中国文学英译絮谈

沙枫

“薰笼”翻译的乌龙

钱歌川在《译事钩奇》一文中谈到：

白居易作后宫词有“斜倚薰笼坐到明”的句子，其中“薰笼”一词，是薰笼上加一个笼子，实际上就是指的火炉，••••••白诗说的“斜倚薰笼”是说宫女幽居后宫，得不到君王的宠幸，常靠在炉子上取暖，一直到天明。我记不清楚是介尔斯，还是华莱，还是另一位，竟把白居易后宫词中的薰笼，译作屏风了。他没有想到靠在屏风上，如果睡熟了岂不会把屏风推倒而使那位宫女跌倒？

华莱（Waley，一译者韦理）虽然译了白居易不少的诗词，却未翻译这一首后宫词。

介尔斯（Giles，一译翟理士）译了这一首后宫词，却未译“薰笼”一词。

钱氏所说把“薰笼”译作“屏风”的，可能是 Cranmer-Byng，他是把“薰笼”译作“screen”的。

这首《后宫词》，全诗是这样的：

泪尽罗巾梦不成，夜深前殿按歌声。
红颜未老恩先断，斜倚薰笼坐到明。

Cranmer-Byng 的译文如下：

A network handkerchief contains no tear,
'Tis dawn at court ere wine and music sate.
The rich red crops no aftermath await,
Rest on a screen, and you will fall, I fear.

这首英译，除了最后一句“斜倚熏笼坐到明”误译外，第一句“泪尽罗巾梦不成”译作“A network handkerchief contains no tear”，也是不对的。“红颜”译作“rich red crops”也较深奥。

Giles 的英译是这样的：

Soaked in her kerchief through with tears, yet slumber will not come;
In the deep dead of night she hears the song and beat of drum.
Alas, although his love has gone, her beauty lingers yet;
Sadly she sits till early dawn, but never can forget.

Giles 的英译，一向音韵悠扬，而带点意译。

此诗还有几种英译，现介绍于后，以便比较。

Cairncross 的英译是这样的：

The handkerchief is wet with tears,
She cannot break into dreams;
In the depth of night from the Palace threshold rises a song in measure.
The glow on her face is not tarnished,
Already her favor is over;
Leaning against the perfume burner,
She will stay seated till daybreak.

Jenyns 的英译是这样的：

Her tears are spent in her handkerchief, yet dreams will not come.
In the depths of night from the front of the palace comes the sound of songs of music.
She is still pretty and young, yet the imperial favor has been withdrawn before her beauty withered.
leaning aslant on her wicker-framed brazier she sits till dawn.

而译了《唐诗三百首》的 Bynner，却把“薰笼”译作“香枕”（incense-pillow）。

整首诗是译成这样的：

Her tears are spent, but no dreams come.
She can hear the others singing through the night.
She has lost his love.
Alone with her beauty,
She leans till dawn on her incense-pillow.

抄到这里，抄到“pillow”这个字，记起一部荷里活的电影“Pillow Talks”，香港放映时的中译片名也是用一句白居易的诗歌，就是“夜半无人私语时”，自胜于“枕边人语”了。