作品原文
胡适 《清道夫》
凡是到过北京的人，总忘不了北京街道上的清道夫。那望不尽头的大街上，迷漫扑人的尘土里，他们抬着一桶水，慢慢地歇下来。一勺儿一勺儿的洒到地上去，洒得又远又均匀。水洒着的地方尘土果然不起了。但那酷烈可怕的太阳光，偏偏不肯帮忙它，只管火似地晒在那望不尽头的大街上。那水洒过的地方，一会儿就晒干了：于是风吹过来，或是汽车走过去，那迷漫扑人的尘土又飞扬起来了。洒的尽管洒，晒的尽管晒。但那些蓝褂儿露着胸脯儿的清道夫，并不因为太阳和他们作对就不洒水了。他们依旧一勺儿一勺地洒，洒得又远又均匀，直到太阳落了，天黑了，他们才抬着空桶慢慢的走回去，心里都想到：“今天的事做完了。”
英文译文
The Street-Sprinklers
Hu Shih
Everyone who has been in Peking remembers the street-sprinklers. On the long streets, as far the eye can reach and in the midst of the dust which worries and blinds the passersby, the sprinklers, two by two, carrying a large tub of water, quietly approach. Setting the tub on the ground, by means of a large wooden dipper at the end of a long handle, they spread the water over the ground far and evenly. At each spot thus watered there is no more dust to be blown about. But the rays of the sun, burning and fierce, undo all this work. Just like flames, they scorch the long boulevards as far as can be seen, till inside of a short minute the sprinkled places have become dry again. Then the wind commences to blow, or else, if automobiles drive by, the dust, always troubling and blinding those that go by, rises and flies about more than ever. Those who sprinkle continue their task steadily; that which parches keeps on parching. All the while, the sprinklers, dressed in blue, with blue chests, do not despair, in spite of the hostility of the sun. They continue to spread the water, dipperful by dipperful, and evenly. They do not return home till the sun sets and night is on them; they go home slowly and quietly, carrying their empty tub, thinking: “We have finished our work of today.”