a little translation for a 民间故事

[JackTheCrow]

Hi i have to translate a little text,maybe someone know it,is a popular story : 刘大请客

i have some translate doubts:

How you translate these:

1－－－刘大就说 ：‘’怎么该来的不来？‘’ ‘’什么？那我是不该来的？‘’

2－－－刘大就说 ：‘’不该走的又走了。‘’ ‘’怎么？那我是该走的？‘’

谢谢你们

[imron]

How about you provide your existing translations, and then people can point out any corrections if necessary?

[JackTheCrow]

my problems is on these grammar structure:

- 怎么该来的不来？

- ’不该走的又走了.

in the rest of the phrases don't have any problems.

[semantic nuance]

my problems is on these grammar structure:

- 怎么该来的不来？

- ’不该走的又走了.

Each sentence breaks as follows: (literal translation ) As for the correct translation, you'll have to figure them out by yourself.

怎麼 how come

該來的 (those) who should come

不來？ don't come

不該走的 (those) who shouldn't leave / go

又走了 leave / go again

[万能的刚哥]

0 刘大请客

1－－－刘大就说 ：‘’怎么该来的不来？‘’ 2 ----‘’什么？那我是不该来的？‘’

3－－－刘大就说 ：‘’不该走的又走了。 4----‘’ ‘’怎么？那我是该走的？‘’

This is a well-know joke in China, not a folktale "民间故事“. This is an example of using sunjunctive mood in Chinese-English translation.

0 Liu Da has invited his friends to a dinner.

1 ----- Liu Da said "The people who should have come don't show up. Why?"

2 ----- "What? I am the one who shouldn't have come to this dinner?"

3 ----- Liu Da said “The people who are not suppose to leave now have just left.

4 ----- "What? I am the one who should have left （who should have not been here )?

I am a Chinese, new to this forum. Quite interesting!