”麟所以为瑞者，以其至仁，非能通神而作怪也，麟口中安得有书也哉 “ 的翻译

[12345689]

I have been trying to translate this sentence for about two days now, but I cant find a proper english sentence, can someone help me? 

麟所以为瑞者，以其至仁，非能通神而作怪也，麟口中安得有书也哉!

Hannah

[dwq]

http://wenxian.fanren8.com/05/06/198/10.htm

 

伏侯《古今注》云：“孔子生之夜，有二苍龙自天而下；有五老列於庭；有麟吐玉书於阙里，云：‘水精之子，继商、周而素王出，故苍龙绕室，五星降庭’（云云）。”余按：麟所以为瑞者，以其至仁，非能通神而作怪也，麟口中安得有书也哉！麟虽瑞物亦胎生也；书者，人之所为，非天地所能生，麟亦不能自为书也，麟口中安得有书也哉！西狩获麟，《春秋》志之矣；孔子生时果有麟至，乃真祥也？《春秋》何以反不志乎！至於苍龙五星之降，事尤荒唐；“水精之子”云者，语亦谬戾。此说至为无稽，而世亦或信之，嘻，其真可异也已！

 

What do you get so far?  Perhaps if you can tell us what you have difficulty with, people can help you more easily.

 

Judging from what follows the sentence, it is saying people use the presence of a Kirin holding a book (or scroll) at the birth of Confucious as a sign of unnatural/supernatural intervention of that event; but the author is refuting that by saying Kirin is notable not beacuse of its unnatural-ness, and a scroll is a result of human workmanship and cannot be supernatural, and the Kirin couldn't have written one itself, so how come it is bearing one?

 

[Daniel Tsui44]

On 2017/3/17 at 5:57 AM, 12345689 said:

麟所以为瑞者，以其至仁，非能通神而作怪也，麟口中安得有书也哉!

what makes Kirin as a good sign is its utmost benevolence, not that it is related to supernatural and can do unnatural things, how can a book comes out of the mouth of Kirin.

[12345689]

Thank you so much! I was just struggling with all the particles, but your answers helpt:)