literature. 2nd ed. Ed.
Muller,
Gilbert H., and John A. Williams. United States of America:
McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1985.
61-70.

Gimpel Fool yang

Isaac Bashevis Singer Isaac Bashevis Singer
I am Gimpel the fool. Saya Gimpel bodoh. I don't think myself a fool. Saya tidak
berpikir sendiri bodoh. On the contrary. Sebaliknya. But that's what folks call me. Tapi itulah
orang-orang memanggil saya. They gave me the name while I was still in school. Mereka
memberi saya nama saat aku masih di sekolah. I had seven names in all: imbecile, donkey,
flax-head, dope, glump, ninny, and fool. Saya memiliki tujuh nama di semua: bodoh, keledai,
rami-kepala, obat bius, glump, nini, dan bodoh. The last name stuck. Nama terakhir macet.
What did my foolishness consist of? Apa ketololan saya terdiri dari? I was easy to take in.
They said, "Gimpel, you know the rabbi's wife has been brought to childbed?" Aku mudah
untuk mengambil masuk Mereka berkata, "Gimpel, kau tahu rabi istri telah dibawa ke nifas?"
So I skipped school. Jadi aku bolos sekolah. Well, it turned out to be a lie. Nah, ternyata
menjadi dusta. How was I supposed to know? Bagaimana aku bisa tahu? She hadn't had a
big belly. Dia tidak punya perut besar. But I never looked at her belly. Tapi aku tidak pernah
melihat perutnya. Was that really so foolish? Apakah itu benar-benar begitu bodoh? The gang
laughed and hee-hawed, stomped and danced and chanted a good-night prayer. geng itu
tertawa dan hee-ragu, berderap dan menari dan meneriakkan sebuah malam doa yang baik.
And instead of the raisins they give when a woman's lying in, they stuffed my hand full of goat
turds. Dan bukan pada kismis yang mereka berikan ketika seorang wanita terbaring di,
mereka diisi tanganku penuh kotoran kambing. I was no weakling. Aku tidak lemah. If I
slapped someone he'd see all the way to Cracow. Jika saya memukul seseorang ia akan
melihat semua cara untuk Cracow. But I'm really not a slugger by nature. Tapi aku benarbenar bukan slugger oleh alam. I think to myself: Let it pass. Saya berpikir sendiri: Biarkan itu
berlalu. So they take advantage of me. Jadi, mereka mengambil keuntungan dari saya.
I was coming home from school and heard a dog barking. Aku pulang dari sekolah dan
mendengar gonggongan anjing. I'm not afraid of dogs, but of course I never want to start up
with them. Aku tidak takut anjing, tapi tentu saja aku tidak pernah ingin memulai dengan
mereka. One of them may be mad, and if he bites there's not a Tartar in the world who can
help you. Salah satu dari mereka mungkin akan marah, dan jika ia menggigit tidak ada Tartar
di dunia yang dapat membantu Anda. So I made tracks. Jadi saya membuat trek. Then I
looked around and saw the whole market place wild with laughter. Lalu aku melihat sekeliling
dan melihat tempat seluruh pasar liar dengan tawa. It was no dog at all but Wolf-Leib the
Thief. Ini adalah anjing sama sekali Wolf Leib-tapi si Pencuri. How was I supposed to know it
was he? Bagaimana aku bisa tahu itu dia? It sounded like a howling bitch. Ini terdengar
seperti melolong jalang.
When the pranksters and leg-pullers found that I was easy to fool, every one of them
tried his luck with me. Ketika pranksters dan-kaki penarik menemukan bahwa aku mudah
untuk menipu, setiap salah satu dari mereka mencoba keberuntungannya dengan saya.
"Gimpel the Czar is coming to Frampol; Gimpel, the moon fell down in Turbeen; Gimpel, little
Hodel Furpiece found a treasure behind the bathhouse." "Gimpel tsar akan datang untuk
Frampol; Gimpel, bulan jatuh di Turbeen; Gimpel, sedikit Hodel Furpiece menemukan sebuah
harta karun di belakang kamar mandi." And I like a golem believed everyone. Dan aku suka
golem yang diyakini semua orang. In the first place, everything is possible, as it is written in
the Wisdom of the Fathers, I've forgotten just how. Di tempat pertama, semuanya mungkin,
seperti yang tertulis dalam Kebijaksanaan para Bapa, aku sudah lupa betapa. Second, I had
to believe when the whole town came down on me! Kedua, saya harus percaya ketika seluruh
kota datang pada saya! If I ever dared to say, "Ah, you're kidding!" Jika aku pernah berani
untuk mengatakan, "Ah, kau bercanda!" there was trouble. ada masalah. People got angry.
Orang-orang marah. 'What do you mean! 'Apa maksudmu! You want to call everyone a liar?"
What was I to do? I believed them, and I hope at least that did them some good. Anda ingin
memanggil semua orang pembohong mereka? "Apa yang saya lakukan? Saya percaya, dan
saya berharap setidaknya yang tidak mereka beberapa baik.
I was an orphan. Aku adalah seorang yatim piatu. My grandfather who brought me up
was already bent to- ward the grave. Kakek saya yang membawa saya sudah membungkuk
ke-bangsal kubur. So they turned me over to a baker, and what a time they gave me there!
Jadi mereka berpaling saya ke tukang roti, dan apa waktu mereka memberi saya sana! Every

woman or girl who came to bake a batch of noodles had to fool me at least once. Setiap
wanita atau gadis yang datang untuk memanggang batch mie harus membodohi saya
setidaknya sekali. "Gimpel, there's a fair in heaven; Gimpel, the rabbi gave birth to a calf in
the seventh month; Gimpel, a cow flew over the roof and laid brass eggs." "Gimpel, ada yang
adil di surga; Gimpel, rabbi itu melahirkan anak sapi pada bulan ketujuh; Gimpel, sapi terbang
di atas atap dan telur kuningan diletakkan." A student from the yeshiva came once to buy a
roll, and he said, "You, Gimpel, while you stand here scraping with your baker's shovel the
Messiah has come. The dead have arisen." Seorang mahasiswa dari yeshiva datang sekali
untuk membeli roll, dan dia berkata, "Kau, Gimpel, sementara Anda berdiri di sini gesekan
dengan's roti sekop Anda Mesias telah datang.. Yang mati telah timbul" "What do you mean?"
"Apa maksudmu?" I said. Kataku. 'I heard no one blowing the ram's horn!" He said, "Are you
deaf?' "Aku mendengar ada orang meniup tanduk domba jantan tuli!" Dia berkata, "Apakah
kamu?" And all began to cry, 'We heard it, we heard!' Dan semua mulai menangis, "Kami
mendengar hal itu, kami mendengar!" Then in came Rietze the Candle-dipper and called out
in her hoarse voice, "Gimpel, your father and mother have stood up from the grave. They're
looking for you.' Kemudian pada datang Rietze Lilin-timba dan berseru dengan suara seraknya, "Gimpel, ayah dan ibumu telah bangkit dari kubur.. Mereka mencari Anda
To tell the truth, I knew very well that nothing of the sort had happened, but all the
same, as folks were talking, I threw on my wool vest and went out. Sejujurnya, saya tahu
betul bahwa hal semacam itu telah terjadi, tetapi semua sama, seperti orang berbicara, saya
melemparkan di rompi wol saya dan pergi keluar. Maybe something had happened. Mungkin
sesuatu telah terjadi. What did I stand to lose by looking? Apa yang saya akan kehilangan
dengan melihat? Well, what a cat music went up! Nah, apa musik kucing naik! And then I took
a vow to believe nothing more. Lalu aku mengambil bersumpah untuk percaya tidak lebih. But
that was no go either. Tapi itu tidak pergi juga. They confused me so that I didn't know the big
end from the small. Mereka bingung saya agar saya tidak tahu akhir besar dari kecil.
I went to the rabbi to get some advice. Aku pergi ke rabi untuk mendapatkan beberapa
saran. He said, "It is written, better to be a fool all your days than for one hour to be evil. You
are not a fool. They are the fools. For he who causes his neighbor to feel shame loses
Paradise himself." Dia berkata, "Ada tertulis, lebih baik untuk menjadi bodoh semua hari-hari
Anda dari satu jam untuk menjadi jahat.. Anda tidak bodoh Mereka adalah orang bodoh.
Karena ia yang menyebabkan tetangganya merasa malu kehilangan surga sendiri."
Nevertheless the rabbi's daughter took me in. As I left the rabbinical court she said, "Have you
kissed the wall yet?" Namun demikian rabi putri membawa saya masuk Saat aku
meninggalkan pengadilan rabbi dia berkata, "Apakah Anda mencium dinding belum?" I said,
"No; what for?" Aku berkata, "Tidak, untuk apa?" She answered, "It's the law; you've got to do
it after every visit." Dia menjawab, "Ini hukum, Anda harus melakukannya setelah setiap
kunjungan." Well, there didn't seem to be any harm in it. Nah, ada sepertinya tidak akan
membahayakan di dalamnya. And she burst out laughing. Dan dia tertawa. It was a fine trick.
Ini adalah sebuah trik halus. She put one over on me, all right. Dia meletakkan satu di atas
pada saya, oke.
I wanted to go off to another town, but then everyone got busy matchmaking, and they
were after me so they nearly tore my coat tails off. Aku ingin pergi ke kota lain, tapi kemudian
semua orang punya jodoh sibuk, dan mereka setelah saya sehingga mereka hampir merobek
ekor mantel off. They talked at me and talked until I got water on the ear. Mereka berbicara
pada saya dan berbicara sampai aku punya air di telinga. She was no chaste maiden, but
they told me she was virgin pure. Dia bukan gadis suci, tetapi mereka bilang dia itu masih
perawan murni. She had a limp, and they said it was deliberate, from coyness. Dia pincang,
dan mereka mengatakan hal itu disengaja, dari hal malu. She had a bastard, and they told,
me the child was her little brother. Dia anak haram, dan mereka mengatakan, aku anak itu
adiknya. I cried, "You're wasting your time. I'll never marry that whore." Aku menangis, "Kau
membuang-buang waktu anda.. Akan aku tidak pernah bahwa menikah pelacur" But they said
indignantly, 'What a way to talk! Tapi mereka berkata marah, "Apa cara untuk bicara! Aren't
you ashamed of yourself? Apakah kau tidak malu pada dirimu sendiri? We can take you to
the rabbi and have you fined for giving her a bad name.' Kita dapat membawa Anda ke rabbi
dan telah Anda didenda karena memberi namanya buruk sebuah. " I saw then that I wouldn't
escape them so easily and I thought: They're set on making me their butt. Aku melihat bahwa
aku tidak akan melarikan diri mereka begitu mudah dan saya berpikir: Mereka set pada
membuat saya butt mereka. But when you're married the husband's the master, and if that's
all right with her it's agreeable to me too. Namun, bila Anda menikah suami's master, dan jika

itu baik-baik saja dengan dia itu menyenangkan untuk saya juga. Besides, you can't pass
through life unscathed, nor expect to. Selain itu, Anda tidak dapat melewati hidup tanpa
cedera, atau berharap untuk.
I went to her clay house, which was built on the sand, and the whole gang hollering
and chorusing, came after me. Aku pergi ke rumah tanah liat-nya, yang dibangun di atas
pasir, dan seluruh geng berteriak dan chorusing, datang setelah aku. They acted like bearbaiters. Mereka bertindak seperti beruang-baiters. When we came to the well they stopped all
the same. Ketika kami tiba di sumur mereka berhenti semua sama. They were afraid to start
anything with Elka. Mereka takut untuk memulai sesuatu dengan Elka. Her mouth would open
as if it were on a hinge, and she had a fierce tongue. Mulutnya akan terbuka seolah-olah itu
pada engsel, dan ia memiliki lidah yang sengit. I entered the house. Aku masuk ke dalam
rumah. Lines were strung from wall to wall and clothes were drying. Lines yang halus dari
dinding ke dinding dan pakaian adalah pengeringan. Barefoot she stood by the tub, doing the
wash. Barefoot dia berdiri di bak mandi, melakukan mencuci. She was dressed in a worn
hand-me-down gown of plush. Dia mengenakan tangan-me-down gaun usang mewah. She
had her hair put up in braids and pinned across her head. Dia rambutnya disiapkan dalam
jalinan dan ditempelkan di kepalanya. It took my breath away, almost, the reek of it all. Butuh
napas saya pergi, hampir, yang bau itu semua.
Evidently she knew who I was. Jelas dia tahu siapa aku. She took a look at me and
said, "Look who's here! He's come, the drip. Grab a seat." Dia mengambil melihat saya dan
berkata, "Lihat siapa yang di sini.! Dia datang, tetes Ambil duduk."
I told her all; I denied nothing. Aku bilang padanya semua, aku ditolak apa-apa. "Tell
me the truth," I said, "are you really a virgin; and is that mischievous Yechiel actually your little
brother? Don't be deceitful with me, for I'm an orphan." "Katakan kebenaran," kataku, "kau
benar-benar perawan, dan adalah bahwa Yechiel nakal sebenarnya adikmu yatim piatu?
Jangan curang dengan aku, karena aku seorang."
"I'm an orphan myself," she answered, "and whoever tries to twist you up, may the end
of his nose take a twist. But don't let them think they can take advantage of me. I want a
dowry of fifty guilders, and let them take up a collection besides. Otherwise they can kiss my
you-know-what." "Aku yatim piatu sendiri," jawabnya, "dan siapa mencoba untuk memutar
Anda, mungkin ujung hidungnya mengambil twist dari. Tapi jangan biarkan mereka berpikir
bahwa mereka dapat mengambil keuntungan dari saya. Saya ingin mas kawin lima puluh
gulden, dan membiarkan mereka mengambil koleksi selain. Jika tidak, mereka bisa mencium
saya Anda-tahu-apa. " She was very plainspoken. Dia sangat plainspoken. I said, "It's the
bride and not the groom who gives a dowry." Aku berkata, "Ini adalah pengantin dan bukan
pengantin yang memberikan mas kawin." Then she said, "Don't bargain with me. Either a flat
'yes' or a flat 'no'--Go back where you came from." Lalu dia berkata, "Jangan tawar-menawar
dengan saya -. Baik datar 'ya' flat 'atau no' kembali ke tempat Anda berasal. Go"
I thought: No bread will ever be baked from this dough. Saya pikir: roti Tidak akan
pernah dipanggang dari adonan ini. But ours is not a poor town. Tetapi kita bukanlah kota
miskin. They consented to everything and proceeded with the wedding. Mereka setuju untuk
segalanya dan dilanjutkan dengan pernikahan. It so happened that there was a dysentery
epidemic at the time. Kebetulan bahwa ada epidemi disentri pada saat itu. The ceremony was
held at the cemetery gates, near the little corpse-washing hut. Upacara diadakan di gerbang
pemakaman, di dekat pondok mayat-cuci sedikit. The fellows got drunk. Para rekan mabuk.
While the marriage contract was being drawn up I heard the most pious high rabbi ask, "Is the
bride a widow or a divorced woman?" Sementara kontrak pernikahan sedang dibuat aku
mendengar rabi yang saleh yang paling tinggi bertanya, "Apakah pengantin wanita seorang
janda atau seorang wanita bercerai?" And the sexton's wife answered for her, "Both a widow
and divorced." Dan penjaga gereja itu menjawab istri untuknya, "Kedua janda dan bercerai."
It was a black moment for me. Ini adalah saat yang hitam untuk saya. But what was I to do,
run away from under the marriage canopy?" Tapi apa yang saya lakukan, melarikan diri dari
bawah kanopi pernikahan? "
There was singing and dancing. Ada menyanyi dan menari. An old granny danced
opposite me, hugging a braided white chalah.' Seorang nenek menari-nari di hadapanku,
memeluk chalah jalinan putih. " The master of revels made a 'God 'a mercy' in memory of the
bride's parents. Penguasa Revels membuat 'Tuhan' rahmat 'dalam memori dari orang tua
pengantin. The schoolboys threw burrs, as on Tishe b'Av fast day. The anak sekolah
melemparkan Bentuk, seperti pada hari puasa B'Av Tishe. There were a lot of gifts after the
sermon: a noodle board, a kneading trough, a bucket, brooms, ladies, household articles

galore. Ada banyak hadiah setelah khotbah: papan mie, palung meremas, ember, sapu,
wanita, rumah tangga artikel berlimpah. Then I took a look and saw two strapping young men
carrying a crib. Lalu aku mengambil melihat dan melihat pemuda tegap membawa dua
tempat tidur. "What do we need this for?" "Apa yang kita butuhkan ini?" I asked. Aku
bertanya. So they said, "Don't rack your brains about it. It's all right, it'll come in handy." Jadi,
mereka berkata, "Jangan rak otak Anda tentang hal itu.. Tidak apa-apa, itu akan berguna" I
realized I was going to be rooked. Aku sadar aku akan rooked. Take it another way though,
what did I stand to lose? Ambil cara lain sekalipun, apa yang saya akan kehilangan? I
reflected: I'll see what comes of it. Saya tercermin: Saya akan melihat apa yang akan terjadi
itu. A whole town can't go altogether crazy. Seorang Seluruh kota tidak bisa pergi sama sekali
gila.

22
At night I came where my wife lay, but she wouldn't let me in. "Say, look here, is this
what they married us for?" Pada malam hari aku datang di mana istri saya berbaring, tapi ia
tidak akan membiarkan aku masuk "Katakanlah, lihat di sini, apakah ini yang mereka
menikah kami?" I said. Kataku. And she said, "My monthly has come." Dan dia berkata,
"bulanan saya telah datang." "But yesterday they took you to the ritual bath, and that's
afterward, isn't it supposed to be?" "Tapi kemarin mereka membawa Anda ke ritual mandi,
dan itu sesudahnya, bukan seharusnya?" "Today isn't yesterday," said she, 'and yesterday's
not today. "Hari ini bukan kemarin," katanya, "dan kemarin tidak hari ini. You can beat it if you
don't like it." In short, I waited. Anda bisa mengalahkan itu jika Anda tidak suka pendek. "Di,
aku menunggu.
Not four months later she was in childbed. Tidak empat bulan kemudian dia berada di
nifas. The townsfolk hid their laughter with their knuckles. penduduk kota ini
menyembunyikan tawa mereka dengan buku-buku mereka. But what could I do? Tapi apa
yang bisa saya lakukan? She suffered intolerable pains and clawed at the walls. Dia
menderita sakit tak tertahankan dan mencakar dinding. "Gimpel," she cried, "I'm going.
Forgive me!" "Gimpel," dia menangis, "Aku akan!. Maafkan aku" The house filled with women.
Rumah penuh dengan wanita. They were boiling pans of water. Mereka mendidih panci air.
The screams rose to the welkin. Teriakan naik ke langit itu.
The thing to do was to go the House of Prayer to repeat Psalms, and that was what I
did. Hal yang harus dilakukan adalah pergi ke Rumah Doa untuk mengulangi Mazmur, dan
itulah yang saya lakukan.
The townsfolk liked that, all right. penduduk kota ini suka itu, baik-baik saja. I stood in
a corner saying Psalms and prayers, and they shook their heads at me. Aku berdiri di pojok
mengatakan Mazmur dan doa, dan mereka menggelengkan kepala mereka padaku. "Pray,
pray!" "Berdoalah, berdoalah!" they told me. mereka mengatakan kepada saya. "Prayer never
made any woman pregnant." "Doa tidak pernah membuat wanita hamil." One of the
congregation put a straw to my mouth and said, "Hay for the cows." Salah satu jemaat
meletakkan sedotan ke mulut saya dan berkata, "Hay untuk sapi." There was something to
that too, by God! Ada sesuatu untuk itu juga, demi Tuhan!
She gave birth to a boy. Dia melahirkan anak laki-laki. Friday at the synagogue the sexton
stood up before the Ark, pounded on the reading table, and announced, "The wealthy Reb
Gimpel invites the congregation. to a feast in honor of the birth of a son." Jumat di sinagoga
penjaga gereja itu berdiri sebelum Tabut, ditumbuk di meja membaca, dan mengumumkan,
"The Reb kaya Gimpel mengundang jemaat anak. Untuk pesta untuk menghormati kelahiran
a." The whole House of Prayer rang with laughter. Rumah Doa seluruh berdering dengan
tawa. My face was flaming. Wajahku menyala. But there was nothing I could do. Tapi tidak
ada yang bisa kulakukan. After all, I was the one responsible for the circumcision honors and
rituals. Setelah semua, aku adalah orang bertanggung jawab atas kehormatan sunat dan
ritual.
Half the town came running. Setengah berlari kota. You couldn't wedge another soul
in. Women brought peppered chickpeas, and there was a keg of beer from the tavern. Anda
tidak bisa baji jiwa Perempuan lain masuk membawa buncis dibumbui, dan ada tong bir dari
bar. I ate and drank as much as anyone, and they all congratulated me. Aku makan dan
minum seperti halnya orang, dan mereka semua mengucapkan selamat kepada saya. Then
there was a circumcision, and I named the boy after my father, may he rest in peace. Lalu ada
sunat, dan nama anak saya setelah ayah saya, semoga ia beristirahat dalam damai. When all

were gone and I was left with my wife alone, she thrust her head through the bed-curtain and
called me to her. Ketika semua telah pergi dan aku pergi bersama istri saya sendiri, dia
menyodorkan kepalanya melalui tirai-tempat tidur dan memanggil saya untuk dia.
"Gimpel," said she, "why are you silent? Has your ship gone and sunk?" "Gimpel,"
katanya, "kenapa kau diam? Apakah kapal Anda hilang dan tenggelam?"
"What shall I say?' "Apa yang harus saya katakan?" I answered. 'A fine thing you've
done to me! If my mother had known of it she'd have died a second time." Aku menjawab aku.
"Halus Sebuah hal yang Anda lakukan pada.! Saya Jika ibu itu tahu ia harus mati kedua
waktu"
She said, "Are you crazy, or what?' Dia berkata, "Apakah kau gila, atau apa?"
"How can you make such a fool," I said, "of one who should be the ford and master?"
"Bagaimana Anda bisa membuat seperti bodoh," kataku, "orang yang harus menjadi ford dan
master?"
"What's the matter with you?" "Ada apa denganmu?" she said. katanya. "What have
you taken it into your head to imagine?" "Apa yang telah Anda dibawa ke kepala Anda untuk
membayangkan?"
I saw that I must speak bluntly and openly. Saya melihat bahwa saya harus berbicara
blak-blakan dan terbuka. "Do you think this is the way to use an orphan?' "Apakah Anda pikir
ini adalah cara untuk menggunakan yatim piatu?" I said. "You have borne a bastard." Aku
berkata "." Kau punya ditanggung bajingan.
She answered, "Drive this foolishness out of your head. The child is yours." Dia
menjawab, "Drive kebodohan ini keluar dari kepala Anda.. Anak adalah milikmu"
"How can he be mine?" "Bagaimana dia bisa menjadi milikku?" I argued. Saya
berpendapat. "He was born seventeen weeks after the wedding." "Ia dilahirkan tujuh belas
minggu setelah pernikahan."
She told me then that he was premature. Dia mengatakan kepada saya bahwa dia
sedang prematur. I said, 'Isn't he a little too prema- ture?" She said, she had had a
grandmother who carried just as short a time and she resembled this grandmother of hers as
one drop of water does another. She swore to it with such oaths that you would have believed
a peasant at the fair if he had used them. To tell the plain truth, I didn't believe her; but when I
talked it over next day with the schoolmaster he told me that the very same thing had
happened to Adam and Eve. Two they went up to bed, and four they descended. Aku berkata,
"Bukankah dia yang terlalu sedikit prema-mendatang lagi?" Dia bilang, dia punya nenek yang
sama dilakukan waktu yang singkat dan ia menyerupai ini nenek dari miliknya sebagai satu
tetes air tidak bersumpah. Dia itu dengan sumpah sedemikian rupa sehingga Anda akan
percaya petani di wajar jika ia telah menggunakan mereka;. Untuk memberitahu polos
kebenaran, aku tidak percaya, tapi ketika saya membicarakannya hari berikutnya dengan
kepala sekolah, dia mengatakan kepada saya bahwa yang sama hal yang telah terjadi
kepada Adam dan Hawa,. Dua mereka pergi ke tempat tidur dan empat mereka turun.
"There isn't a woman in the world who is not the granddaughter of Eve," he said.
"Tidak ada seorang wanita di dunia yang bukan cucu Hawa," katanya.
That was how it was; they argued me dumb. Itulah bagaimana hal itu, mereka
berpendapat saya bodoh. But then, who really knows how such things are? Tapi kemudian,
yang benar-benar tahu bagaimana hal tersebut?
I began to forget my sorrow. Aku mulai melupakan kesedihan saya. I loved the child
madly, and he loved me too. Saya mencintai anak liar, dan dia juga mencintaiku. As soon as
he saw me he'd wave his little hands and want me to pick him up, and when he was colicky I
was the only one who could pacify him. Begitu melihat saya dia tangannya kecil gelombang
dan ingin aku menjemputnya, dan ketika ia kolik Saya adalah satu-satunya yang bisa
menenangkan dia. I bought him a little bone teething ring and a little gilded cap. Saya
membelikannya sebuah cincin tulang tumbuh gigi kecil dan topi disepuh sedikit. He was
forever catching the evil eye from some- one, and then I had to run to get one of those
abracadabras for him that would get him out of it. Dia selamanya menangkap mata iblis dari
beberapa-satu, dan kemudian aku harus lari untuk mendapatkan salah satu dari orang
abracadabras untuknya yang akan membuatnya keluar dari itu. I worked like an ox. Aku
bekerja seperti sapi. You know how expenses go up when there's an infant in the house. Kau
tahu bagaimana beban naik ketika ada bayi di rumah. I don't want to he about it; I didn't
dislike Elka either, for that matter. Saya tidak ingin dia tentang hal itu, aku tidak suka Elka
baik, dalam hal ini. She swore at me and cursed, and I couldn't get enough of her. Dia
bersumpah padaku dan dikutuk, dan aku tidak bisa mendapatkan cukup dari dia. What

strength she had! Apa kekuatan dia! One of her looks could rob you of the power of speech.
Salah satu penampilannya bisa merampok Anda tentang kekuatan bicara. And her orations!
Dan pidato dia! Pitch and sulphur, that's what they were full of, and yet somehow also full of
charm. Pitch dan belerang, itulah apa yang mereka penuh, namun entah bagaimana juga
penuh pesona. I adored her every word. Aku memujanya setiap kata. She gave me bloody
wounds though. Dia memberi saya luka berdarah sekalipun.
In the evening I brought her a white loaf as well as a dark one, and also poppyseed
rolls I baked myself. Pada malam hari aku membawa roti nya putih serta gelap, dan
poppyseed gulungan juga saya panggang sendiri. I thieved because of her and swiped
everything I could lay hands on: macaroons, raisins, almonds, cakes. Aku thieved karena dia
dan digesek segala sesuatu yang saya bisa meletakkan tangan pada: makaroni, kismis,
almond, kue. I hope I may be forgiven for stealing from the Saturday pots the women left to
warm in the baker's oven. Saya harap saya bisa dimaafkan karena mencuri dari Sabtu pot
perempuan kiri ke hangat di tukang roti oven. I would take out scraps of meat, a chunk of
pudding, a chicken leg or head, a piece of tripe, whatever I could nip quickly. Saya akan
mengambil potongan-potongan daging, sepotong puding, kaki ayam atau kepala, sepotong
babat, apapun yang saya bisa menggigit cepat. She ate and became fat and handsome. Dia
makan dan menjadi gemuk dan tampan.
I had to sleep away from home all during the week, at the bakery. Saya harus tidur
jauh dari rumah semua selama seminggu, di toko roti. On Friday nights when I got home she
always made an excuse of some sort. Pada Jumat malam ketika aku pulang dia selalu
membuat alasan dari beberapa macam. Either she had heartburn, or a stitch in the side, or
hiccups, or headaches. Entah dia mulas, atau jahitan di sisi, atau cegukan, atau sakit kepala.
You know what women's excuses are. Kau tahu apa alasan wanita. I had a bitter time of it.
Saya memiliki waktu yang pahit itu. It was rough. Itu kasar. To add to it, this little brother of
hers, the bastard, was growing bigger. Untuk menambahkan untuk itu, ini adik dari
kepunyaannya, bajingan itu, tumbuh besar. He'd put lumps on me, and when I wanted to hit
back she'd open her mouth and curse so powerfully I saw a green haze floating before my
eyes. Dia menempatkan benjolan pada saya, dan ketika aku ingin membalas dia membuka
mulutnya dan kutukan begitu kuat aku melihat kabut hijau mengambang di depan mataku.
Ten times a day she threatened to divorce me. Sepuluh kali sehari ia mengancam akan
menceraikan saya. Another man in my place would have taken French leave and
disappeared. Orang lain di tempat saya akan mengambil cuti Perancis dan menghilang. But
I'm the type that bears it and says nothing. Tapi saya tipe yang beruang itu dan mengatakan
apa-apa. What's one to do? Yang satu harus dilakukan? Shoulders are from God, and
burdens too. Bahu adalah dari Allah, dan beban juga.
One night there was a calamity in the bakery; the oven burst, and we almost had a fire.
Suatu malam ada bencana di toko roti, ledakan oven, dan kami hampir memiliki api. There
was nothing to do but go home, so I went home. Tak ada yang bisa dilakukan kecuali pulang
ke rumah, jadi aku pulang ke rumah. Let me, I thought, also taste the joy of sleeping in bed in
midweek. Mari saya, saya pikir, juga merasakan kegembiraan tidur di tempat tidur di tengah
pekan. I didn't want to wake the sleeping mite and tiptoed into the house. Aku tidak ingin
membangunkan tungau tidur dan berjingkat ke dalam rumah. Coming in, it seemed to me that
I heard not the snoring of one but, as it were, a double snore, one a thin enough snore and
the other like the snoring of a slaughtered ox. Datang dalam, sepertinya saya bahwa saya
mendengar dengkur bukan satu tetapi, seakan-akan, sebuah mendengkur ganda, satu
mendengkur cukup tipis dan yang lain seperti mendengkur dari sapi disembelih. Oh, I didn't
like that! Oh, saya tidak seperti itu! I didn't like it at all. Aku tidak suka sama sekali. I went up
to the bed, and things suddenly turned black. Aku pergi ke tempat tidur, dan hal-hal yang tibatiba berubah hitam. Next to Elka lay a man's form. Di samping Elka meletakkan manusia
formulir. Another in my place would have made an uproar, and enough noise to rouse the
whole town, but the thought occurred to me that I might wake the child. Lain di tempat saya
akan membuat heboh, dan kebisingan cukup untuk membangkitkan seluruh kota, tapi pikiran
itu terpikir olehku bahwa aku akan membangunkan anak. A little thing like thatwhy frighten a
little swallow, I thought. Suatu hal kecil seperti thatwhy menakut-nakuti sedikit menelan,
pikirku. All right then, I went back to the bakery and stretched out on a sack of flour and till
morning I never shut an eye. Baiklah, saya kembali ke toko roti dan berbaring di sekarung
tepung dan sampai pagi aku tidak pernah menutup mata. I shivered as if I had had malaria.
Aku menggigil seperti jika aku punya malaria. "Enough of being a donkey," I said to myself.
"Cukup menjadi keledai," kataku pada diri sendiri. "Gimpel isn't going to be a sucker all his

life. There's a limit even to the foolishness of a fool like Gimpel." "Gimpel tidak akan menjadi
pengisap sepanjang hidupnya.. Ada batas bahkan kebodohan bodoh seperti Gimpel"
In the morning I went to the rabbi to get advice, and it made a great commotion in the
town. Pagi hari saya pergi ke rabi untuk mendapatkan saran, dan itu membuat keributan
besar di kota. They sent the beadle for Elka right away. Mereka mengirim pegawai gereja yg
membantu pendeta untuk Elka segera. She came, carrying the child. Dia datang, membawa
anak. And what do you think she did? Dan apa yang menurut Anda dia lakukan? She denied
it, denied everything, bone and stone! Dia menyangkal, membantah semuanya, tulang dan
batu! "He's out of his head," she said. "Dia keluar dari kepalanya," katanya. "I know nothing of
dreams or divinations." "Aku tahu apa-apa mimpi atau divinations." They yelled at her, warned
her, hammered on the table, but she stuck to her guns: it was a false accusation, she said.
Mereka berteriak padanya, memperingatkannya, ditempa di atas meja, tapi ia terjebak pada
senjata-nya: itu adalah tuduhan palsu, katanya.
The butchers and the horse-traders took her part. Tukang jagal dan kuda-pedagang
ambil bagian dirinya. One of the lads from the slaughterhouse came by and said to me,
"We've got our eye on you, you're a marked man." Salah satu pemuda dari rumah jagal
datang dan berkata kepada saya, "Kami punya mata kami pada Anda, Anda orang yang
ditandai." Meanwhile the child started to bear down and soiled itself. Sementara itu anak
mulai menanggung bawah dan kotor itu sendiri. In the rabbinical court there was an Ark of the
Covenant, and they couldn't allow that, so they sent Elka away. Di pengadilan rabinis ada
Tabut Perjanjian, dan mereka tidak bisa membiarkan itu, jadi mereka mengirim Elka pergi.
I said to the rabbi, "What shall I do?" Saya berkata kepada rabi, "Apa yang harus saya
lakukan?" "You must divorce her at once," said he. "Anda harus menceraikannya sekaligus,"
katanya.
"And what if she refuses?" "Dan bagaimana kalau dia menolak?" I asked. Aku
bertanya.
He said, "You must serve the divorce. That's all you'll have to do." Dia berkata, "Kamu
harus melayani perceraian.. Itu saja yang Anda harus lakukan"
I said, "Well, all right, Rabbi. Let me think about it." Aku berkata, "Yah, baiklah, Rabbi.
Biarkan aku berpikir tentang hal itu."
"There's nothing to think about," said he. "Tidak ada yang memikirkan," katanya. "You
mustn't remain under the same roof with her." "Anda tidak harus tetap berada di bawah atap
yang sama dengan dia."
"And if I want to see the child?" "Dan jika saya ingin melihat anak itu?" I asked. Aku
bertanya. "Let her go, the harlot," said he, "and her brood of bastards with her." "Biarkan dia
pergi, perempuan sundal itu," katanya, "dan anak-anaknya dari bajingan dengan dia."
The verdict he gave was that I mustn't even cross her thresholdnever again, as long as
I should live. Putusan ia berikan adalah bahwa saya tidak boleh bahkan lintas thresholdnever
lagi, selama aku harus hidup.
During the day it didn't bother me so much. Pada siang hari itu tidak mengganggu
saya begitu banyak. I thought: It was bound to happen, the abscess had to burst. Saya pikir:
ini pasti terjadi, abses itu meledak. But at night when I stretched out upon the sacks I felt it all
very bitterly. Tetapi pada malam hari ketika aku berbaring di atas karung aku merasa
semuanya sangat pahit. A longing took me, for her and for the child. Sebuah rindu
mengajakku, untuk dirinya dan untuk anak. I wanted to be angry, but that's my misfortune
exactly, I don't have it in me to be really angry. Aku ingin marah, tapi itu kemalangan saya
persis, saya tidak memilikinya dalam diriku harus benar-benar marah. In the first placethis
was how my thoughts wentthere's bound to be a slip sometimes. Dalam placethis pertama
adalah bagaimana pikiran saya wentthere itu pasti akan slip kadang-kadang. You can't live
without errors. Anda tidak dapat hidup tanpa kesalahan. Probably that lad who was with her
led her on and gave her presents and what not, and women are often long on hair and short
on sense, and so he got around her. Mungkin bahwa anak yang dengan dia memimpin di
atas dan memberinya hadiah dan apa yang tidak, dan perempuan seringkali pada rambut
panjang dan pendek pada akal, dan ia mendapat di sekelilingnya. And then since she denies
it so, maybe I was only seeing things? Dan kemudian karena dia menyangkal begitu,
mungkin aku hanya melihat sesuatu? Hallucinations do happen. Halusinasi bisa terjadi. You
see a figure or a mannikin or something, but when you come up closer it's nothing, there's not
a thing there. Anda melihat sosok atau mannikin atau sesuatu, tetapi ketika Anda datang
lebih dekat apa-apa itu, tidak ada sesuatu di sana. And if that's so, I'm doing her an injustice.
Dan jika begitu, aku melakukan nya pidana. And when I got so far in my thoughts I started to

weep. Dan ketika aku sampai sejauh ini dalam pikiran saya, saya mulai menangis. I sobbed
so that I wet the flour where I lay. Aku menangis sehingga saya basah tepung di mana aku
berbaring. In the morning I went to the rabbi and told him that I had made a mistake. Pagi hari
saya pergi ke rabbi itu dan mengatakan bahwa saya telah melakukan kesalahan. The rabbi
wrote on with his quill, and he said that if that were so he would have to reconsider the whole
case. Rabbi wrote on dengan pena, dan dia mengatakan bahwa jika begitu ia harus
mempertimbangkan kembali seluruh kasus. Until he had finished I wasn't to go near my wife,
but I might send her bread and money by messenger. Sampai dia telah selesai aku tidak
pergi dekat-dekat istri saya, tapi saya bisa mengirim roti dan uang dengan utusan.

33
Nine months passed before all the rabbis could come to an agreement. Sembilan
bulan berlalu sebelum semua rabi bisa datang ke kesepakatan. Letters went back and forth.
Surat kembali dan sebagainya. I hadn't realized that there could be so much erudition about a
matter like this. Aku tidak menyadari bahwa mungkin ada begitu banyak pengetahuan
tentang masalah seperti ini.
Meanwhile Elka gave birth to still another child, a girl this time. Sementara itu Elka
melahirkan masih anak lain, seorang gadis saat ini. On the Sabbath I went to the synagogue
and invoked a blessing on her. Pada hari Sabat saya pergi ke rumah ibadat dan dipanggil
berkah padanya. They called me up to the Torah, and I named the child for my mother-in-lawmay she rest in peace. Mereka memanggil saya untuk Taurat, dan aku menamai anak untuk
saya ibu mertua-bisa ia beristirahat dalam damai. The louts and loudmouths of the town who
came into the bakery gave me a going over. Para louts dan loudmouths kota yang datang ke
toko roti memberiku akan berakhir. All Frampol refreshed its spirits because of my trouble and
grief. Semua Frampol segar roh karena gangguan saya dan kesedihan. However, I resolved
that I would always believe what I was told. Namun, saya memutuskan bahwa saya akan
selalu percaya apa yang saya diberitahu. What's the good of not believing? Apa gunanya
tidak percaya? Today it's your wife you don't believe; tomorrow it's God Himself you won't
take stock in. Hari ini istri Anda Anda tidak percaya, besok itu Tuhan sendiri Anda tidak akan
mengambil stok masuk
By an apprentice who was her neighbor I sent her daily a corn or a wheat loaf, or a
piece of pastry, rolls or bagels, or, when I got the chance, a slab of pudding, a slice of
honeycake, or wedding strudelwhatever came my way. Dengan magang yang tetangganya
saya kirim sehari-hari jagung atau roti gandum, atau sepotong kue kering, gulungan atau
bagel, atau, ketika aku mendapat kesempatan, sepotong puding, sepotong honeycake, atau
strudelwhatever pernikahan datang cara saya. The apprentice was a goodhearted lad, and
more than once he added something on his own. Pekerja itu adalah anak goodhearted, dan
lebih dari sekali ia menambahkan sesuatu sendiri. He had formerly annoyed me a lot,
plucking my nose and digging me in the ribs, but when he started to be a visitor to my house
he became kind of friendly. Dia telah dahulu jengkel saya banyak, mencabut hidung saya dan
menggali rusukku, tetapi ketika ia mulai menjadi pengunjung ke rumahku ia menjadi
semacam ramah. "Hey, you, Gimpel," he said to me, "you have a very decent little wife and
two fine kids. You don't deserve them." "Hei, kau, Gimpel," katanya kepada saya, "Anda
memiliki sedikit istri yang layak sangat dan dua anak baik-baik saja.. Anda tidak pantas
mereka"
"But the things people say about her," I said. "Tapi hal-hal yang orang bilang tentang
dia," kataku.
"Well, they have long tongues," he said, "and nothing to do with them but babble.
Ignore it as you ignore the cold of last winter." "Yah, mereka memiliki lidah panjang," katanya,
"dan tidak ada hubungannya dengan mereka, tetapi celoteh.. Abaikan sebagai Anda
mengabaikan dingin terakhir musim dingin"
One day the rabbi sent for me and said, "Are you certain, Gimpel, that you were wrong
about your wife?" Suatu hari Rabbi yang dikirim untuk saya dan berkata, "Apakah Anda yakin,
Gimpel, bahwa Anda salah tentang istri Anda?"
I said, "I'm certain." Aku berkata, "Saya yakin."
"Why, but look here! You yourself saw it." "Mengapa, tapi lihat di sini.! Anda sendiri
melihatnya"
"It must have been a shadow," I said. "Pasti bayangan," kataku.
"The shadow of what?" "Bayangan apa?"

"Just one of the beams, I think." "Hanya satu balok, saya pikir."
"You can go home then. You owe thanks to the Yanover rabbi. He found an obscure
reference in Maimonides that favored you." "Anda bisa pulang kemudian. Anda berhutang
terima kasih kepada rabbi Yanover ditemukan. Dia referensi jelas dalam Maimonides yang
disukai Anda."
I seized the rabbi's hand and kissed it. Aku azab rabi tangan dan menciumnya.
I wanted to run home immediately. Aku ingin lari pulang segera. It's no small thing to
be separated for so long a time from wife and child. Bukan hal kecil untuk dipisahkan begitu
lama waktu dari istri dan anak. Then I reflected: I'd better go back to work now, and go home
in the evening. Lalu aku tercermin: sebaiknya aku kembali bekerja sekarang, dan pulang ke
rumah di malam hari. I said nothing to anyone, although as far as my heart was concerned it
was like one of the Holy Days. Aku berkata apa-apa kepada siapa pun, meskipun sejauh
hatiku prihatin itu seperti salah satu Hari Suci. The women teased and twitted me as they did
every day, but my thought was: Go on, with your loose talk. Para wanita menggoda dan
twitted saya seperti yang mereka lakukan setiap hari, tapi pikiran saya: Ayo, dengan bicara
longgar Anda. The truth is out, like the oil upon the water. Yang benar adalah keluar, seperti
minyak di atas air. Maimonides says it's right, and therefore it is right! Maimonides bilang itu
benar, dan oleh karena itu benar!
At night, when I had covered the dough to let it rise, I took my share of bread and a
little sack of flour and started homeward. Pada malam hari, ketika aku telah menutupi adonan
untuk membiarkannya naik, aku mengambil berbagi roti dan sedikit karung tepung dan mulai
pulang. The moon was full and the stars were glistening, something to terrify the soul. Bulan
penuh dan bintang-bintang berkilau, sesuatu untuk menakuti jiwa. I hurried onward, and
before me darted a long shadow. Aku bergegas maju, dan sebelum aku melesat panjang
bayangan. It was winter, and a fresh snow had fallen. Saat itu musim dingin, dan salju segar
jatuh. I had a mind to sing, but it was growing late and I didn't want to wake the householders.
Saya punya pikiran untuk menyanyi, tetapi tumbuh terlambat dan aku tidak ingin
membangunkan kepala keluarga. Then I felt like whistling, but I remembered that you don't
whistle at night because it brings the demons out. Lalu aku merasa seperti bersiul, tapi aku
ingat bahwa Anda tidak bersiul di malam hari karena membawa setan keluar. So I was silent
and walked as fast as I could. Jadi aku diam dan berjalan secepat mungkin.
Dogs in the Christian yards barked at me when I passed, but I thought: Bark your teeth
out! Anjing dalam meter Kristen menyalak saat aku berlalu, tapi saya pikir: Menggonggong
gigi Anda keluar! What are you but mere dogs? Apa yang Anda, tetapi anjing belaka?
Whereas I am a man, the husband of a fine wife, the father of promising children. Sedangkan
Saya seorang pria, suami istri yang baik, ayah dari anak-anak yang menjanjikan.
As I approached the house my heart started to pound as though it were the heart of a
criminal. Saat aku mendekati rumah hati saya mulai pon seolah-olah itu adalah hati seorang
kriminal. I felt no fear, but my heart went thump! Aku merasa takut, tetapi hati saya pergi
berdebar-debar! thump! berdebar-debar! Well, no drawing back. Yah, tidak ada gambar
kembali. I quietly lifted the latch and went in. Elka was asleep. Aku diam-diam mengangkat
gerendel dan masuk Elka tertidur. I looked at the infant's cradle. Aku memandang bayi cradle.
The shutter was closed, but the moon forced its way through the cracks. rana ditutup, tapi
bulan menerobos melalui celah-celah. I saw the newborn child's face and loved it as soon as I
saw itimmediately --- each tiny bone. Aku melihat bayi baru lahir anak wajah dan
menyukainya begitu saya melihat itimmediately --- setiap tulang kecil.
Then I came nearer to the bed. Lalu aku mendekat ke tempat tidur. And what did I see
but the apprentice lying there beside Elka. Dan apa yang saya lihat tetapi magang berbaring
di sana di samping Elka. The moon went out all at once. Bulan keluar sekaligus. It was utterly
black, and I trem- bled. Ini benar-benar hitam, dan aku trem-berdarah. My teeth chattered.
Gigi saya gemeretak. The bread fell from my hands, and my wife waked and said, "Who is
that, ah?" roti jatuh dari tanganku, dan istri saya bangun dan berkata, "Siapa itu, ah?"
I muttered, "It's me." Aku bergumam, "Ini aku."
"Gimpel?" "Gimpel?" she asked. ia bertanya. "How come you're here? I thought it was
forbidden." "Kenapa kau di sini berpikir? Saya itu dilarang."
"The rabbi said," I answered and shook as with a fever. "Rabi itu berkata," Aku
menjawab dan bergetar saat dengan demam.
"Listen to me, Gimpel," she said, "go out to the shed and see if the goat's all right. It
seems she's been sick." "Dengarkan aku, Gimpel," katanya, "pergi ke gudang dan lihat

apakah kambing-apa.. Tampaknya dia sakit" I have forgotten to say that we had a goat. Saya
lupa untuk mengatakan bahwa kita memiliki seekor kambing. When I heard she was unwell I
went into the yard. Ketika saya mendengar dia sehat saya pergi ke halaman. The nanny goat
was a good little creature. Nanny kambing adalah makhluk kecil yang baik. I had a nearly
human feeling for her. Aku punya perasaan manusia hampir untuknya.
With hesitant steps I went up to the shed and opened the door. Dengan langkah raguragu aku pergi ke gudang dan membuka pintu. The goat stood there on her four feet.
kambing itu berdiri di sana pada empat kakinya. I felt her everywhere, drew her by the horns,
examined her udders, and found nothing wrong. Aku merasa dia mana-mana, menariknya
oleh tanduk, ambing memeriksa, dan menemukan apa-apa yang salah. She had probably
eaten too much bark. Dia mungkin sudah terlalu banyak makan kulit. "Good night, little goat,"
I said. "Selamat malam, kambing kecil," kataku. "Keep well." "Jaga baik." And the little beast
answered with a "Maa" as though to thank me for the good will. Dan binatang kecil menjawab
dengan "Maa" seolah-olah untuk mengucapkan terima kasih untuk kebaikan akan.
I went back. Aku kembali. The apprentice had vanished. Pekerja itu sudah lenyap.
"Where," I asked, "is the lad?" "Dimana," tanya saya, "adalah anak itu?"
"What lad?" "Apa Nak?" my wife answered. istri saya menjawab.
'What do you mean?" I said. "The apprentice. 'Apa maksudmu? "Kata saya." Pekerja
itu. You were sleeping with him." Kau tidur dengan dia. "
"The things I have dreamed this night and the night before," she said, "may they come
true and lay you low, body and soul! An evil spirit has taken root in you and dazzles your
sight." "Hal-hal yang saya bermimpi malam ini dan malam sebelumnya," katanya, "mungkin
mereka datang yang benar dan membuat tubuh Anda lemah, tubuh dan jiwa! Sebuah roh
jahat telah berakar di dalam kamu dan dazzles penglihatan Anda." She screamed out, "You
hateful creature! You moon calf! You spook! You uncouth man! Get out, or I'll scream all
Frampol out of bed!" Dia berteriak, "Kau makhluk penuh kebencian! Anda betis bulan matamata! Anda! Anda orang kasar! Dapatkan keluar, atau aku akan berteriak semua keluar
Frampol dari tempat tidur!"
Before I could move, her brother sprang out from behind the oven and struck me a
blow on the back of the head. Sebelum aku bisa bergerak, saudara laki-lakinya melompat
keluar dari balik oven dan memukul saya pukulan di bagian belakang kepala. I thought he
had broken my neck. Saya pikir dia telah patah leher saya. I felt that something about me was
deeply wrong, and I said, "Don't make a scandal. All that's needed now is that people should
accuse me of raising spooks and dybbuks." Saya merasa bahwa sesuatu tentang saya
adalah sangat salah, dan saya berkata, "Jangan membuat skandal. Semua yang dibutuhkan
sekarang adalah bahwa orang harus menuduh saya membesarkan agen rahasia dan
dybbuks." For that was what she had meant. Untuk itu adalah apa yang dia maksud. "No one
will touch bread of my baking." "Tidak ada yang akan menyentuh roti baking saya."
In short, I somehow calmed her. Singkatnya, saya entah bagaimana
menenangkannya.
"Well," she said, "that's enough. Lie down, and be shattered by wheels." "Yah,"
katanya, "sudah cukup,. Berbaringlah dan akan hancur oleh roda."
Next morning I called the apprentice aside. Keesokan harinya aku menelepon magang
samping. "Listen here, brother!" "Dengarkan sini, saudara!" I said. Kataku. And so on and so
forth. Dan seterusnya dan sebagainya. "What do you say?'" He stared at me as though I had
dropped from the roof or something. "Apa yang kamu katakan?" Dia menatapku seolah-olah
saya telah turun dari atap atau sesuatu.
"I swear," he said, "you'd better go to an herb doctor or some healer. I'm afraid you
have a screw loose, but I'll hush it up for you." "Saya bersumpah," katanya, "Anda sebaiknya
pergi ke dokter atau penyembuh beberapa ramuan,. Aku takut Anda memiliki sekrup longgar
tapi aku akan diam itu untuk Anda." And that's how the thing stood. Dan itulah bagaimana hal
itu berdiri.
To make a long story short, I lived twenty years with my wife. Untuk membuat cerita
panjang pendek, saya tinggal dua puluh tahun dengan istri saya. She bore me six children,
four daughters and two sons. Dia melahirkan saya enam anak, empat putri dan dua putra. All
kinds of things happened, but I neither saw nor heard. Segala macam hal terjadi, tapi aku
tidak melihat atau mendengar. I believed, and that's all. Saya percaya, dan itu semua. The
rabbi recently said to me, "Belief in itself is beneficial. It is written that a good man lives by his
faith." Rabbi baru-baru ini mengatakan kepada saya, "dalam dirinya sendiri adalah
Kepercayaan bermanfaat. Ada tertulis bahwa manusia hidup baik oleh imannya."

Suddenly my wife took sick. Tiba-tiba istri saya mengambil sakit. It began with a trifle,
a little growth upon the breast. Ini dimulai dengan agak, sedikit pertumbuhan pada payudara.
But she evidently was not destined to live long; she had no years. Tapi dia ternyata tidak
ditakdirkan untuk hidup lama, dia tidak punya tahun. I spent a fortune on her. Saya
menghabiskan banyak uang pada dirinya. I have forgotten to say that by this time I had a
bakery of my own and in Frampol was considered to be something of a rich man. Aku lupa
mengatakan bahwa pada saat ini saya punya toko roti sendiri dan di Frampol dianggap
sesuatu dari orang kaya. Daily the healer came, and every witch doctor in the neighborhood
was brought. Harian penyembuh datang, dan setiap dokter penyihir di lingkungan tersebut
dibawa. They decided to use leeches, and after that to try cupping. Mereka memutuskan
untuk menggunakan lintah, dan setelah itu untuk mencoba cupping. They even called a
doctor from Lublin, but it was too late. Mereka bahkan memanggil dokter dari Lublin, tapi
sudah terlambat. Before she died she called me to her bed and said, "Forgive me, Gimpel."
Sebelum dia meninggal dia memanggil saya untuk tempat tidurnya dan berkata, "Maafkan
aku, Gimpel."
I said, "What is there to forgive? You have been a good and faithful wife." Aku berkata,
"Apa yang harus mengampuni? Anda telah dan setia istri yang baik."
"Woe, Gimpel!" "Celakalah, Gimpel!" she said. katanya. "It was ugly how I deceived
you all these years. I want to go clean to my Maker, and so I have to tell you that the children
are not yours." "Itu jelek bagaimana saya menipu anda selama ini. Aku ingin pergi bersih
untuk saya Maker, dan jadi saya harus memberitahu Anda bahwa anak-anak bukan milikmu."
If I had been clouted on the head with a piece of wood it couldn't have bewildered me
more. Jika saya telah clouted di kepala dengan sepotong kayu tidak bisa bingung saya lebih.
"Whose are they?' "Siapa mereka?" I asked. "I don't know," she said. 'There were a
lot ... but they're not yours." Aku bertanya. "Saya tidak tahu," kata dia milikmu. "Ada yang
sedang banyak ... tapi mereka tidak." And as she spoke she tossed her head to the side, her
eyes turned glassy, and it was all up with Elka. Dan saat dia berbicara ia melemparkan
kepalanya ke samping, matanya berbalik kaca, dan itu semua dengan Elka. On her whitened
lips there remained a smile. Pada memutihkan bibirnya ada tetap tersenyum.
I imagined that, dead as she was, she was saying, "I deceived Gimpel. That was the
meaning of my brief life." Saya membayangkan bahwa, mati karena dia, dia berkata, "Aku
Gimpel menipu. Itu adalah arti hidup singkat saya."

44
One night, when the period Of mourning was done, as I lay dreaming on the flour
sacks, there came the Spirit of Evil himself and said to me, "Gimpel, why do you sleep?"
Suatu malam, ketika waktu Dari berkabung dilakukan, saat aku berbaring bermimpi di karung
tepung, datanglah Roh Jahat dirinya dan berkata kepada saya, "Gimpel, mengapa engkau
tidur?"
I said, "What should I be doing? Eating kreplach?" Aku berkata, "Apa yang harus saya
lakukan?? Makan kreplach"
"The whole world deceives you," he said, "and you ought to deceive the world in your
turn." "Seluruh dunia menyesatkan kamu," katanya, "dan Anda harus menipu dunia pada
gilirannya Anda."
"How can I deceive the world?" "Bagaimana saya bisa menipu dunia?" I asked him.
Aku menanyakannya.
He answered, "You might accumulate a bucket of urine every day and at night pour it
into the dough. Let the sages of Frampol eat filth." Dia menjawab, "Anda mungkin
mengumpulkan ember air seni setiap hari dan pada malam hari tuangkan ke dalam adonan.
Biarkan orang bijak dari makan kotoran Frampol."
"What about the judgment in the world to come?" "Bagaimana dengan penghakiman di
dunia yang akan datang?" I said. Kataku.
"There is no world to come," he said. "Tidak ada dunia yang akan datang," katanya.
"They've sold you a bill of goods and talked you into believing you carried a cat in your belly.
What nonsense!" "Mereka telah menjual kepada Anda rekening barang dan berbicara Anda
menjadi percaya Anda membawa kucing dalam perut Anda!. Apa masuk akal"
"Well then," I said, "and is there a God?" "Kalau begitu," kataku, "dan apakah ada
Tuhan?"
He answered, 'There is no God either." Dia menjawab, 'Tidak ada Allah juga. "

"What," I said, "is there, then?" "Apa," kataku, "ada, kemudian?"

"A thick mire." "Sebuah lumpur tebal."
He stood before my eyes with a goatish beard and horn, long-toothed, and with a tail.
Dia berdiri di depan mata saya dengan janggut yg berbau busuk dan tanduk, lama-bergigi,
dan dengan ekor. Hearing such words, I wanted to snatch him by the tail, but I tumbled for the
flour sacks and nearly broke a rib. Mendengar kata-kata seperti, aku ingin merebut dia
dengan ekor, tapi saya jatuh untuk karung tepung dan hampir mematahkan tulang rusuk.
Then it happened that I had to answer the call of nature, and, passing, I saw the risen dough,
which seemed to say to me, "Do it!" Kemudian terjadi bahwa saya harus menjawab panggilan
alam, dan, lewat, saya melihat adonan yang bangkit, yang sepertinya mengatakan kepada
saya, "Lakukan!" In brief, I let myself be persuaded. Secara singkat, saya membiarkan diriku
dibujuk.
At dawn the apprentice came. Pada fajar magang datang. We kneaded the bread,
scattered caraway seeds on it, and set it to bake. Kami memijat roti, biji jintan tersebar di
atasnya, dan set ke panggang. Then the apprentice went away, and I was left sitting in the
little trench by the oven, on a pile of rags. Kemudian magang yang pergi, dan aku
ditinggalkan duduk di parit sedikit demi oven, di tumpukan kain. Well, Gimpel, I thought,
you've revenged yourself on them for all the shame they've put on you. Nah, Gimpel, saya
pikir, Anda telah membalas dendam diri pada mereka untuk semua rasa malu mereka telah
menaruh pada Anda. Outside the frost glittered, but it was warm beside the oven. Luar embun
beku berkilauan, tapi itu hangat di samping oven. The flames heated my face. Api dipanaskan
wajahku. I bent my head and fell into a doze. Aku membungkuk kepalaku dan jatuh ke
sebuah tertidur.
I saw in a dream, at once, Elka in her shroud. Saya melihat dalam mimpi, sekaligus,
Elka dalam kain kafan nya. She called to me, "What have you done, Gimpel?" Dia dipanggil
untuk saya, "Apa yang telah kaulakukan, Gimpel?"
I said to her, "It's all your fault," and started to cry. Aku berkata padanya, "Ini semua
salahmu," dan mulai menangis.
"You fool!" "Kamu bodoh!" she said. katanya. "You fool! Because I was false is
everything false too? I never deceived anyone but myself. I'm paying for it all, Gimpel. They
spare you nothing here." "Kamu bodoh! Karena aku palsu adalah segalanya palsu juga.?
Saya ditipu pernah siapa pun selain saya sendiri. Aku membayar untuk itu semua, Mereka
Gimpel. Luang apa-apa di sini"
I looked at her face. Aku menatap wajahnya. It was black; I was startled and waked,
and remained sitting dumb. Itu adalah hitam, saya terkejut dan terbangun, dan tetap duduk
bodoh. I sensed that everything hung in the balance. Saya merasa bahwa segala sesuatu
tergantung pada keseimbangan. A false step now and I'd lose Eternal Life. Sebuah langkah
salah sekarang dan aku akan kehilangan Kehidupan Kekal. But God gave me His help. Tapi
Tuhan memberi saya bantuan-Nya. I seized the long shovel and took out the loaves, carried
them into the yard, and started to dig a hole in the frozen earth. Aku merebut sekop panjang
dan mengeluarkan roti, membawa mereka ke halaman, dan mulai menggali lubang di bumi
beku.
My apprentice came back as I was doing it. magang saya datang kembali seperti yang
saya lakukan itu. "What are you doing, boss?" "Apa yang kamu lakukan, Bos?" he said, and
grew pale as a corpse. katanya, dan tumbuh pucat sebagai mayat.
"I know what I'm doing," I said, and I buried it all before his very eyes. "Aku tahu apa
yang saya lakukan," kataku, dan aku menguburkannya semuanya depan matanya. Then I
went home, took my hoard from its hiding place, and divided it among the children. Lalu aku
pulang ke rumah, mengambil menimbun saya dari tempat persembunyiannya, dan dibagi di
antara anak-anak. "I saw your mother tonight," I said. "Aku melihat malam ini ibumu," kataku.
"She's turning black, poor thing." "Dia balik hitam miskin hal,."
They were so astounded they couldn't speak a word. Mereka sangat heran mereka
tidak bisa berbicara sepatah kata pun.
"Be well," I said, "and forget that such a one as Gimpel ever existed." "Jadilah baik,"
kataku, "dan lupa bahwa seperti satu sebagai Gimpel pernah ada." I put on my short coat, a
pair of boots, took the bag that held my prayer shawl in one hand, my stock in the other, and
kissed the mezzuzah. Aku mengenakan mantel pendek saya, sepasang sepatu bot,
mengambil tas yang memegang selendang doa saya dalam satu tangan, saham saya yang
lain, dan mencium mezzuzah tersebut. When people saw me in the street they were greatly
surprised. Ketika orang melihat saya di jalan mereka sangat terkejut.

"Where are you going?" "Mau ke mana?" they said. kata mereka.
I answered, "Into the world." Aku menjawab, "Ke dunia." And so I departed from
Frampol. Dan jadi aku berangkat dari Frampol. I wandered over the land, and good people
did not neglect me. Aku berjalan atas tanah, dan orang-orang baik tidak mengabaikan aku.
After many years I became old and white; I heard a great deal, many lies and falsehoods, but
the longer I lived the more I understood that there were really no lies. Setelah bertahun-tahun
saya menjadi tua dan putih, saya mendengar banyak, banyak kebohongan dan kepalsuan,
tapi semakin lama saya hidup semakin aku mengerti bahwa tidak benar-benar ada
kebohongan. Whatever doesn't really happen is dreamed at night. Apa pun tidak benar-benar
terjadi adalah bermimpi di malam hari. It happens to one if it doesn't happen to another,
tomorrow if not today, or a century hence if not next year. Hal ini terjadi untuk satu jika itu
tidak terjadi pada yang lain, besok kalau tidak hari ini, atau abad maka jika tidak tahun depan.
What difference can it make? Apa perbedaan dapat itu membuat? Often I heard tales of
which I said, "Now this is a thing that cannot happen." Sering kali saya mendengar cerita
yang saya berkata, "Sekarang ini adalah hal yang tidak dapat terjadi." But before a year had
elapsed I heard that it actually had come to pass somewhere. Tapi sebelum tahun telah
berlalu saya mendengar bahwa sebenarnya telah terjadi di suatu tempat.
Going from place to place, eating at strange tables, it often happens that I spin
yarnsimprobable things that could never have happenedabout devils, magicians, windmills,
and the like. Pergi dari satu tempat ke tempat, makan di meja yang aneh, sering terjadi
bahwa saya spin yarnsimprobable hal yang tidak pernah bisa setan happenedabout, penyihir,
kincir angin, dan sejenisnya. The children run after me, calling, "Grandfather, tell us a story."
Anak-anak berjalan setelah saya, menelepon, "Kakek, beritahu kami sebuah cerita."
Sometimes they ask for particular stories, and I try to please them. Kadang-kadang mereka
meminta cerita tertentu, dan saya mencoba untuk menyenangkan mereka. A fat young boy
once said to me, "Grandfather, it's the same story you told us before." Seorang anak muda
yang gemuk pernah berkata kepada saya, "Kakek, ini cerita yang sama Anda mengatakan
kepada kami sebelumnya." The little rogue, he was right. The nakal kecil, dia benar.
So it is with dreams too. Begitu pula dengan mimpi juga. It is many years since I left
Frampol, but as soon as I shut my eyes I am there again. Hal ini bertahun-tahun sejak aku
meninggalkan Frampol, tetapi begitu aku memejamkan mata saya, saya di sana lagi. And
whom do you think I see? Dan siapa kau pikir aku lihat? Elka. Elka. She is standing by the
washtub, as at our first encounter, but her face is shining and her eyes are as radiant as the
eyes of a saint, and she speaks outlandish words to me, strange things. Dia berdiri di dekat
bak cuci, seperti pada pertemuan pertama kami, tapi wajahnya bersinar dan matanya adalah
sebagai bersinar sebagai mata suci, dan ia berbicara kata-kata aneh bagi saya, hal-hal aneh.
When I wake I have forgotten it all. Ketika saya bangun saya lupa semuanya. But while the
dream lasts I am comforted. Tetapi sementara mimpi berlangsung aku terhibur. She answers
all my queries, and what comes out is that all is right. Dia menjawab semua pertanyaan saya,
dan apa yang keluar adalah bahwa semua benar. I weep and implore, "Let me be with you."
Aku menangis dan memohon, "Biar saya akan dengan Anda." And she consoles me and tells
me to be patient. Dan dia konsol saya dan memberitahu saya untuk bersabar. The time is
nearer than it is far. Waktu lebih dekat daripada jauh. Sometimes she strokes and kisses me
and weeps upon my face. Kadang-kadang dia stroke dan menciumku dan menangis di wajah
saya. When I awaken I feel her lips and taste the salt of her tears. Ketika aku terbangun aku
merasa bibirnya dan merasakan garam air matanya.
No doubt the world is entirely an imaginary world, but it is only once re- moved from
the true world. Tidak diragukan lagi dunia sepenuhnya dunia imajiner, tetapi hanya sekali repindah dari dunia yang benar. At the door of the hovel where I lie, there stands the plank on
which the dead are taken away. Di pintu gubuk tempat aku berbaring, ada berdiri papan di
mana orang mati diambil. The gravedigger Jew has his spade ready. Para Penggali Kubur
Yahudi telah sekop nya siap. The grave waits and the worms are hungry; the shrouds are
preparedI carry them in my beggar's sack. grave menunggu dan cacing yang lapar,
sedangkan kafan yang preparedI membawa mereka dalam's pengemis karung saya. Another
shnorrer is waiting to inherit my bed of straw. shnorrer lain adalah menunggu untuk mewarisi
tempat tidurku dari jerami. When the time comes I will go joyfully. Bila saatnya tiba aku akan
pergi dengan sukacita. Whatever may be there, it will be real, without complication, without
ridicule, without deception. Apa pun yang mungkin ada, maka akan nyata, tanpa komplikasi,
tanpa ejekan, tanpa penipuan. God be praised: there even Gimpel cannot be deceived.
Terpujilah Tuhan: ada bahkan Gimpel tidak dapat ditipu.