让我们通过几个例子来看许老是如何在翻译时做到“从心所欲不逾矩”的。
1
唐代杜牧的《清明》:
清明时节雨纷纷,路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有?牧童遥指杏花村。
许渊冲指出,在这首诗中,“清明时节”不是指天气,而是悼念亡人的节日,所以不能按字面对等翻成“the Pure Brightness Day”,而要翻成“the Mourning Day”;
“雨纷纷”如果光译为“it drizzles thick”传达不出原文的意境,把雨水比作眼泪则能体现哀悼之情,所以译为“a drizzling rain falls like tears”;
“路上行人”不是指一般的过路人,而是特指上坟悼念死者的亲友,所以翻译为“mourner”;
“断魂”译成“伤心”略轻,译成“心碎”略重,但许老认为这里“过之”胜于“不及”,所以整句译为“a mourner's heart is going to break on his way”;
“酒家”不能直接译为“public house”,因为英国的酒家太热闹,而翻译为“wineshop”又可能指卖酒而不喝酒的酒店,所以需要补充为“a wineshop to drown his sad hours”;
“杏花村”是酒店的名字,不能直译为“村”,所以处理为“a cot amid apricot flowers”(一片杏花中的小屋).
整首诗翻译如下:
A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;
The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.
Where can a wineshop be found to drown his sad hours?
A cowherd points to a cot 'mid apicot flowers.
2
《诗经》中一首最美的短诗《诗经·采薇》,写战后士兵回家的情形:
昔我往矣,杨柳依依。
这句话说的是当我离家去打仗的时候,杨柳也舍不得我走。
将“杨柳依依”翻译成了“杨柳飘扬”就不准确了,可以翻成“When I left there , willows shed tear。”
3
毛泽东气势雄浑的《念奴娇·昆仑》:
安得倚天抽宝剑,把汝裁为三截:
一截遗欧,一截赠美,一截还东国。
太平世界,环球同此凉热。
这首诗讲的是要将昆仑山一分为三赠与世界,共享和平幸福。
有些西方汉学家将“三截”直接翻译成了Three pieces或Three parts,都不能表现毛泽东以及中国文化宏伟的气魄与高旷的胸怀。
许渊冲翻译为:
I'd give to Europe your crest.(山峰或顶部)
And to America your breast.(山腰或中部)
And leave in the Orient the rest.(山脚或余部)
这才能表达原文世界大同的理想,传达原文的意美;译文有韵,传达了原文的音美;译文整齐,传达了原文的形美。
许渊冲先生曾说过,中英互译很难,是英法互译难度的10倍,中国人只能将这个最难的翻译承担下来。
所以中国人不应该自卑,应该把翻译提高到创作的地位,建立中国学派的译论。
他说中文的优点不在严谨,而在诗性,所以在翻译文学方面,一定会胜过西方一筹。
最后,附上许渊冲先生对一些经典诗句的精彩翻译,供大家品读。
千山鸟飞绝,万径人踪灭。
孤舟蓑笠翁,独钓寒江雪。
From hill to hill no bird in flight;
From path to path no man in sight.
A lonely fisherman afloat,
Is fishing snow in lonely boat.
——柳宗元《江雪》
中华儿女多奇志,不爱红装爱武装。
Most Chinese daughters have a desire strong,
To face the powder and not powder the face.
——毛泽东《西江月·井冈山》
床前明月光,疑是地上霜。
举头望明月,低头思故乡。
Before my bed a pool of light;
Oh can it be frost on the ground?
Looking up, I find the moon bright;
Bowing, in homesickness I’m drowned.
——李白《静夜思》
寻寻觅觅,冷冷清清,凄凄惨惨戚戚。
I look for what I miss, I know not what it is,
I feel so sad, so drear, so lonely, without cheer.
——李清照《声声慢》
日出江花红胜火,春来江水绿如蓝。
At sunrise riverside flowers more red than fire,
In spring green river waves grow as blue as sapphire.
——白居易《忆江南》
感时花溅泪,恨别鸟惊心。
Grieved o'er the years, flowers make us shed tears;
Hating to part, hearing birds breaks our heart.
——杜甫《春望》
一顾倾人城,再顾倾人国。
At her first glance, soldiers would lose their town;
At her second, a monarch would his crown.
——李延年《北方有佳人》
少壮不努力,老大徒伤悲。
If one does not make good use of his youth,
In vain will he pass his old age in ruth.
——汉乐府《长歌行》
盈盈一水间,脉脉不得语。
Where brimful, brimful waves appear,
They gaze but can't lay bare their heart.
——《迢迢牵牛星》
夕阳无限好,只是近黄昏。
The setting sun seems so sublime,
O but 'tis near its dying time!
——李商隐《登乐游原》
杳杳寒山道,落落冷涧滨。
啾啾常有鸟,寂寂更无人。
淅淅风吹面,纷纷雪积身。
朝朝不见日,岁岁不知春。
Long long the pathway to Cold Hill;
Drear, drear the waterside so chill.
Chirp, chirp, I often hear the bird;
Gust by gust winds caress my face;
Flake on flake snow covers all trace.
From day to day the sun won’t swing;
From year to year I know spring.
——寒山《杳杳寒山道》