《匆匆》朱自清散文英译版本

匆匆朱自清[1]燕子去了，有再来的时候；杨柳枯了，有再青的时候；桃花谢了，有再开的时候。但是，聪明的，你告诉我，我们的日子为什么一去不复返呢？ ——是有人偷了他们罢：那是谁？又藏在何处呢？是他们自己逃走了罢：现在又到了那里呢？[2]我不知道他们给了我多少日子；但我的手确乎是渐渐空虚了。在默默里算着，八千多日子已经从我手中溜去；像针尖上一滴水滴在大海里，我的日子滴在时间的流里，没有声音，也没有影子。我不禁头涔涔而泪潸潸了。[3]去的尽管去了，来的尽管来着；去来的中间，又怎样地匆匆呢？早上我起来的时候 ,小屋里射进两三方斜斜的太阳。太阳他有脚啊，轻轻悄悄地挪移了；我也茫茫然跟着旋转。于是 ——洗手的时候，日子从水盆里过去；吃饭的时候，日子从饭碗里过去；默默时，便从凝然的双眼前过去。我觉察他去的匆匆了，伸出手遮挽时，他又从遮挽着的手边过去，天黑时，我躺在床上，他便伶伶俐俐地从我身上跨过，从我脚边飞去了。等我睁开眼和太阳再见，这算又溜走了一日。我掩着面叹息。但是新来的日子的影儿又开始在叹息里闪过了。[4]在逃去如飞的日子里，在千门万户的世界里的我能做些什么呢？只有徘徊罢了，只有匆匆罢了；在八千多日的匆匆里，除徘徊外，又剩些什么呢？过去的日子如轻烟，被微风吹散了，如薄雾，被初阳蒸融了；我留着些什么痕迹呢？我何曾留着像游丝样的痕迹呢？我赤裸裸来到这世界，转眼间也将赤裸裸的回去罢？但不能平的，为什么偏要白白走这一遭啊？[5]你聪明的，告诉我，我们的日子为什么一去不复返呢？（写于1922年3月18日）朱自清《踪迹》，1924：68-70上海：亚东图书馆1【译文一】HasteTheswallowsmaygo,buttheywillreturnanotherday;thewillowsmaywither,buttheywillturngreenagain;thepeachblossomsmayfadeandfall,buttheywillbloomagain.ouYwhoarewiserthanI,tellme,then:whyisitthatthedays,oncegone,neveragainreturn?Aretheystolenbysomeone?Then,bywhom?Andwherearetheyhidden?Ordotheyrunawaybythemselves?Then,wherearetheynow?IdonotknowhowmanydaysI’vebeengiven,yetslowlybutsurelymysupplyisdiminishing.Countingsilentlytomyself,Icanseethatmorethan8,000ofthemhavealreadyslippedthroughmyfingers,eachlikeadropofwaterontheheadofapin,fallingintotheocean.Mydaysaredisappearingintothestreamoftime,noiselesslyandwithoutatrace;uncontrollably,mysweatandtearsstreamdown.What’sgoneisgone,andwhatiscomingcannotbehalted.Fromwhatisgonetowhatisyettocome,whymustitpasssoquickly?InthemorningwhenIgetuptherearetwoorthreeraysofsunlightslantingintomysmallroom.Thesun,doesithavefeet?Stealthilyitmovesalong,asItoo,unknowingly,followitsprogress.ThenasIwashupthedaypassesthroughmywashbasin,andatbreakfastthroughmyricebowl.WhenIamstandingstillandquietmyeyescarefullyfollowitsprogresspastme.Icansensethatitishurryingalong,andwhenIstretchoutmyhandstocoverandholdit,itsoonemergesfromundermyhandsandmovesalong.Atnight,asIlieonmybed,agilelyitstridesacrossmybodyandfliespastmyfeet.AndwhenIopenmyeyestogreetthesunagain,anotherdayhasslippedby.Iburymyfaceinmyhandsandheaveasigh.Buttheshadowofthenewdaybeginsdartingby,eveninthemidstofmysighing.DuringthesefleetingdayswhatcanI,onlyoneamongsomany,accomplish?Nothingmorethantopaceirresolutely,nothingmorethantohurryalong.Inthesemorethan8,000daysofhurryingwhathaveItoshowbutsomeirresolutewanderings?Thedaysthataregonearelikesmokethathasbeendissipatedbyabreeze,likethinmiststhathavebeenburnedoffundertheonslaughtofthemorningsun.WhatmarkwillIleavebehind?WillthetraceIleavebehindbesomuchasagossamerthread?NakedIcameintothisworld,andinatwinklingstillnakedIwillleaveit.ButwhatIcannotacceptis:whyshouldImakethisjourneyinvain?YouwhoarewiserthanI,pleasetellmewhyitisthatoncegone,ourdaysneverreturn(481.words)(TranslatedbyHowardGoldblatt.Lau&Goldblatt,1995:625-626)(TranslatedbyHowardGoldblatt.JosephS.M.Lau&HowardGoldblatt(eds.).TheColumbiaAnthologyofModernChineseLiterature.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1995:625-626)【译者简介】HowardGoldblatt,ResearchProfessorofChineseattheUniversityofNotreDame,USA.,hastaughtmodernChineseliteratureandcultureformorethanaquarterofacentury.HeobtainedhisBAfromLongBeachStateCollegein1961,MAfromSanFranciscoStateUniversityin1971,andPhDfromIndianaUniversityin1974.AstheforemosttranslatorofmodernandcontemporaryChineseliteratureintheWest,hehaspublishedEnglishtranslationsofover40volumesofChinesefictionintranslationtohisname,includingMoYan’RedsSorghum,aswellasseveralmemoirsandavolumeofpoetryintranslation.GoldblattwasawardedtheTranslationCenterRobertPaynewardA(1985)and“TranslationofthearY”(1999)givenbytheAmericanTranslatorsAssociation.HeisalsothefounderandeditorofthescholarlyjournalModernChineseLiterature,andhascontributedessaysandarticlesThetoWashingtonPost,TheTimesofLondon,TIMEMagazine,2WorldLiteratureToday,andTheLosAngelesTimes.【译文二】TransientDaysIfswallowsgoaway,theywillcomebackagain.Ifwillowswither,theywillturngreenagain.Ifpeachblossomsfade,theywillfloweragain.But,tellme,youthewise,whyshouldourdaysgobynevertoreturn?Perhapstheyhavebeenstolenbysomeone.Butwhocoulditbeandwherecouldhehidethem?Perhapstheyhavejustrunawaybythemselves.Butwherecouldtheybeatthepresentmoment?Idon’tknowhowmanydaysIamentitledtoaltogether,butmyquotaofthemisundoubtedlywearingaway.Countingupsilently,Ifindthatmorethan8,000dayshavealreadyslippedawaythroughmyfingers.Likeadropofwaterfallingoffaneedlepointintotheocean,mydaysarequietlydrippingintothestreamoftimewithoutleavingatrace.Atthethoughtofthis,sweatoozesfrommyforeheadandtearstrickledownmycheeks.Whatisgoneisgone,whatistocomekeepscoming.Howswiftisthetransitioninbetween!WhenIgetupinthemorning,theslantingsuncaststwoorthreesquarishpatchesoflightintomysmallroom.Thesunhasfeettoo,edgingawaysoftlyandstealthily.And,withoutknowingit,Iamalreadycaughtinitsrevolution.ThusthedayflowsawaythroughthesinkwhenIwashmyhands;vanishesinthericebowlwhenIhavemymeal;passesawayquietlybeforethefixedgazeofmyeyeswhenIamlostinreverie.Awareofitsfleetingpresence,Ireachoutforitonlytofinditbrushingpastmyoutstretchedhands.Intheevening,whenIlieonmybed,itnimblystridesovermybodyandflitspastmyfeet.BythetimewhenIopenmyeyestomeetthesunagain,anotherdayisalreadygone.Iheaveasigh,myheadburiedinmyhands.But,inthemidstofmysighs,anewdayisflashingpast.Livinginthisworldwithitsfleetingdaysandteemingmillions,whatcanIdobutwaverandwanderandliveatransientlife?WhathaveIbeendoingduringthe8,000fleetingdaysexceptwaveringandwandering?Thebygonedays,likewispsofsmoke,havebeendispersedbygentlewinds,and,likethinmists,havebeenevaporatedbytherisingsun.WhattraceshaveIleftbehind?No,nothing,notevengossamer-liketraces.Ihavecometothisworldstarknaked,andinthetwinklingofaneye,Iamtogobackasstarknakedasever.However,Iamtakingitverymuchtoheart:whyshouldIbemadetopassthroughthisworldfornothingatall?Oyouthewise,wouldyoutellmeplease:whyshouldourdaysgobynevertoreturn?(475words)（张培基译,1999:75-77)（张培基译，《英译中国现代散文选（汉、英对照）》，上海：上海外语教育出版社， 1999:75-77)【译者简介】张培基，毕业于上海圣约翰大学英文系，曾任《上海自由西报》英文记者、《中国评论周报》（英文）特约撰稿人，后赴日本东京远东国际军事法庭任英语翻译，于美国印地安纳大学英国文学系肄业后回国。历任北京外文出版社编译、中国人民解放军外国语学院英语教授、北京对外经济贸易大学英语教授。主要译作：柔石《为奴隶的母亲》、曹禺《明朗的天》、《英译中国现代散文选》（上、下册）；主要论著：《习语汉译英研究》、《英汉翻译教程》。3【译文三】RushSwallowsmayhavegone,butthereisatimeofreturn;willowtreesmayhavediedback,butthereisatimeofregreening;peachblossomsmayhavefallen,buttheywillbloomagain.Now,youthewise,tellme,whyshouldourdaysleaveus,nevertoreturn?—Iftheyhadbeenstolenbysomeone,whocoulditbe?Wherecouldhehidethem?Iftheyhadmadetheescapethemselves,thenwherecouldtheystayatthemoment?IdonotknowhowmanydaysIhavebeengiventospend,butIdofeelmyhandsaregettingempty.Takingstocksilently,Ifindthatmorethaneightthousanddayshavealreadyslidawayfromme.Likeadropofwaterfromthepointofaneedledisappearingintotheocean,mydaysaredrippingintothestreamoftime,soundless,traceless.Alreadysweatisstartingonmyforehead,andtearswellingupinmyeyes.Thosethathavegonehavegoneforgood,thosetocomekeepcoming;yetinbetween,howswiftistheshift,insucharush?WhenIgetupinthemorning,theslantingsunmarksitspresenceinmysmallroomintwoorthreeoblongs.Thesunhasfeet,look,heistreadingon,lightlyandfurtively;andIamcaught,blankly,inhisrevolution.Thus—thedayflowsawaythroughthesinkwhenIwashmyhands,wearsoffinthebowlwhenIeatmymeal,passesawaybeforemyday-dreaminggazeasIreflectinsilence.Icanfeelhishastenow,soIreachoutmyhandstoholdhimback,buthekeepsflowingpastmywithholdinghands.Intheevening,asIlieinbed,hestridesovermybody,glidespastmyfeet,inhisagileway.ThemomentIopenmyeyesandmeetthesunagain,onewholedayhasgone.Iburymyfaceinmyhandsandheaveasigh.Butthenewdaybeginstoflashpastinthesigh.WhatcanIdo,inthisbustlingworld,withmydaysflyingintheirescape?Nothingbuttohesitate,torush.WhathaveIbeendoinginthateight-thousand-dayrush,apartfromhesitating?Thosebygonedayshavebeendispersedassmokebyalightwind,orevaporatedasmistbythemorningsun.WhattraceshaveIleftbehindme?HaveIeverleftbehindanygossamertracesatall?Ihavecometotheworld,starknaked;amItogoback,inablink,inthesamestarknakedness?Itisnotfairthough:whyshouldIhavemadesuchatripfornothing!Youthewise,tellme,whyshouldourdaysleaveus,nevertoreturn?(463words)（朱纯深译,1994(4):63-64）（朱纯深译，《中国翻译》，1994(4):63-64）【译者简介】ZhuChunshen,associateprofessoroftranslationstudies,receivedhisPhDfromtheUniversityofNottingham,BritainandMAfromFujianNormalUniversity,China.HetaughtatFujianNormalUniversityandtheNationalUniversityofSingaporebeforejoiningCityUniversityofHongKonginSeptember1998.Currently,ZhuservesasLeaderfortheprogramofMAinTranslationandInterpretation,andisMemberoftheCommitteeforTranslationTheoryandPedagogy,Translators’AssociationofChina.【译文四】DaysGoneBy[1]Whentheswallowshavegone,thereisstilltimetoreturn;thereisstilltimetoreturn;whenthe4poplarandwillowtreeshavebecomewithered,thereisstilltimetoseegreen;whenthepeachflowershavealreadyfaded,thereisstilltimetoblossom.Butpleasetellme,thegenius,whythenhavemydaysgoneandneverreturned?Ifsomepeoplehavestolenthem,thenwhoarethey?Andwherearetheyhidden?Iftheyhaveescapedbythemselves,thenwherearetheynow?Idon’tknowhowmanydaysIhavebeengiven,butthedaysinmyhandsarebecomingnumbered.Countingsilently,overeightthousanddayshaveslippedby.Justlikewaterdropsuponapinpointdrippingslowlyintothevastocean,mydayshavebeendrippingintotheriveroftime,quietlyandinvisibly.Ican’thelpdrippingwithsweatandweepingmanytears.Althoughthegoingshavegoneandthecomingsareconstantlycoming,howhurriedisthetimebetween?WhenIgetupinthemorning,Iseetwoorthreeribbonsoflightstreamingintomyroom.Thesunalsohasfeet;itmovesawayontiptoeandIfollowitaimlessly.WhenIwashmyhands,mydayswashoffintomybasin;whenIameating,thedaysvanishfrommybowl;andwhenIamsittingsilently,mydayspassbymygazingeyes.WhenIfeelthemgoawaysohurriedly,Ireachoutmyhandsonlytoholdthembackbeforetheyarebeyondmygrasp.Whenitisdark,Ilieuponmybedandwatchdayscleverlyjumpovermybodyorflyawayfrommyfeet.WhenIopenmyeyestomeetthesunagain,anotherdayhasgoneby.Icovermyfaceandsigh,butthesparkofanewdaybeginstoflashawayinmybreath.Intheseswiftlyescapingdays,whatcanIdointhisworldamongstthousandsofhouseholdsofhouseholds?Icandonothingbuthesitateandhurry.Intheseovereightthousandhurrieddays,whathasbeenlefttomebesideshesitation?Thepastdayslikelightsmokeareblownawaywiththebreezeorlikeathinlayerofmistevaporatewiththemorningsun.AndwhatmarkhaveIleftintheworld?WhenhaveIeverleftamarkastinyasahairspring?Icametothisworldnaked,soonI’llleaveherenakedtoo.But,’itsunfairtome⋯whydidIcometothisworldfornothing?You,thegenius,pleasetellmewhyourdayshavegonebyandhaveneverreturned?（《中国名家散文精译》[M].青岛：青岛出版社,1999.张梦井，杜耀文编译 135-136）【译者简介】张梦井，英语教授，硕士生导师，研究领域关涉语言学、翻译学、交际学、社会和文化等。先后发表《达尔文的语言观》、《英语不及物动词的主义特征》等有关论文多篇，出版《中国名家散文精译》、《金箭》、《英美名诗100首》、《中国小诗100首》、《外国小诗100首》、《佛教圣地五台山》、《中国俚语、隐语、行话词典》等专著和译著。现为秦皇岛外国语职业学院客座教授和浙江树人大学特聘教授。【译文五】FleetingTimeSwallowsflyaway,yetreturn;willowswither,yetburgeonagain;peach-blossomfades,yetbloomsafresh.Buttellme,youwhoarewise,whydoourdaysdepartnevertoreturn?Doessomeonestealthem—ifso,who?Andwherearetheybeinghidden?Orhavetheyfledoftheirownaccord—andifso,wherearetheynow?Idonotknowhowmanydayshavebeengrantedme,butmyhandisgrowingemptierallthetime.InsilenceIcomputethatmorethaneightthousanddayshavealreadyslippedthroughmyfingers.Likeadropofwateronthepointofaneedlewhichdripsintotheocean,mydayshavedrippednoiselesslyintothestreamoftime,leavingnotatracebehind.Thepasthasgonewhitheritlisted,andthefutureiscomingasitwills;butwhyisthisjunctionofpastandfuturesofleeting?WhenIgetupinthemorning,twoorthreeraysofsunlightslantintomy5chamber.Thesunhasfeetwhichpadlightly,stealthilyon;andIfollow,revolvingbemusedlyinitswake.Andso—whenIwashmyhands,mytimeslipsoutofthebasin;whenIeat,itslipsawaythroughmybowl;whenIamsilent,itslipspastmyabstractedeyes.Consciousthatitisfleetingaway,Istretchoutmyhandstocatchit,butitstreamsthroughmyoutstretchedfingers;andatnightwhenIlieinbed,itglidesnimblyovermybodyorfliesfrombesidemyfeet.WhenIopenmyeyestoseethesunagain,anotherdayhasslippedpast.Isighandcovermyface.Buttheshadowofthenew-comedaybeginstoflutteroffinmysigh.WhatcanIdointhesedayswhichescapesofastinthisworldwithitsteemingmillions?Icanonlywander,onlyhastenaway.WhathaveIachieved,apartfromwandering,intheeightthousanddayswhichhaveflittedby?Mypasthasbeenscatteredlikesmokebythelightbreeze,ordispersedlikemistbythemorningsun.Andwhattracesareleftme?Whatvestiges?NakedIcameintotheworld,andnakednodoubtIshallgofromitverysoon.Whatmakesmeindignant,though,isthequestion:WhatshouldIhavetomakethisaimlesstrip?Answerme,youwhoarewise:Whydoourdaysdepartnevertoreturn?SwiftlySwallowsdepart,theywillcomebackagain;willowswither,theywillbegreenagain;peachflowersfade,theywillbloomagain.Butcleverasyouare,pleasetellme,whydoourdayspassnevercomebackagain?Hassomeonestolenthem?Ifso,whocouldthatbe?Andwherehavetheybeenhidden?Havetheyrunawaybythemselves?Wherearetheynow?Idon’tknowhowmanydaysIhavebeengiven,butIdoknowthatsomethingisslippingfrommygrasplittlebylittle.Icountingin’msilence:overeightthousanddayshaveslippedthroughmyfingers,likeadropofwaterfromthepointofa