中国文学英译絮谈

沙枫

“流水绕孤村”

英译马致远的一曲《天净沙•秋思》,还有陈受颐。原曲是:

古藤老树昏鸦,
小桥流水人家,
古道西风瘦马,
夕阳西下,
断肠人在天涯。

陈受颐的英译如下:

Withered vines, old trees and evening crows,
Small bridge, flowing stream, rustic homes,
Old paths, westerly wind, thin horse,
The sun setting in the west,
Leaving a heart-broken man at earth's end.

秦观也有类似的句子如下:

斜阳外,
寒鸦数点,
流水绕孤村。

这几句,程石泉的英译是这样的:

Look! Beyond the sunset a few chilly, shivering crows
Return to their nests,
The winding river flows around a lonely village.

秦观被人称为“山抹微云君”,其婿则自称“山抹微云女婿”,就是由于这一首《满庭芳》词而得名。

这首词的开头三句是:

山抹微云,
天黏衰草,
画角声断谯门。

这三句英译如下:

The thin clouds veneer the surrounding mountains.
The yellowish grass stretches far, joining the horizon.
The bugle notes end at the rampart.

词的结尾是:

伤情处,
高城望断,
灯火已黄昏。

英译是:

look! Behind us, on the tall city walls,
Lamps and torches are lighted in dusk.

“灯火已黄昏”,原是这样解的。

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