又中又英｜Err on the side of caution

Cruise ships were like prisons when the coronavirus infected passengers at the height of the pandemic. The Diamond Princess was the first of over 40 cruise ships with infected passengers. It was quarantined at Yokohama for a month in February 2020. Hundreds were infected and nine died. Many cruise ships with infected passengers were stranded on the high seas when ports refused entry. It made me shudder to think of passengers trapped on the ships for so long. The expression "at the height of" means the most extreme or advanced point of something.

The high seas are seas and oceans beyond national borders. If you are stranded, it means you are unable to go anywhere. If a ship is stranded on the high seas, it means it is trapped at sea. If something makes you shudder it means it makes you shake just thinking about it. Cruises are bouncing back after three years of the pandemic. A cruise company is offering a cruise so unusual it immediately caught my attention. It is offering a three-year around-the-world cruise that will visit all seven continents, go to 135 countries, and stop at 375 ports. The cheapest room costs US$30,000 per person per year. Balcony suites cost US$110,000 per person per year.

The price includes everything, such as medical visits, meals, alcohol at dinner, and Wi-Fi. You can live on a ship for US$30,000 a year without worrying about expenses such as rent and daily necessities. I will err on the side of caution when considering cruises even though the pandemic has eased. To err on the side of caution means to be very careful about taking risks.

在世纪大疫症肆虐最高峰（at the height of）时期，当有乘客感染到新冠肺炎病毒，邮轮就如囚牢一般。钻石公主号是第1艘发现有乘客染病的邮轮，及后有超过40艘邮轮有乘客染疫。它在2020年2月于横滨港隔离检疫，有数以百计的乘客染疫，9人病逝。因为港口拒绝染疫邮轮驶入，许多载有染病乘客的邮轮都要在公海滞留（stranded on the high seas）。当想到乘客被困于邮轮上这么久，便令我不寒而栗（make me shudder）。习语"at the height of"是指某事物的顶点或颠峰。

The high seas是各国境外的公海。若你是 stranded，意即你滞留某处，哪儿都去不了。若一艘邮轮是 stranded on the high seas，意即它在海上滞留。若某事 makes you shudder，意即你单单想到它就颤抖了。经过3年世纪疫情之后，邮轮重振旗鼓回来了。一间邮轮公司推出的邮轮之旅非比寻常，立马吸引我的注意。它的邮轮会用3年环游世界，游历7大洲、135个国家，及于375个港口停泊。最便宜的一间房，每人要3万美元1年。阳台套房则要每人11万美元1年。

价格包含所有费用，包括看医生、餐饮、晚膳的酒品，以及Wi-Fi。用3万美元1年你就可以在船上生活而毋须担心租金及日常需用等开支。虽然世纪疫情已缓解，但考虑搭邮轮与否我仍然会 err on the side of caution——to err on the side of caution的意思是宁愿过于谨慎也不想犯险。

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻