“Wen Qiang’s Quotes” in Chinese compiled by 玉宇青龙 have been popular recently. Translating them into English and posting them here may or may not be “politically incorrect”. I have to admit that they are excellent food for thought for mature and serious readers who are interested in the fundamental problems in the Chinese culture and Chinese society. I am again taking the liberty of posting all the 11 passages.

- 美坛奇葩 -

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英译：文强的非常精彩绝妙11句感言


I am finally clear now after careful thinking. I have been involved in and have known too much. Without my death, a lot of people would be sleepless. There would be no end to troubles without beheading me. My death would be good for them. I could have dragged them into the water to die with me. But that would sacrifice my wife and children. Some say that I am a devil. However, I am a father, husband, and I am not as vicious to my family yet. A lot of people are anxious to see my death. I will. But I would like to make a few things clear before I take my leave.

我已经想清楚了，我参与过和知道的事情太多，我要是不死很多人就永远睡不着觉。不杀我后患无穷。我死对他们更有利。我是可以把他们拉下水陪我一起去死的。但那就要把我老婆孩子一起赔上。都说我是个恶魔，但我为人父，为人夫，还不至于对自己的家眷那么狠毒。很多人巴不得我文强马上去死。我会的，但有几句话在我走前要讲清楚。


It was said that I embezzled so much money, and slept with so many women. I do not deny those things. What I want to point out is that it is and is not me to blame. Of course, I am mostly responsible. No matter who was at that position, he would embezzle as much money, and sleep with as many women as well, or even more. Those girl students, had I not slept with, other people would have. As for “rape”, do you count that as rape? Did I bite off someone’s nipples? Did I throw someone downstairs? What I did was, in accordance with the rules of the game, what every insider is doing.

都说我贪污那么多的钱，玩了那么多的女人。我不否认这些。我想说的是，这怪我也不怪我，当然我的责任更大。不管谁放在我那个位置上都会贪污那么多的钱，玩那么多的女人，甚至更多。那些女学生我不去玩也是别人去玩。说我文强强奸，我那算强奸吗？我有把人家奶头给咬掉吗？我有把人家扔到楼下去吗？我不过是按照游戏规则做了点圈内人人都做的那些事情。


Who does not understand nowadays? As an official, if not greedy or lecherous, who would trust you, or put you at an important position? It is useless no matter how extraordinarily you do your job. There are at least hundreds of thousands, if not millions, officials like me nationwide. What can be achieved by only singling me out to condemn and put to death?

谁不明白，如今一个干部要是不贪，不色，谁敢相信你，重用你？你工作干的再好也没有用。全国像我这样的干部不说有几百万至少也有几十万吧。单单把我一个文强搞臭、杀掉，又解决什么问题？


I would also like to say that I have progressed from a little local policeman to the Deputy Police Commissioner of a Directly-Governed Municipality not by way of corruption. Frankly, I am thousands of times better than those officers who are paid but do nothing day in day out. I placed my work on top priority, not corruption.

我还要说的是，老子从巴县的一名小片警做到直辖市的公安局副局长，不是靠贪污一路走过来的。老实说我文强比那些整天拿钱不做事的干警要强一万倍。我是工作在前，贪污在后。


I, Wen Qiang, merely a deputy police commissioner, was able to do whatever I like in Chongqing. Who granted me such a power? Where were my superiors then? Who knew those things but still pretended not to have known?

我文强充其量只是个公安局副局长，却能在重庆为所欲为，是谁给我为所欲为的权利呢？我的上级都干什么去了?又是谁明明知道我做的那些事却假装不知道？


Since I am not allowed to be alive anymore, I am ready to sacrifice myself and reveal everything: My loot is far more than that amount of money. Where is the rest? I took people\'s commissions. I could settle some of issues by myself, but I had to get help from others for other issues. Is it possible to get others to do things for you without paying money? Those who took my money and those who gave me money are now directing ordinary people to visit the exhibition of my corruption evidences. I do not deny the authenticity of the evidences, but if you make a search into those guys’ homes, you will find, I am afraid, that they will feel my amount of illicit money, and my collections of calligraphy and painting too meager, if I offer those items to them.

既然不让我活下去，我就豁出去把一切都说白了：我贪的远不止那些钱。其余的都到哪里去了？我是拿过人家的好处费，但我替那些人办的事情有些是我自己办的，有些还要托别人办。托别人办事情没有钱行吗？那些拿过我的钱的人和送过钱给我的人如今都在带领老百姓参观我贪污的那些证据。我不否认那些证据的真实性，但你们要是也去那些人家里搜搜，就会觉得我那点儿赃款、字画拿到他们家里恐怕人家会嫌寒酸的。


I, Wen Qiang, am also educated and literate. In ancient times, at the Caishikou Beheading Ground in Beijing, many people applauded the executions. But didn’t everything carry on as usual after the applauses? Have Chinese people changed in the last few centuries? I think that nothing has changed. Putting me to death is no more than making me shut up. Will this eliminate the origin of corruption? Yesterday, many people set off firecrackers on the streets in Chongqing. After I finally caught Zhang Jun, didn’t Chongqing people ignite firecrackers all over the city? I wonder if they will still set off firecrackers in a couple of years. At that time, the people who betrayed me, I am afraid, would cherish my virtue. At that time, ordinary people who do not know the truths at present, will find that I, Wen Qiang, am better.

我文强也是读书识字的。以前北京菜市口砍头也有很多的民众拍手称快。可这拍手称快后还不是一切照旧？中国人几百年变了吗？我看什么也没变。杀了我不过封了我的口，这能封住贪污腐败的源头吗？昨天重庆大街上有很多人放鞭炮。当年我办了张君案后重庆不也是大街小巷放鞭炮吗？我看三年后他们还要不要放鞭炮。到那个时候那些出卖过我的人恐怕会念叨我的好处了。到那个时候那些不明真相的老百姓就会觉得还是我文强好一点。


Some ordinary people hate me because I did not put certain lawbreakers to justice, or I did not exonerate then from the injustices they suffered. Maybe I should make an apology to them before I take my leave. In some cases, if I had not taken the money from the criminals and settled the cases to their advantages, they would have given the money to my superiors, and I myself would have been “settled”. Can you blame me for all of these? What hatred did I have towards those ordinary people? Did I have to harm them for no reason? They are the victims. Am I, Wen Qiang, also a victim?

有些老百姓恨我没有替他们惩治罪犯，沉冤昭雪。也许我走前该给他们道个歉。有些案子我要是不去收那些人的钱替他们摆平，那些人就要把钱送到我的上司那里，最后要把我摆平。这都能怪我吗？我跟那些百姓有什么仇？我会无缘无故地加害他们吗？他们是受害者，难道我文强就不是受害者吗?


Did I, Wen Qiang, ever take any bribery 30 years ago? They honored me as a hero. In fact, what I did was no more than hard working. Since they named me as a hero, I simply had to take it. Now they say that I am a criminal. How dare I not to assume the position of a criminal?

我文强30年前有没有拿过一分钱的贿赂？当年他们说我是英雄，我其实只是在卖力地工作而已，但他们叫我当英雄我就不能不当。现在他们又说我是罪犯，我敢不去当这个罪犯吗？


Officials at present are even worse than those of the former KMT Government. I am only one of them. What has turned me into someone like this is the Society, the System. The reason that I have said so much is not to put all the blame on others. I still should bear the major responsibility.

现在的官员比国民党还坏，我不过是其中一员罢了。把我变成这个样子的是这个社会，这个制度。我说这么多并不是要把所有责任都推给别人。我还是负主要责任的。

Had I not transferred out of the Ba County, but continued to stay there as a little policeman, I would not have been like what I am today. Greed for merit, fame, benefit and fortune is my biggest mistake in life. After I die, my children should not use the Wen surname anymore. Take something else. My children and grandchildren should never pursue a career in the government, never be officials, and keep away from merit, fame, benefit and fortune. Being plain and peaceful is a bless.

要是当年我不从巴县调出来，留在那里安心当一个小片警，我的今天就不会是这样。贪图功名利禄是我这一生最大的错误。我死后我的孩子就不要再姓文了，改姓别的，子子孙孙以后再也不要从政，不要当官，远离功名利禄。平淡、平安才是福。