《关雎》五种译文之对比分析

《关雎》五种译文之对比分析

古诗词英译对比评析：关雎（ju)

《关雎》五种译文之对比分析

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。

先看《关雎》原文：

关雎

关关雎鸠在河之洲；窈窕淑女君子好逑

参差荇菜左右流之；窈窕淑女寤寐求之

求之不得寤寐思服；优哉游哉辗转反侧

参差荇菜左右采之；窈窕淑女琴瑟友之

参差荇菜左右芼之；窈窕淑女钟鼓乐之

国内外有很多汉学家和翻译家对《诗经·关雎》进行了英译，如汪榕培、许渊冲、杨宪益夫妇及Burton Watson、James Legge、Arthur Waley等。在翻译中，译者不仅要在一定程度上忠实于原诗精神，而且还要在诗译中体现原文音、形、意等语言学审美特征，再现原语的文化审美特征以及原文美学思想。

选取Legge、Waley、Bynner、杨宪益夫妇、辜正坤

译文一①：

Ode (Kwan ts’eu)

Tr. Legge

Kwan kwan go the ospreys.

On the islet in the river,

The modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: ─

For our prince a good mate she.

Here long, there short, is the duckweed,

To the left, to the right, borne about by the current. The modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: ─Waking and sleeping, he sought her.

He sought her and found her not,

And waking and sleeping he thought about her. Long he thought; oh! Long and anxiously;

On his side, on his back, he turned ,and back again.

Here long, there short, is the duckweed；

On the left, on the right, we gather it,

The modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: ─

With lutes, small and large, let us give her friendly welcome. Here long, there short, is the duckweed；

On the left, on the right, we cook and present it.

The modest , retiring, virtuous, young lady: ─

With bells and drums let us show our delight in her.

译文二②：

Song

Tr. Arthur Waley

“Fair, fair”, cry the ospreys

On the island in the river.

Lively is this noble lady,

Fit bride for our lord.

In patches grows the water mallow;

To left and right one must seek it.

Shy was this noble lady;

Day and night he sought her.

Sought her and could not get her;

Day and night he grieved.

Long thoughts, oh, long unhappy thoughts,

Now on his back, now tossing on to his side.

In patches grows the water mallow;

To left and right one must gather it.

Shy is this noble lady;

With great zither and little we hearten her.

In patches grows the water mallow;

To left and right one must choose it.

Shy is this noble lady;

With gongs and drums we will gladden her.

译文三③：

The Pure-Hearted Girl

Tr. Witter Bynner

On the river-island─

The ospreys are echoing us

Where is the pure-hearted girl

To be our princess?

Long lotus, short lotus,

Leaning with the current,

Turns like our prince in his quest

For the pure-hearted girl.He has sought and not found her, Awake, he has thought of her,

Asleep, he has dreamed of her,

Dreamed and tossed in his sleep.

Long lotus, short lotus,

Pluck it to left and right,

And make ready with lutes and with harps

For the pure-hearted girl.

Long lotus, short lotus,

Cook it for a welcome,

And be ready with bells and with drums

For the pure-hearted girl.

译文四④：

Crying Ospreys

Tr. Yang Xianyi & Gladys Yang

Merrily the ospreys cry,

On the islet in the stream.

Gentle and graceful is the girl,

A fit wife for the gentleman.

Short and long the floating water plants,

Left and right you may pluck them.

Gentle and graceful is the girl,

Awake he longs for her and in his dreams.

Filled with sorrowful thoughts,

He tosses about unable to sleep.

Short and long the floating water plants,

Left and right you may gather them.

Gentle and graceful is the girl,

He’d like to wed her, the qin and se1 playing.

Short and long the floating water plants,

Left and right you may collect them.

Gentle and graceful is the girl,

He’d like to marry her, bells and drums beating.