走西口在那个年代是再普通不过的了，我们可以从余秋雨写晋商历史的那篇文章里深深体会到那揪人心弦的夫妻别离、母子分手的感人情景。
Walking in Xikou was very common at that time. We can deeply understand the touching scene of the heartstrings torn couple"s separation and the separation of mother and son from Yu Qiuyu"s article on the history of Shanxi merchants.
古道口，四月天，不见艳阳，只见沙。风丝毫不逊于腊月正月里的疯狂。渡口凌洪汹涌，冰块一堆挤着一堆，像去赶集，又像是走西口的精壮男人们，一伙一伙相跟着，去外面寻找钱，寻找生活。可又有多少再踏上这块故土，见见娘亲和娇妻？
Ancient road mouth, April day, no sunshine, only sand. The wind is no less crazy than the first month of December. The ferry is full of ice. It"s like going to the fair, or the strong men walking West. They follow each other, looking for money and life. But how many of them set foot on this homeland to see their mother and their lovely wife?
乔老三上船了，头也不回，妻子扶着老娘抖在风沙里，她们一句话也不说，甚至抬不起那长满老茧的手。但妻子知道，老三不会忘了他发过的誓：“你放心，我一有了钱，就会回来接你的，变心，就让黄河吞了我！”
Joe got on the boat and didn"t look back. His wife was shaking her mother in the sand. They didn"t say a word. They couldn"t even lift the calloused hand. But his wife knew that the third brother would never forget his oath: "don"t worry, as soon as I have the money, I will come back to pick you up. If I change my mind, I will be swallowed by the Yellow River!"
船逆着风，逆着流，艰难地消失在大拐弯处。但愿这婆媳俩不会像船一样行得艰辛，等得焦急。妻子始终相信：黄河会见证一切。
Against the wind, against the current, the ship disappeared in the big corner. I hope this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law will not go as hard as a boat and wait anxiously. My wife always believes that the Yellow River will witness everything.
春去春来，风行风止，水涨水落，总能看见她挎着篮子徘徊在黄河渡口。采一会儿苦菜，她就站直了腰向远处瞧瞧，红围巾随风招展，散发着信号。让老远的船夫看见了，叫个不停：“大妹子，还等哪？”
Spring to spring, wind stop, water up and down, can always see her carrying basket wandering in the Yellow River Ferry. Picking bitter vegetables for a while, she stood up straight and looked at the distance. The red scarf fluttered() in the wind, sending out a signal. Let the boatman of a long distance see it and call out: "elder sister, where are you waiting?"
她默默地站在沙旁河口，注视着古道口，祈祷着河神，不知不觉低吟起那《走西口》：“哥哥你走西口，妹妹我泪长流。哥哥你别变心，妹妹我守在村头……”
She stood silently at the mouth of the sand river, looked at the ancient road, prayed to the God of the river, and unconsciously chanted "go to the West Port": "my brother, you go to the West Port, my sister, I have long tears. Elder brother, don"t change your mind, younger sister, I will stay at the head of the village...... "
听别人说过，乔老三在那边修了店，成了家。她不信，也不哭，倒是老娘受不住这流言和折磨早日归西了。她坚信，老三不会骗自己，不会背叛黄河——他们心中的神。
I"ve heard that Joe has built a shop there and become a family. She didn"t believe it or cry, but the old lady couldn"t stand the rumors and torture and went back to the West as soon as possible. She firmly believed that the third brother would not cheat himself or betray the Yellow River, the God in their hearts.
20年来，她经常到渡口询问，向别人打听，一有消息就把人家请到门上，好酒好肉，每次都听到同样的话语：“别等了，他不会回来了。”
In the past 20 years, she often went to the ferry to ask for information. Whenever there was any news, she invited people to the door. It was good wine and meat. Every time she heard the same words: "don"t wait, he won"t come back."
扑到路口，踢打着沙上泛黄的矮草，今年春风来得迟，小草绿不起来，她想着，自己还不是一株苦苦等待的小草吗？
Jump to the intersection and kick the yellow grass on the sand. This spring is late, and the grass can"t be green. She thought, isn"t she a grass waiting for you?
凌洪又来了，出乎意料的是，她看着轰隆而来的冰的巨峰，恨死了黄河。为什么老三一去不回，你不能把他带回来吗？来啦，上游下来一只船，像老三正在船头招手呢，她心潮澎湃，迎了上去。但一颗失望的心冷却了，她趟进黄河，去寻找她的老三了，到很远很远的地方……
LingHong comes again. Unexpectedly, she hates the Yellow River when she looks at the huge ice peak. Why can"t you bring the old three back? Here comes a boat coming down the river. It looks like the third is waving at the bow of the boat. She is so excited that she goes up. But a disappointed heart cooled down. She waded into the Yellow River to look for her third child. She went far and far
又过了几年，村里来人了，可是不一会儿就冲向了渡口，人们只听见模糊的呐喊：“黄河爷，我来认罪了！”
A few years later, people came to the village, but soon they rushed to the ferry. People only heard a vague cry: "Lord Yellow River, I"ll plead guilty!"
听了这则故事，走西口的小伙子们再也没有失信过家妻，再也没有失信过黄河。一代一代，再也没听说过这么凄惨的故事，只有远去的嘱咐和归来的欢笑——晋商文化的根。
After listening to this story, the boys in Xikou never broke faith with their wives or the Yellow River. Generation after generation, never heard of such a sad story, only the distant charge and the laughter of returning -- the root of Shanxi business culture.
