卷一·第二十四章　论七月之子

XXIV. On Seven-Month Children.

第二十四章　论七月之子

We shall also set out in another way whether someone remained the full time in the womb or the lesser, and how disappearances and miscarriages come about, difficult births and stillbirths, and the birth of seven-month children. The method of finding is as follows.

我们也要用另一种方法列出：某人在母腹中待足了时间还是较短的时间，胎失与流产、难产与死产，以及七月之子的出生是怎样发生的。求法如下。

I always take the year before the nativity, together with the month and the day of birth, and I calculate the Moon; and having learned in which sign she was found, I note it. Likewise, taking also the second year after the year of birth, with the month and the day, I calculate the Moon again, and having found her I compare her with the first year. If I find the Moon in both years in trine to the Moon of the nativity, I declare the conception to have been complete; but if in the two years the Moons are found in square to the natal Moon, the native will have the time of the least conception, that is, within 258 days. If the Moon of the first year is found in trine and that of the second in square, the native has his time in the womb within 269 days. If the Moon of the first is in square and that of the second in trine, this native too has a time of 269 days. If the Moon of the first is in square and that of the second turned away, the child will not be reared. And if in the two years the Moons are found unconnected with the Moon of the nativity, the child will be dead in the womb or will be cut out by embryotomy, and it will bring danger to the mother. If the Moons of the two years are found in agreement from opposition as well, it will be a seven-month child. If the Moon of the first year is in opposition and that of the second in trine, either to the Ascendant or to the natal Moon herself, it will be a seven-month child; and the same will be so if she is found in square. And if the Moon of the first is in square and that of the second in opposition, it will be a seven-month child. The Sun too brings about the same when it is opposite the sign in which the conjunction took place.

我总是取出生前的那一年，连同出生的月与日，推算月亮；得知她落在哪个星座后，记下来。同样，也取出生那年之后的第二年，连同月与日，再推算月亮，找到她后与第一年比较。如果我发现两年的月亮都与本命的月亮成三分，就宣告受孕是完足的；但如果两年的月亮都与本命月亮成四分，本命者就有最短受孕的时间，即在二百五十八日以内。如果第一年的月亮成三分、第二年的成四分，本命者在母腹中的时间在二百六十九日以内。如果第一年的成四分、第二年的成三分，这个本命者也有二百六十九日的时间。如果第一年的成四分、第二年的不相照，孩子就养不大。如果两年的月亮都与本命的月亮不相连，孩子就会死在腹中，或被碎胎术取出，并给母亲带来危险。如果两年的月亮也以对冲的方式相合，就是七月之子。如果第一年的月亮成对冲、第二年的成三分，无论对上升点还是对本命月亮本身，都是七月之子；如果她成四分，也是如此。如果第一年的在四分、第二年的在对冲，就是七月之子。太阳与合朔所在的星座对冲时，也造成同样的结果。

The ancients described this subject mystically and obscurely, but we have done so more clearly.

古人把这个题目写得神秘而晦涩，我们则写得更清楚了。