又中又英——at her wits’ end

　　It has been seven months since protests started against the government’s now-withdrawn extradition bill. The bill itself belongs to the dustbin of history after Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the bill is dead. But the protests have morphed (gradually changed) from anti-extradition protests to anti-government protests. Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is at her wits’ end trying to stop the protests, which often turn violent. People often ask me what the best way is to end the protests. I don’t have the answer. Some people suggest that all sides should start with a clean slate but that’s easier said than done.
　　If something belongs to the dustbin of history, it means it will be forgotten in history. The expression can be used for people, events, or ideologies. The expression “ash heap of history” has the same meaning. History won’t pay too much attention to the extradition bill, except to say it was the cause of Hong Kong’s worst political crisis since reunification. History will pay more attention to the protest movement, describing it as a movement for greater democracy and against mainland interference in local affairs. If you are at your wits’ end, it means you are so worried, confused, or annoyed that you don’t know what to do next.
　　To start with a clean slate means to forgive or forget about the mistakes or problems of the past so you can make a new start. Starting with a clean slate is easier said than done because neither the government nor the protest movement wants to forget about the past. The government has refused to accept the demands of the protesters, including more democracy, an independent inquiry into the causes of the protests, and an amnesty for those arrested. The protesters have refused to accept that all those arrested are rioters, and have also refused to accept anything less than an independent inquiry chaired by a judge. This means starting with a clean slate is impossible.
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　　反对政府那现已撤回的引渡条例的持续示威，自开始至今已经过七个月了。在特首林郑月娥宣布修订草案已寿终正寝之后，草案本身已被扫进历史的垃圾桶（dustbin of history）中。然而抗议活动已由反修例示威蜕变（morphed）为反政府示威。林郑月娥对于怎样停止这些不时变得暴烈的抗议活动，实在是黔驴技穷（at her wits’ end）。人们常问我，要结束这些抗议活动，有甚么最好的方法？我没有答案。有些人提议各方人士皆不计前嫌，重新开始（start with a clean slate），但这确实说易行难。
　　若某事属于 dustbin of history，意即它会被遗忘于历史之中。这个习语可以用于人、事又或意识形态。习语“ash heap of history”也是同一意思。历史不会太理会那条引渡条例草案，除了说它是香港回归以来最严重政治危机的因由。历史会更关注整场抗议运动，将之形容为争取更大民主及反对内地干预本地事务的运动。若你是 at your wits’ end，意即你非常担忧、迷惘或苦恼，因你已束手无策、无计可施。
　　To start with a clean slate意即不计前嫌，原谅或忘掉过往的错失或问题，好能重新开始。尽弃前嫌（starting with a clean slate）确实是说易行难，因为不论是政府抑或抗议运动，双方都不愿忘掉过去。政府拒绝接受示威者的诉求，包括更大幅度的民主、成立独立调查委员会，以及特赦被捕人士。示威者已拒绝接受说那些被捕者是暴徒，而若非由法官主持的独立调查委员会，他们亦已表明拒绝接受。这就意味著，不计前嫌而重新开始（starting with a clean slate）是不可能的。
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁