古诗词英译对比评析之一：关雎

1、古诗词英译对比评析之一：关雎（ju)v 关雎关雎五种译文之对比分析五种译文之对比分析v 中国是一个诗词大国，悠久的历史孕育了灿烂的文化。几千年漫长的历史上曾出现过多次文学高峰，有先秦诸子散文、唐诗、宋词、元曲和明清小说，涌现出不少优秀作品。诗经是中国第一部诗歌总集。任何人提及中国文学，特别是诗家谈诗，必论诗经；译家译诗，亦往往以翻译诗经而骄傲。关雎是诗经的第一首，我们的古诗词译文评析就从关雎开始。v先看先看关雎关雎原文：原文：v 关关 雎雎v关关雎鸠关关雎鸠 在河之洲在河之洲v窈窕淑女窈窕淑女 君子好逑君子好逑v参差荇菜参差荇菜 左右流之左右流之v窈窕淑女窈窕淑女 寤寐求之寤寐求之v求之不得求

2、之不得 寤寐思服寤寐思服v优哉游哉优哉游哉 辗转反侧辗转反侧v参差荇菜参差荇菜 左右采之左右采之v窈窕淑女窈窕淑女 琴瑟友之琴瑟友之v参差荇菜参差荇菜 左右左右芼芼之之 v窈窕淑女窈窕淑女 钟鼓乐之钟鼓乐之v诗经分为风、雅、颂，关雎属于其中的国风。国风多为底层广大劳动人民所作，歌咏男女之间的爱情，在街头里巷传颂。这首关雎，是描写男子追求所爱女子的四言情歌。以“关关雎鸠，在河之洲”起兴，采用回环复沓形式。表现男子的思慕之情和对爱情的执着追求。“参差”、“窈窕”、“关关”等双声、叠韵、迭字的运用，增强了语言的韵律，又有自然和谐之美。关雎这些声义双兼的语言特点，集中体现了诗经的艺术特点，翻译时要特别

3、注意传递其所承载的传统文化内涵，不能仅作字面表层的处理。v译文一译文一：v Ode (Kwan tseu)v Tr. LeggevKwan kwan go the ospreys.vOn the islet in the river,vThe modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: vFor our prince a good mate she.vHere long, there short, is the duckweed,vTo the left, to the right, borne about by the current.vThe mode

4、st , retiring, virtuous, young lady: vWaking and sleeping, he sought her.vHe sought her and found her not,vAnd waking and sleeping he thought about her.vLong he thought; oh! Long and anxiously;vOn his side, on his back, he turned ,and back again.vHere long, there short, is the duckweed；vOn the left,

5、 on the right, we gather it,vThe modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: vWith lutes, small and large, let us give her friendly welcome.vHere long, there short, is the duckweed；vOn the left, on the right, we cook and present it.vThe modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: vWith bells and drums let

6、 us show our delight in her. translated by Leggev译文二译文二：v Song v Tr. Arthur Waleyv “Fair, fair”, cry the ospreysvOn the island in the river.vLively is this noble lady,vFit bride for our lord.vIn patches grows the water mallow;vTo left and right one must seek it.vShy was this noble lady;vDay and nigh

7、t he sought her.vSought her and could not get her;vDay and night he grieved.vLong thoughts, oh, long unhappy thoughts,vNow on his back, now tossing on to his side.vIn patches grows the water mallow;vTo left and right one must gather it.vShy is this noble lady;vWith great zither and little we hearten

8、 her.vIn patches grows the water mallow;vTo left and right one must choose it.vShy is this noble lady;vWith gongs and drums we will gladden her.v译文三译文三：v The Pure-Hearted Girlv Tr. Witter BynnervOn the river-islandvThe ospreys are echoing usvWhere is the pure-hearted girl vTo be our princess?vLong l

9、otus, short lotus,vLeaning with the current,vTurns like our prince in his questvFor the pure-hearted girl.vHe has sought and not found her,vAwake, he has thought of her, vAsleep, he has dreamed of her,vDreamed and tossed in his sleep.vLong lotus, short lotus, vPluck it to left and right,vAnd make re

10、ady with lutes and with harpsvFor the pure-hearted girl.vLong lotus, short lotus,vCook it for a welcome, vAnd be ready with bells and with drumsvFor the pure-hearted girl.v译文四译文四：v Crying Ospreysv Tr. Yang Xianyi & Gladys YangvMerrily the ospreys cry,vOn the islet in the stream.vGentle and grace

11、ful is the girl,vA fit wife for the gentleman.vShort and long the floating water plants,vLeft and right you may pluck them.vGentle and graceful is the girl,vAwake he longs for her and in his dreams.vWhen the courtship has failed,vAwake he thinks of her and in his dreams.vFilled with sorrowful though

12、ts, vHe tosses about unable to sleep. vShort and long the floating water plants, vLeft and right you may gather them.vGentle and graceful is the girl,vHed like to wed her, the qin and se1 playing.vShort and long the floating water plants,vLeft and right you may collect them.vGentle and graceful is t

13、he girl, vHed like to marry her, bells and drums beating.v v注注1：Two traditional Chinese musical instruments, rather like the zither; the former has seven strings and the latter twenty-five strings.v译文五译文五：vOspreysv Tr. Gu ZhengkunvHark! The ospreys merrily callvOn the islet off the river shore.vThe

14、girl is lovely and slenderly tall,vWhom the gentleman would adore.vThe water plants are long and short,vHere and there they can be sought;vThe lovely girl is slenderly tall,vDay and night he would her recall.vThe first courtship comes to bay,vHe longs for her wildly night and day.vThe lingering long

15、ing grips him tight, vHe tosses, unable to sleep at night.vThe water plants are long and short,vHere and there they can be caught; vThe lovely girl with frail appeal,vHell befriend with zither and zeal.vThe water plants are long and short, vHere and there they can be stored.vThe lovely girl is slend

16、erly tall,vWith bells and drums he wins her after all.v辜正坤先生是国内著名的诗人兼翻译家，辜正坤先生是国内著名的诗人兼翻译家，杨宪益先生是学贯中西的学者，他与夫杨宪益先生是学贯中西的学者，他与夫人戴乃迭的合作，可谓珠联璧合，在翻人戴乃迭的合作，可谓珠联璧合，在翻译界内被传为佳话。由于其深厚的知识译界内被传为佳话。由于其深厚的知识积淀和对本土文化的熟悉和了解，二译积淀和对本土文化的熟悉和了解，二译明显优于国外的译作。明显优于国外的译作。v从题目的翻译来看，辜译为从题目的翻译来看，辜译为OspreysOspreys，杨，杨译作译作Crying

17、 OspreysCrying Ospreys。应该说杨译将雎。应该说杨译将雎鸠雌雄合鸣的欢快场面突现了出来，揭鸠雌雄合鸣的欢快场面突现了出来，揭示出题目所暗含的男女爱情的主题。而示出题目所暗含的男女爱情的主题。而辜译只有静态的水鸟，无助于揭示该诗辜译只有静态的水鸟，无助于揭示该诗的深层含义。的深层含义。v第一诗节里，辜译增加了原文所没有的第一诗节里，辜译增加了原文所没有的HarkHark（留神听，倾听），主要在引导读者体味原（留神听，倾听），主要在引导读者体味原诗隐含的雌雄雎鸠相合而鸣的音象美，但却诗隐含的雌雄雎鸠相合而鸣的音象美，但却没有杨译的没有杨译的Merrily the ospreys

18、 cryMerrily the ospreys cry来得自然。来得自然。“窈窕淑女窈窕淑女”一句，杨译也稍微胜出，辜译一句，杨译也稍微胜出，辜译这句主要是为趁韵。对这句主要是为趁韵。对“好逑好逑”之意，二译之意，二译者理解有异。杨译为者理解有异。杨译为A fit wife for the A fit wife for the gentleman gentleman （佳配），处理成形容词，而辜（佳配），处理成形容词，而辜译处理成动词译处理成动词“爱慕而愿结成配偶爱慕而愿结成配偶”。在上。在上下文中两者都讲得通。下文中两者都讲得通。v第二诗节中的第二诗节中的“左右流之左右流之” ” 杨译用杨译

19、用youyou作为作为动作的发出者，是误译。采摘荇菜的动作应动作的发出者，是误译。采摘荇菜的动作应当是诗中的女子所做，应用当是诗中的女子所做，应用she she ，而且，而且maymay可可去掉不要。去掉不要。“寤寐求之寤寐求之”一句，辜译也稍微一句，辜译也稍微胜出。胜出。v第三诗节辜译将该男子第三诗节辜译将该男子“求之不得求之不得”的思念的思念之情表现得惟妙惟肖，尤其将众多译者都处之情表现得惟妙惟肖，尤其将众多译者都处理不好的理不好的“优哉游哉优哉游哉”一句形象地得以再现，一句形象地得以再现，尤为不易。诗中的男子虽然对那位女子爱意尤为不易。诗中的男子虽然对那位女子爱意及思念极深，但并不悲观和悲伤，诗的基本及思念极深，但并不悲观和悲伤，诗的基本基调是乐而不忧，这一点译者需要把握好。基调是乐而不忧，这一点译者需要把握好。杨译杨译