Translation 1: Grammar-Translation Method

อาหารเย็นเป็นไปเหมือนทุกวัน 

Dinner went as it did every day,

พี่น้องกลับจากทำงานก็มานั่งพร้อมหน้าที่โต๊ะอาหาร

siblings home from work all sat around the dinner table.

ความรู้เกี่ยวกับทองม้วนลูกจ้างใหม่ของแม่ทำให้ทุกคนงุนงงแต่ก็ ไม่มีใครปริปาก 

The information about Tongmuan, mom's new hire, made everyone puzzled but no one said anything.

 
แม่ทำลายความเงียบโดยการร้องถาม “ทองม้วนเอ๊ย กินยาแล้วยัง”

Mom broke the silence by calling out, "Tongmuan, have you taken your meds?"

“กินยาอะไร?” พี่เขยแกล้งถาม

"Taking what meds?" brother-in-law tried a question.

“ไม่รู้  เห็นว่าไม่ค่อยสบาย” แม่ตอบ

"I don't know. I got that she wasn't well," mom said.

“เอามาดูหน่อย” พี่เขยสั่ง แม่ตะโกนหาทองม้วนอีก นานหลายอึดใจกว่าหญิงคนนั้นจะลากขามาถึง

"Bring it here for me to see," brother-in-law said. Mom yelled for Tongmuan again. It was a long while before that woman dragged her legs over.

พอรับซองใส่ยามาดู พี่เขยอ้าปากค้าง 

When he got the pill bag and looked at it, his mouth hung open.

“โรงพยาบาลสมเด็จเจ้าพระยา ...”

"Somdej Chaopraya Hospital..."

ทุกคนหันมามองหน้าเลิ่กลั่ก  แม่ถึงแม้จะไม่เข้าใจ

Everyone looked at each other. Mom, though she didn't understand,

แต่ก็ดูออกว่าเป็นเรื่องผิดปกติ  รอจนทองม้วนออกไปแล้วถึงถามเบา ๆ

could tell that something was not right, waited until Tongmuan left and asked softly,

“ทำไมหรือ?”

"What is it?"

“แม่ไม่รู้หรือ นั่นมันยาโรงพยาบาลบ้า” พี่เขยกระซิบตอบ

"You don't know? Those are pills from the crazy hospital," brother-in-law whispered.

“หา ...” แม่สะดุ้งสุดตัว

"What..." Mom jolted.

“ไปยังไงมายังไงถึงรับคนบ้ามาทำงาน” พี่สาวถามอย่างแปลกใจ 

"How is it that you took in a wacko to work here?" elder sister asked curiously.

ไม่น่าเป็นไปได้เลยว่าเมื่อรู้จักเขามากขึ้น

It should not have been possible that when she knew him better,

“แม่เคยเอ่ยกับลูกค้าคนหนึ่ง ว่าอยากได้ลูกจ้างมีอายุสักหน่อยมาทำงานบ้าน

"I mentioned to a customer that I wanted have a somewhat older person come do house work for me.

จู่ ๆ เขาก็พามาให้ถึงที่ทำงาน ...”

One day he brought her all the way over to the office..."

 
“ก็เลยรับ” พี่สาวต่อให้

"And you hired her," elder sister finished.

 
“มันบอกว่าไม่มีที่ไป”

"She said she didn't have anywhere to go."

ฉัฐพรมองดูสีหน้าแม่แล้วต้องครางอยู่ในใจ ... แม่นะแม่ ... 

Chathapon looked at mom's expression and groaned inwardly...Mom, oh Mom...

ที กับงานตัวเองนี่เก่งอย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ แต่กลับใจอ่อนจนแต้มกับบางเรื่อง

in your work you are incredibly good, but in some things you are soft and lost.

Translation 2: Sample for Discussion

Dinner went as usual. After returning from work, her brothers and sisters were sitting together at the dining table. The news about Tongmuan, mum’s new employee, surprised everyone but/yet no one uttered a word. Mum broke the silence shouting, “Tongmuan, have you taken your pills?”

“What for?” Her brother-in-law pretended to ask.

“I don’t know. She said she is not well,” Mum answered.

“Let me see,” he asked. Mum called Tongmuan again. It took a while before the woman dragged herself in.

He took the small plastic medicine bag; his jaw dropped.

“Somdet Chaophraya Hospital …”

Everyone turned to one another looking confused. Although mum didn’t understand, she could sense that something was wrong. Waiting until Tongmuan left, she asked quietly.

“What’s going on?”

“Don’t you know? That place is a mental hospital,” he whispered in reply.

“What?”  Mum’s body flinched.

“But how did you end up bringing a lunatic here?” Her sister wondered.

“I once mentioned to a customer that I was looking for/ wanted a mature employee, to work at my home. Unexpectedly, he brought the woman here …”

“And you simply let her in?” asked her sister, continuing the line of questioning.

“She said she had nowhere else to go.”

Looking at mum’s face, Chatporn had to moan in her mind ... dear dear mum … when it comes to work, you are unbelievably talented but in some matters, you just let down your guard.

Translation 3: Sample for Discussion

That dinner went the same as always, brothers and sisters home from work all seated round the table. News of Tongmuan, mother’s new hire, puzzled but no one said a word. Mother broke the silence, calling out, “Tongmuan, girl, have you taken a pill?”

“What kind of pills?,” Brother-in-Law feigned ignorance.

“I don’t know. I understand that she’s not feeling well,” mother said.

“I’d like to see it,” he demanded. Mother yelled for Tongmuan again and it was a while before that woman dragged her feet over.

Seeing the pill sleeve she handed over, he was momentarily speechless.

“Somdej Chaopraya Hospital…”

Everyone glanced at each other. Though Mother hadn’t clued in, she sensed that something was amiss and waited till Tongmuan left before asking softly,

“What?”

“You don’t realize? That’s an insane asylum,” he whispered back.

“Wha…?” Mother’s whole body jolted.

“How did you happen to get a crazy maid?,” Elder Sister was curious.

“I mentioned to a client about wanting a mature woman to do housework and one day he brought her in at the office…”

“And you accepted,” she finished.

“She said she had nowhere to go.”

Chathaponn looked at Mother’s face and did a mental groan…darnit, Mom…with work, you are unbelievably competent, but in some matters, you are weak and clueless.