The bold parts are the improvements I make after reading Zhang Peiji’s translation.
背影
Father’s Back
作者: 朱自清
author:Zhu Ziqing
我与父亲不相见已二年余了，我最不能忘记的是他的背影。
I have not seen my father for more than 2 years. What I cannot forget most is his back.
那年冬天，祖母死了，父亲的差使也交卸了，正是祸不单行的日子，我从北京到徐州，打算跟着父亲奔丧回家。
The winter of that year, grandma died and as misfortunes never come singly, father lost his job. On such bad days, I left Beijing for Xuzhou, planning to go backhasten home for the funeral with my father.
到徐州见着父亲，看见满院狼藉的东西，又想起祖母，不禁簌簌地流下眼泪。
In Xuzhou, I met my father. Seeing the yard messed all over and thinking of grandma, I could not help tearing.
父亲说，“事已如此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路！”
Father said,”Things have happened. Don’t be sad. There is still a way out.”
回家变卖典质，父亲还了亏空；又借钱办了丧事。
Back home, father sold or pawned properties to pay debt and borrowed money to hold the funeral.
这些日子，家中光景很是惨淡，一半为了丧事，一半为了父亲赋闲。
Those days, the condition was very bad, half because of the funeral, half because of father’s unemployment.
丧事完毕，父亲要到南京谋事，我也要回北京念书，我们便同行。
After the funeral, father was going to find some job in Nanjing and I had to go back to Beijing’s school. So we went together.
到南京时，有朋友约去游逛，勾留了一日；第二日上午便须渡江到浦口，下午上车北去。
When we arrived at Nanjing, a friend invited us to stroll about. We stayed for a day. The next day morning, We had to take a ferry to Pukou across the Yangtse River and took a train to go North in the afternoon.
父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房陪我同去。
Father was busy and had said not to see me off. He asked an acquainted hotel waiter to accompany me.
他再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。
We repeatedly told the waiter what to do, very carefully.
但他终于不放心，怕茶房不妥帖；颇踌躇了一会。
But he was worried that the waiter may not be considerate and he hesitated for a long while.
其实我那年已二十岁，北京已来往过两三次，是没有甚么要紧的了。
Actually, I was 20 years old that year, having went to Beijing for two or three times. It’s not a big deal.
他踌躇了一会，终于决定还是自己送我去。
He hesitated for a while and finally decided to see me off personally.
我两三回劝他不必去；他只说，“不要紧，他们去不好！”
I said he did not have to for several times. And But he just said, “It doesn’t matter. Letting them accompany is not good.”
我们过了江，进了车站。
We went across the river and entered the station.
我买票，他忙着照看行李。
I bought the tickets and he took care of the luggage.
行李太多了，得向脚夫行些小费，才可过去。
There were too much luggage and we had to give the porter some tips to enter.
他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。
He then got busy bargaining over the price with them.
我那时真是聪明过分，总觉他说话不大漂亮，非自己插嘴不可。
At that time, I was too smart and always felt that father’s words were not so beautiful that I had to interrupt.
但他终于讲定了价钱；就送我上车。
But he finally settled the price and accompanied me aboard train.
他给我拣定了靠车门的一张椅子；我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺好坐位。
He picked a seat next to the door. I made the seat with the purple fur-coat he made for me.
他嘱我路上小心，夜里警醒些，不要受凉。
He told me to be careful on the road way, be alert at night and not to catch cold.
又嘱托茶房好好照应我。
He then asked the train attendant waiter to take care of me.
我心里暗笑他的迂；他们只认得钱，托他们直是白托！
I laughed at his pedantry in my mind. They only care about money. It is useless to ask them.
而且我这样大年纪的人，难道还不能料理自己么？
And I am old enough to take care of myself!
唉，我现在想想，那时真是太聪明了！
Well, now, I think I was so smart at that time.
我说道，“爸爸，你走吧。”他望车外看了看，说，“我买几个橘子去。
I said,”Dad. Go back.” He looked out of the train and said,”I am gonna buy some oranges.”
你就在此地，不要走动。”我看那边月台的栅栏外有几个卖东西的等着顾客。
“You stay here and don’t leave.” I saw some sellers out of the platform’s fence, waiting for customers.
走到那边月台，须穿过铁道，须跳下去又爬上去。
To get to the platform at the other side has to cross the railway, to jump down and climb up.
父亲是一个胖子，走过去自然要费事些。
Father was fat and it took some efforts to get there.
我本来要去的，他不肯，只好让他去。
I was going to buy on my own, but he did not allow me. I could only let him go.
我看见他戴着黑布小帽，穿着黑布大马褂，深青布棉袍，蹒跚地走到铁道边，慢慢探身下去，尚不大难。
I saw him with a black cloth hat and a mandarin jacket, wearing deep green robe, stumbled to the railway side and slowly climbed down. It’s not too difficult yet.
可是他穿过铁道，要爬上那边月台，就不容易了。
But it is not easy for him to get across the railway and climb up the platform on the other side.
他用两手攀着上面，两脚再向上缩；他肥胖的身子向左微倾，显出努力的样子。
He first let his hand cling the platform and raised his legs. His fat corpulent body leaned toward the left, showing great efforts.
这时我看见他的背影，我的泪很快地流下来了。
I saw his back and soon, tears went down my face.
我赶紧拭干了泪，怕他看见，也怕别人看见。
I quickly wiped the tears, afraid of being noticed by him and other people.
我再向外看时，他已抱了朱红的橘子望回走了。
When I looked out again, he had started going back with red oranges.
过铁道时，他先将橘子散放在地上，自己慢慢爬下，再抱起橘子走。
When crossing the railways, he put the oranges on the ground and climbed down slowly. Then he took the oranges and went.
到这边时，我赶紧去搀他。
When he came here, I hurried to support help him by the hand.
他和我走到车上，将橘子一股脑儿放在我的皮大衣上。
He got on the train with me and put all the oranges on my fur-coat.
于是扑扑衣上的泥土，心里很轻松似的，过一会说，“我走了；到那边来信！”我望着他走出去。
Flapping Patting the dust on off his clothes, seemed very relaxed, he later said,”I leave must be going now. Send Write to me mails there.” I watched him walked away.
他走了几步，回过头看见我，说，“进去吧，里边没人。”等他的背影混入来来往往的人里，再找不着了，我便进来坐下，我的眼泪又来了。
He took a few steps, looked back to see me and said,”Go in. No one inside. Don’t leave your things alone.” I watched him until his back disappeared into crowds. I went in and sat down. My tears went down again.
近几年来，父亲和我都是东奔西走，家中光景是一日不如一日。
In recent years, both father and I all moved all around have been living an unsettled life. Our family conditions got worse and worse.
他少年出外谋生，独力支持，做了许多大事。
He made a living outside when he was young and did a lot of great things.
那知老境却如此颓唐！
But he become so dispirited(downcast) when he was old.
他触目伤怀，自然情不能自已。
He could not help feeling sad seeing the reality.
情郁于中，自然要发之于外；家庭琐屑便往往触他之怒。
As one is depressed, he will show it outside(find a vent). He easily got angry on domestic trivialities.
他待我渐渐不同往日。
He gradually treated me in a different worse way.
但最近两年的不见，他终于忘却我的不好，只是惦记着我，惦记着我的儿子。
We hadn’t seen each other for two years and he finally forgot my badness. He was just concerned about me and my son.
我北来后，他写了一信给我，信中说道，“我身体平安，惟膀子疼痛利害，举箸提笔，诸多不便，大约大去之期不远矣。”我读到此处，在晶莹的泪光中，又看见那肥胖的，青布棉袍，黑布马褂的背影。
After I arrived in Beijing, he wrote me a letter. In the letter, he said,”I am all right, but my arms pain badly, which makes it difficult to use chopsticks and pen writing brushes. I may not be far from my death.” I read at this and in my tears, I saw the fat back with green robe and black mandarin jacket.
唉！
alas!
我不知何时再能与他相见！
I don’t know when I can meet him again!
1925年10月在北京。
1925,10 in Beijing