《今 》
The Living Present

李大钊
Li Dazhong

| 译文摘自张培基《英译中国散文选二》

我以为世间最可宝贵的就是“今”，最易丧失的也是“今”。因为他最易丧失，所以更觉得他可以宝贵。
Of all things in the world, I think, the present is the most precious, and also the most apt to slip through our fingers. We, therefore, treasure it all the more because of its transience.

要点：
1，《“今”》译为The Living Present,其中living 是增益成分，用以强化Present的含义。19世纪美国诗人亨利•沃兹沃斯•朗费罗（之前我们也提到过这位仁兄）在A Psalm of Life中写道：
Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
（别指望将来，不管它多可爱！
把已逝的过去永久掩埋！
行动吧－－趁着活生生的现在！
心中有赤心，头上有真宰！）
诗中，他用the dead past 表“过去”，用the living present表“现在”
2， Of all things in the world，此处of 表“在…中”，这种用法之前讲到过，也举了很多例子，这里稍加注意即可~
3， “最易丧失的”译为the most apt to slip through our fingers（最容易被人们错过的），也可译为the most easily lost,或the most liable to slip away。
4， all the more也是常见了，表“更加，愈发…”这些表程度的词或短语在散文中灰常常见，注意积累，化为己用~O(∩_∩)O

综述：开篇我们就发现这篇文章在表述上偏古语化，因此翻译时一定要结合上文理解本质含义

为甚么“今”最可宝贵呢？最好借哲人耶曼孙所说的话答这个疑问：“尔若爱千古，尔当爱现在。昨日不能唤回来，明天还不确实， 尔能确有把握的就是今日。今日一天，当明日两天。”
Why is the present so precious? The following quotation from philosopher Emerson best serves for an answer: “Make use of time if you love eternity; yesterday cannot be recalled; tomorrow cannot be assured; only today is yours. One today is worth two tomorrows.” 

要点：

1，“最好借哲人耶曼孙所说的话答这个疑问”译为The following quotation from philosopher Emerson best serves for an answer，其中serve for表“为…服务”此处可以引申为“帮助（解答）”，这个句子本来木有明显的主语，译者将quotation作为主语，这样一来，之后引出quotation的内容就比较顺畅~
2，“今日一天，当明日两天。”译为One today is worth two tomorrows.这里的”当“强调价值上的等同，因此worth更为贴切~

综述：注意找主语是要为下文服务滴~必须要能串起整个句子~

为甚么“今”最易丧失呢？因为宇宙大化刻刻流转，绝不停留。时间这个东西，也不因为吾人贵他爱他稍稍在人间留恋。试问吾人说“今”说“现在”，茫茫百千万劫，究竟哪一刹那是吾人的“今”，是吾人的“现在”呢？
Why is the present so easily lost? Because the universe as well as human life is changing non-stop all the time. Time never tarries with us a bit longer because we treasure and love it. It is hard to tell which moment in the ups and downs of life is our present or now.

要点：
1，“宇宙大化”意即“宇宙与生命”，译为the universe as well as human life，也可简译为the universe,the world,
2,”流转“即”改变“，”刻刻流转，绝不停留“即”不停地在改变“译为is changing non-stop all the time.此处将”绝不停留“作状语与”刻刻流转“结合成一句，也是我们处理四字语的一种方法，可以使得行文更加简洁~
3，”茫茫百千万劫”中的“劫“本指天灾人祸，整个短语可结合上下文按”无数人生起伏变化“意译为in the ups and downs of life
4, “究竟哪一刹那是吾人的“今”，是吾人的“现在”呢？”译为了否定句It is hard to tell which moment in the ups and downs of life is our present or now.

综述：注意疑问句译为否定句的手法~

刚刚说他是“今”是“现在”，他早已风驰电掣的一般，已成“过去”了。吾人若要糊糊涂涂把他丢掉岂不可惜？
What we call our present or now at one moment will at the next be quickly gone and become the past. Isn’t it a pity to unthinkingly idle away the present?

要点：
1，“风驰电掣“=be quickly gone
2,” 岂不可惜”~~这个反问句我们在上一册《我坐了木船》，《话说短文》等篇目中着重讲过，此处译为一般疑问句（否定词开头）；

综述：本段的反问句~ idle away，unthinkingly都是上册见过滴~~快去翻看以前的笔记

有的哲学家说， 时间但有“过去”与“未来”，并无“现在”。有的又说，“过去”“未来”皆是“现在”。我以为“过去未来皆是现在”的话倒有些道理。因为“现在”就是所有“过去”流入的世界，换句话说，所有“过去”都埋没于“现在”的里边。故一时代的思潮，不是单纯在这个时代所能凭空成立的，不晓得有几多“过去”时代的思潮，差不多可以说是由所有“过去”时代的思潮，一凑合而成的。
Some philosophers say that we have the past and the future, but not present. Others say that the present is inclusive of the past and the future. I, however, incline towards the latter view because the present is where all the past empties itself or, in other words, where lies hidden the entire legacy of the past. The prevailing thought of any age does not come into being all by itself. It is the synthesis of the popular thoughts of numerous previous ages or probably of all the past.

要点：
1，“因为‘现在’就是所有‘过去’流入的世界，换句话说，所有‘过去’都埋没于‘现在’”的里边“译为the present is where all the past empties（倒空，流入） itself or, in other words, where lies hidden（隐藏） the entire legacy of the past.译者为了句式上的统一，再一次统一了两个分句的主语。
① 译文中empty作动词意即“倒空，流入“，用起来生动形象~如This river empties into the South Sea.（这条河流入南海。）
② Lie hidden意为“隐藏，深埋“，一般后加under/below/within如：And what else lies hidden under her veil?(还有什么别的隐藏在她的面纱下吗？)
2,本段对于“思潮“的翻译也值得注意，译者并没有用tide,wave,trend等词，而是译为prevailing/popular thoughts

综述：empty的使用是个亮点哦，值得学习~

吾人投一石子于时代潮流里面，所激起的波澜声响，都向永远流动传播，不能消灭。屈原的《离骚》，永远使人人感泣。打击林肯头颅的枪声，呼应于永远的时间与空间。一时代的变动，绝不消失，仍遗留于次一时代，这样传演，至于无穷，在世界中有一贯相联的永远性。
The rippling sound stirred up by a pebble thrown into the current of the times will keep spreading forever. Li Sao, authored by Qu Yuan, will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages. The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln’s head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity. The changes of each age, instead of becoming extinct, will pass on to the next. The process will go on endlessly to form an eternal link in the world.

要点：
1，“吾人投一石子于时代潮流里面，所激起的波澜声响，都向永远流动传播，不能消灭。“我们发现，这句话除了第一句，后面几句的主语都是”波澜声响“，因此可以直接将”声响“作为主语，译为The rippling sound stirred up by a pebble thrown into the current of the times will keep spreading forever.
①“永远流传，不能磨灭“意思重复，因此后者可以略去不译
2，“屈原的《离骚》“译为Li Sao, authored by Qu Yuan,，这种译法相较于Qu Yuan’sLiSao更加具体
3, “永远使人人感泣”中的“感泣“意为”因感触而流泪“，译者译为will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages.（触动了每个读者的心弦）如果单纯理解为”感动“是不准确的，翻译首先要遵循的一定是”信“！
4，“打击林肯头颅的枪声，呼应于永远的时间与空间。“译为The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln’s head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity.其中lethal（致命的）是增益成分，原文无其词而有其意。
①“呼应于“译为echo through，其中echo意为”回音，回响，反响，呼应“——如："Lucky cloud" and bedroom wallpaper photograph echo, completely around the design concept to carry on the design.
“祥云”与卧室的壁纸相呼应，完全围绕设计概念进行设计。
②eternity意即“永恒，无穷无尽的一段时间“
5，“这样传演，至于无穷，在世界中有一贯相联的永远性“译为The process will go on endlessly to form an eternal link in the world. 中的”这样传演,至于无穷“意即”这个进程将无穷无尽，永不止歇“~在《养花》中有这么一句”回到屋中再写一点，然后再出去，如此循环“也译为了I go through the same back and forth process again and again.“传演，循环，进程”翻译时都可译为process

综述：本段三句话，句句都值得深究~

昨日的事件，与今日的事件，合构成数个复杂事件。此数个复杂事件，与明日的整个复杂事件，更合构成数个复杂事件。势力结合势力，问题牵起问题。无限的“过去”，都以“现在”为归宿。无限的“未来”，都以“现在”为渊源。
The events of yesterday and today will combine to form several complicated events which will in turn combine with those of tomorrow to form several new complicated events. Thus one influence combines with another; one problem gives rise to another. The infinite past results in the present, and the infinite future results from the present.

要点：
1，“此数个复杂事件…“与上句”合构成数个复杂事件“指的一件事，可考虑使用which进行合译~in turn意为”轮流，发过来“属增译~
2，“势力结合势力，问题牵起问题”译为Thus one influence combines with another; one problem gives rise to another.记住：英多代（词），汉少代（词）~
3,”无限的’过去’，都以’现在’为归宿。无限的’未来’，都以’现在’为渊源。”译为The infinite past results in the present, and the infinite future results from the present.其中result in意为“终止于….，导致”，result from”由…产生，起因于“，很好的表达诠释了”归宿“和”渊源“

综述：注意本段定语从句的运用和result in/from