趣谈伊朗和美国婚俗差异

　　The actual marriage ceremony is quite different, however, from the American wedding ceremonies I have seen. The bride, dressed in white, with a veil over her face, sits in a room alone. She sits on a special piece of silk which is surrounded on two sides by very long pieces of flat bread. Two mullahs stand outside the door to this room reading from the Koran. Twice the bride must remain silent to the questions of the mullahs. The groom's mother then presents a gift of gold to show that her side of the family is serious. The bride then responds to the mullahs in much the same manner as do Americans when they say "I do." The groom is allowed to go into the bride's room while the mullahs take care of the official marriage papers.

　　但，真正的伊朗人的结婚典礼跟我所见过的几次美国人的婚礼就完全不同了。新娘身穿一身白色，脸上罩着面纱，一个人独自坐在一个房间里。她坐在一块特制的丝绸上面，丝绸的两边围着很长的扁平的面包。两位毛拉站在新娘独坐的那间房子的门外朗读《古兰经》。新娘必须对毛拉头两次提出的问题保持沉默。这时新郎的母亲要赠给新娘一件金制的礼品以表明她家这一方是严肃诚恳的。然后新娘这才回答毛拉的提问，有和美国新娘一样的方式回答说："我愿意嫁给他。"在毛拉负责验证官方颁发的结婚证之后，这才允许新郎进入新娘的房间。

　　One more difference between the marriage customs of the United States and my country is that the bride does not immediately go to the home of her new husband. For several months, she continues to stay at her own home preparing her dowry and receiving instructions from her mother on how to be a good wife and mother. After a few moths, the groom and his relatives come for the bride and take her to his home along with the dowry.

　　我的祖国与美国在婚俗上还有一点不同，那就是新娘并不立即就到她的新婚的丈夫家去。婚礼以后的最初几个月，她要继续住在自己的娘家，以便准备嫁妆，以便接受母亲关于怎样做一个贤妻良母的培训和教诲。过了两三个月以后，新娘及他的亲属们前来接新娘，把她和她的嫁妆一起带回丈夫家。

　　Though I can certainly see the advantages of the freedom that freedom that is given to American youths to choose whom they will marry and when, I think I still prefer the customs of my home country. I suppose that's be cause there is not so much guessing and uncertainty.

　　尽管我肯定能看到给予美国年青人以选择同谁结婚和什么时候结婚的自由，这的确有一些好处；但是，我想我还是宁愿采取我的祖国的婚姻习俗。我想，这可能是因为伊朗人的做法没有那么多猜测和不知根不知底细的因素。