书与人
Books and Man

金圣华
Jin Shenghua

| 译文摘自张培基《英译中国散文选二》

有朋友在情场上轰轰烈烈地驰骋了一阵,终于累了,最后,收拾情心,悄悄退回书斋之中,终日与书本为伍。
A friend of mine, having been actively involved in the arena of love for some time, finally became weary of it and, containing himself, quietly retired to his study to spend time with books all day long.

再不听到他唉声叹气,只觉得他心情平和,仿佛一切都豁然开朗,天地广阔了许多。
He was no longer heard sighing deeply. On the contrary, he now had a peaceful mind and felt everything was bright and clear and the world wide and open.

要点
1,“在情场上轰轰烈烈地驰骋了一阵”译为having been actively involved in the arena of love for some time,其中“having been actively involved in”意为”积极参与“在政经类文章中也经常粗线~”驰骋“也可译作gallop about in…或engross in” 2,情场“译为the arena of love(即爱情的竞技场)
3,“收拾心情”意即“自我克制”“收敛自己”,译为containing himself
4,” 唉声叹气”= sighing deeply
5,” 豁然开朗”= felt everything was bright and clear,” 天地广阔”= the world wide and open

综述
金先生在翻译界和文学界都很有名,突然发现好多翻译大家都是文学大家~可见中文功底的重要性~本文简洁精辟,寓庄于谐,四字词的使用是一大特色~

把自己的喜怒哀乐,完全寄托在另外一个人身上,原是一件十分危险的事。对方喜则自己心花怒放,对方怒则自己心惊胆战,对方的一笑一颦,完全控制着自己的情绪起落,这又何苦呢?
It is very dangerous to let somebody be master of your sentiments, such as joy, anger, pleasure and sorrow. For example, you are elated simply because the other party looks cheerful, you are jumpy simply because the other party looks put out. Consequently, you are completely at the mercy of the other party as regards your own mood. Is it worth it?

要点
1,“把自己的喜怒哀乐,完全寄托在另外一个人身上”意即“让别人控制自己的喜怒哀乐”,故译to let somebody be master of your sentiments, such as joy, anger, pleasure and sorrow.后面又出现的“…完全控制着自己的情绪起落”,译者将“控制”译为at the mercy of
2,” 对方喜则自己心花怒放,对方怒则自己心惊胆战”这句话也很好找逻辑,“因为对方高兴自己而开心。因为对方生气而提心吊胆“
3. “这又何苦呢?”即“这值得吗”译为Is it worth it?

综述:四字词如“心花怒放”“心惊胆战”,提取核心意思即可~

面对书本,则完全没有这种麻烦。
As to books, things are entirely different.

要点
“全没有这种麻烦”即“情况大不相同”,采取意思扩大化,译为things are entirely different

择书比择友简单得多。不善辞令、厌恶应酬的人,可以自由自在地徜徉于书林之中,游目四顾,俯拾皆友。
It is much easier to choose a book than a friend. One who is poor at speech and shuns socializing will nevertheless feel like being surrounded by friends while sauntering freely in the midst of books.

要点
1,“厌恶应酬”译为shuns socializing,其中shun意为“(有意)躲开,避开”,socialize意为“参加社交活动”,《张培基》中也提到另一种译法,即“dislike s social functions,但social functions指社交集会,涵盖不如socialize广
2,“游目四顾,俯拾皆友”即“周围都是朋友” =feel like being surrounded by friends

看书,可以博览,可以细嚼,没有人会怪你喜新厌旧,也没有人要求你从一而终。你大可以从一本换到另一本,喜爱的书,不妨一读再读;不耐看的书,又可随手抛下,谁也不会因此而伤心失望。人际关系错综复杂,那“书际关系”呢?只要花点时间去了解,再高深的学问也弄得明白。
Some books are to be read cursorily, and some are to be chewed and digested. None will ever call you fickle-minded, and none will ever demand that you be constant in your affection. You can go from one book to another. And you can read your favorite book over and over again. When you lay aside the book you dislike, none will ever feel hurt or disappointed. While interpersonal relations are most complicated, what about your relations with books? Devote your time to studies, and you will be able to acquire any knowledge no matter how profound it is.

要点
1,“可以细嚼“译为some are to be chewed and digested,译者引用培根《谈读书》一文中的用语,把”细嚼“译为to be chewed and digested
2,“喜新厌旧“,译者将其意思扩大化,译为fickle-minded,
3,“不耐看的书,又可随手抛下,谁也不会因此而伤心失望“译为When you lay aside the book you dislike, none will ever feel hurt or disappointed.即”你可以随手抛下你不喜欢的书,谁也不会因此而伤心失望“,译者用when进行串句,体现翻译句式的灵活性~

手持一书,吟哦于四壁之中,神游于四海之外,既可以与老庄谈心,又可以跟柏拉图对话。心情烦闷时,济慈、雪莱在你耳畔喁喁细语,巴尔扎克为你搬演《人间喜剧》,还有李白、杜甫、王尔德、莎士比亚……一大堆才华横溢的朋友等着你呼唤前来。找不到朋友时,为什么不翻翻书?
While being confined to your small room with a book in your hand, your mind will be roaming throughout the world. You will not only have a heart-to-heart chat with Laozi (1) and Zhuangzi (2), but also converse with Plato. When you are in a mood, Keats and Shelley will whisper to you soothingly, and Balzac will stage for you stories from his La Comedie Humaine. And a galaxy of talented friends like Li Bai (3), Du Fu (4), Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare…will come to you at your call.If you are lonely, why not seek the company of books?

要点
1,“手持一书,吟哦于四壁之中,神游于四海之外…”,其中”四壁“即书房,“吟哦于四壁”即“呆在书房”,故译为While being confined to your small room with a book in your hand, your mind will be roaming throughout the world.
2,“心情烦闷时”译为When you are in a mood,in a mood是成语,译为“情绪不好,
3,“在你耳畔喁喁细语“译为will whisper to you soothingly,其中soothingly是增益成分,译为“用安抚的口气”
4,“巴尔扎克为你搬演《人间喜剧》”即“巴尔扎克重述‘人间喜剧’中的故事,为你带来乐趣”译为Balzac will stage for you stories from his La Comedie Humaine

综述
像本段第一句颇有古文的意蕴,翻译时最重要的就是要弄清原文字词和用语的含义,处理好文化差异,其次要注意句子衔接,除了使用增译关联词还要依靠内在逻辑引导~此处译者就使用了while来引导
(1) Laozi (or Lao-tzu, c.604-531 BC), renowned Chinese philosopher of the late Spring and Autumn Period and founder of Taoism.
(2) Zhuangzi (or Chuang-tzu, c.369-286 BC), Chinese philosopher and writer of the Warring States Period who advocated Taoism.
(3) Li Bai (701-762), one of China’s most famous poets in the Tang Dynasty.
(4) Du Fu (712-770), one of China’s most famous poets in the Tang Dynasty.

要点
有关中国传统文化的特色词汇,涉及人物过多~因此采用的是加脚注的方法

声明:本双语文章的中文评析系沪江英语原创内容,转载请注明出处。中文评析仅代表作者个人观点,如有不妥之处,欢迎指正。