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《关雎》的两种英译

Tuesday, January 13, 2004 | 分类:目录 -> 英语 -> 翻译

前些天,xixi网友在论坛上贴出了《关雎》的两种英译,仔细研读,真是受益多多。下面就是我的一点想法。

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先看理雅阁的译文,简称译文一。

中文原文 理雅阁译

关关雎鸠,

在河之洲。

窈窕淑女,

君子好逑。

 

参差荇菜,

左右流之,

窈窕淑女,

寤寐求之。

 

求之不得,

寤寐思服。

悠悠哉哉,

辗转反侧。

 

参差荇菜,

左右采之,

窈窕淑女,

琴瑟友之。

 

参差荇菜,

左右笔之,

窈窕淑女,

钟鼓乐之。

 

Guan-guan go the ospreys ,

On the islet in the river .

The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --

For our prince a good mate she .

Here long , there short , is the duckweed , 

To the left , to the right , borne about by the current .

The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --

Waking and sleeping , he sought her .

He sought her and found her not , 

And waking and sleeping he thought about her .

Long he thought ; oh ! long and anxiously ;

On his side , on his back , he turned , and back again .

Here long , there short , is the duckweed ; 

On the left , on the right , we gather it . 

The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --

With lutes , small and large , let us give her friendly welcome .

Here long , there short , is the duckweed ; 

On the left , on the right , we cook and present it .

The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --

With bells and drums let us show our delight in her .

 

再看另一种译文,简称译文二。

中文原文 译文

关关雎鸠,

在河之洲。

窈窕淑女,

君子好逑。

 

参差荇菜,

左右流之,

窈窕淑女,

寤寐求之。

 

求之不得,

寤寐思服。

悠悠哉哉,

辗转反侧。

 

参差荇菜,

左右采之,

窈窕淑女,

琴瑟友之。

 

参差荇菜,

左右笔之,

窈窕淑女,

钟鼓乐之。

 

Guan! Guan! Cry the fish hawks

on sandbars in the river:

a mild-mannered good girl,

fine match for the gentleman.

 

A ragged fringe is the floating-heart,

left and right we trail it:

that mild-mannered good girl,

awake, asleep, I search for her.

I search but cannot find her,

awake, asleep, thinking of her,

endlessly, endlessly,

turning, tossing from side to side.

A ragged fringe is the floating-heart,

left and right we pick it:

the mild-mannered good girl,

harp and lute make friends with her.

 

A ragged fringe is the floating-heart,

left and right we sort it:

the mild-mannered good girl,

bell and drum delight her.

 

我认为这两种译文各有千秋。前者文雅周到,后者简洁明了,采用了口语。译文二一定是晚于译文一出现的。可以说前者是古典诗歌的译法,后者是现代诗歌的译法。

我注意到,前者将“淑女”译成lady,后者译成good girl,生动的反映了两个时代的不同观念。

前者的译者是著名的汉学家理雅阁。他首先将汉语典籍译成英文,在中西交流史上功不可没。他的译本以忠实于原著而著称。时隔百年,依然是首选的英语译本之一。仅此一点,就足以说明,他的译文的质量。


请注意“求之不得,寤寐思服。悠悠哉哉,辗转反侧。”这一段。

前者译成

And waking and sleeping he thought about her .
Long he thought ; oh ! long and anxiously ;
On his side , on his back , he turned , and back again .

后者译成

awake, asleep, thinking of her,
endlessly, endlessly,
turning, tossing from side to side.


两者都令我倾倒!表达得如此传神,可见古今中外,思慕之苦,人皆有之啊,:-)

Posted by Ruan YiFeng at January 13, 2004 12:15 PM | 返回首页
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