Translation of 背影 (BeiYing)

This text was a chapter from our Chinese textbook. To demonstrate my support for formal equivalence, but also to make fun of online machine translators, I literally translated the text word-for-word into English. The fun part was trying to decipher the original passage from my translated version.

I and father relative no each other see already two years excess already, I most not able forget record is his back shadow.
That year winter day, ancestor mother dead already, father relative’s lousy motion also submit unloaded, correct is disaster not single movement’s day son. I from North Capital to Slow Province, hit count following father relative leap funeral return home. Reach Slow Province meeting father relative, see meet full yard wolf register’s east west, again think up ancestor mother, not forbid flow down eye tears. Father relative say, “Things already like this, no necessity difficult cross, good at sky no finished people’s road!”
Return home change sell pawn substance, father relative returned loss empty, again borrow money organised funeral matters. This some day son, home inside light circumstances very is pitiful thin, one half for already funeral matters, one half for already father relative endow idle. Funeral matters done finish, father relative want reach South Capital work things, I also want return North Capital read books, we thus same go.
Arrive South Capital time, have friend friend invite go swim shop, mark left one day. Number two day up noon thus must cross river to shore mouth, down noon up train north go. Father relative reason for things hurry, originally already say confirm not sending me, call holiday gallery inside one familiar recognised tea room accompany me together go. He again three urge instruct tea room, more is young careful. But he finally by not let heart, afraid tea room not proper appropriate, considerably hesitate hesitated a while. That reality I that year already 20 years, North Capital already come gone over two three times, is not have anything want nervous already. He hesitate hesitated a moment, finally by decide confirm still is self self send me go. I two three return advise him no necessity go, he only say, “Don’t want nervous, they go no good!”
We crossed river, entered train stand. I buy ticket, he busying shine look walk plum. Walk plum too many already, must toward foot man walk some small fee, then can cross go. He then again busying with them talk price money. I that time really is clever bright too part, always feel gain he say words not big pretty bright, wrong self self stick mouth not permit. But he finally by talk confirmed price money, so send me up train. He give me selected stable near train door one spread chair son, I get him give me done purple hair big clothes unfold good sit place. He urge me road top small heart, night inside vigilant awake some, not want receive cold. Again urge entrust tea room good good shine answer me. I heart inside dark laugh his old-fashionedness; they only recognise money, entrust them simply straight is white entrust! And even I this kind big year age person, difficult road still not able material manage self self? Sigh, I now is think think, that time really is too clever bright already!
I say way: “Dad dad, you walk okay.” He toward train outside seen see, say: “I buy few tangerines son go. You so at this ground, not want walk move.” I see that side moon stage’s railing fence outside have few sell east west waiting watch guest. Walk to that side moon stage, must through over metal way, must jump down go again climb up go. Father relative is one fat son, walk over go self natural want spend matters some. I origin come want go, he not willing, only good let him go. I look meet he wearing black cloth small hat, wearing black cloth big horse gown, deep green cloth cotton robe, limp limp walk to metal way side, slow slow reach body down go, yet not big difficult. Permit is he pass over metal way, want climb up that side moon stage, thus not tolerate easy already. He use two hands climbing up face, two feet again toward up contract; he fat plump body son towards left slightly lean, show out hardworking strength kind son. This time I look meet his back shadow, my tears very quickly flow down come already. I hurry nervous wiped dry tears, afraid he see look, also afraid other people see look. I again toward outside look time, he already hugged tangerine son towards return walk already. Cross metal way time, he first get tangerine son one strand brain child put in my skin big clothes above. By is pounce pounce clothes up mud soil, heart inside very light loose similar, over one able child say, “I walk already, reach that side come letter!” I long-looking he walk out go. He walked few steps, return head look meet me, say, “Enter go, inside side no people.” Wait his back shadow mix enter come come go go people crowd inside, again find not able already, I thus enter go sit down, my eye tears again came.
Near few years come, father relative and me both is east leap waest walk, home middle light view is one day not like one day. He young years exit outside plan work live, single strength support hold, done allow many big things. How know old situation but like this ruined abrupt! He sense eye hurt mind, self natural sentiment not able self self. Sentiment gloomy in middle, self correct want distribute of at outside; home court petty trifles thus toward toward touch his rage. He treat me gradually gradually not same toward days. But most near two years’ not meet, he finally by forget decline my not good, only is concerned remember ……….

Original:

我与父亲不相见已二年余了，我最不能忘记的是他的背影 。
　　那年冬天，祖母死了，父亲的差使也交卸了，正是祸不单行的日子。我从北京到徐州打算跟着父亲奔丧回家。到徐州见着父亲，看见满院狼藉的东西，又想起祖母，不禁簌簌地流下眼泪。父亲说：“事已如此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路！”
　　回家变卖典质，父亲还了亏空；又借钱办了丧事。这些日子，家中光景很是惨淡，一半为了丧事，一半为了父亲赋闲。丧事完毕，父亲要到南京谋事，我也要回北京念书，我们便同行。
　　到南京时，有朋友约去游逛，勾留了一日；第二日上午便须渡江到浦口，下午上车北去。父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房陪我同去。他再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。但他终于不放心，怕茶房不妥帖；颇踌躇了一会。其实我那年已二十岁，北京已来往过两三次，是没有什么要紧的了。他踌躇了一会，终于决定还是自己送我去。我再三劝他不必去；他只说：“不要紧，他们去不好！”
　　我们过了江，进了车站。我买票，他忙着照看行李。行李太多了，得向脚夫行些小费才可过去。他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。我那时真是聪明过分，总觉他说话不大漂亮，非自己插嘴不可，但他终于讲定了价钱；就送我上车。他给我拣定了靠车门的一张椅子；我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺好座位。他嘱我路上小心，夜里要警醒些，不要受凉。又嘱托茶房好好照应我。我心里暗笑他的迂；他们只认得钱，托他们只是白托！而且我这样大年纪的人，难道还不能料理自己么？唉，我现在想想，那时真是太聪明了！
　　我说道：“爸爸，你走吧。”他往车外看了看说：“我买几个桔子去。你就在此地，不要走动。”我看那边月台的栅栏外有几个卖东西的等着顾客。走到那边月台，须穿过铁道，须跳下去又爬上去。父亲是一个胖子，走过去自然要费事些。我本来要去的，他不肯，只好让他去。我看见他戴着黑布小帽，穿着黑布大马褂，深青布棉袍，蹒跚地走到铁道边，慢慢探身下去，尚不大难。可是他穿过铁道，要爬上那边月台，就不容易了。他用两手攀着上面，两脚再向上缩；他肥胖的身子向左微倾，显出努力的样子，这时我看见他的背影，我的泪很快地流下来了。我赶紧拭干了泪。怕他看见，也怕别人看见。我再向外看时，他已抱了朱红的桔子往回走了。过铁道时，他先将桔子散放在地上，自己慢慢爬下，再抱起桔子走。到这边时，我赶紧去搀他。他和我走到车上，将桔子一股脑儿放在我的皮大衣上。于是扑扑衣上的泥土，心里很轻松似的。过一会说：“我走了，到那边来信！”我望着他走出去。他走了几步，回过头看见我，说：“进去吧，里边没人。”等他的背影混入来来往往的人里，再找不着了，我便进来坐下，我的眼泪又来了。
　　近几年来，父亲和我都是东奔西走，家中光景是一日不如一日。他少年出外谋生，独立支持，做了许多大事。哪知老境却如此颓唐！他触目伤怀，自然情不能自已。情郁于中，自然要发之于外；家庭琐屑便往往触他之怒。他待我渐渐不同往日。但最近两年不见，他终于忘却我的不好，只是惦记着我，惦记着我的儿子。我北来后，他写了一信给我，信中说道：“我身体平安，唯膀子疼痛厉害，举箸提笔，诸不便，大约大去之期不远矣。”我读到此处，在晶莹的泪光中，又看见那肥胖的、青布棉袍黑布马褂的背影。唉！我不知何时再能与他相见！