元宵节古诗词《青玉案·元夕》英文翻译
辛弃疾的《青玉案·元夕》一词脍炙人口。英文翻译有很多。最著名的非许渊冲老先生翻译的版本莫属了。不过今天带来了三份不同的英文翻译,欢迎大家比较交流学习。
青玉案·元夕
(宋)辛弃疾
东风夜放花千树,更吹落,星如雨。
宝马雕车香满路,凤萧声动,壶光转,一夜鱼龙舞 。
蛾儿雪柳黄金缕,笑语盈盈暗香去。
众里寻他千百度,蓦然回首,那人却在,灯火阑珊处。
“上元”,“元夕”,指的都是“元宵节”。辛弃疾的这首《青玉案》,描绘了在元夕灯火中等寻情人的情景,是稼轩词中为数很少的涉及爱情的作品之一。
辛弃疾的《青玉案·元夕》一词脍炙人口。英文翻译有很多。我们选出三个相对优秀的英译版本,简单地评论一下,看看是否能出其中最好的一篇。
三篇译文,都比其它译文简洁,流畅,有诗意,而且比较忠实于辛公原作。音韵上,三篇中许译和U译都押韵,念起来很有音乐感。陶译基本上不押韵,念起来比较平淡。
文字上,各有千秋。例如雕车一词,许译直接用雕车(carved cabs),U译用香车(scented chariots),陶译用华车,装饰华丽的车 (ornate carriages ) 。这一词,许译比较忠实于原来文字。宝马的马字,许译和U译用英语诗中常用的马字(steeds),比较好。而陶译则用普通的马字(horses)。
凤箫一词,U译用( Phoenix-cooing flutes)最好,有凤之形和凤之声。Cooing 是鸟类的鸪鸪声,也可以是人类的喁喁情话。想像一下,凤箫声动,发出如鸟鸣,如情话之声,多么美。许译只简单地用箫(flute)一字,没有译凤字。陶译则用神奇的箫(magic flute)代替,也没有用凤字。
玉壶一词,U译和陶译都是译成玉壶 (jade pot, jade urn)。比较符合原作之意。许译成月亮,
虽然有此一说,但是与原作之意不甚贴切。因为据周密《武林旧事。元夕》:“灯之品极多,。。福州所进,则纯用白玉,晃耀夺目,如清水玉壶。。。”。所以玉壶应该就是白玉雕饰的灯。
暗香一词,U译成浮香(fragrance floating),说出香的形态而没有说是微淡的香。陶译成幽香(subtle perfume), 许译成缕香(trials of scents)都很好。但是,如果根据林和靖咏梅诗:“疏影横斜水清浅,暗香浮动月黄昏。”则暗香的形态可以是浮动的。因此,如果U译加一字,改成暗香浮动(faint fragrance floating),就贴切了。
“暗香去”的去字,U译和陶译用过去(passing, gone)不及许译用融入(melts into)好。
“蓦然回首”一词中的蓦然,陶译比较简单,只用偶然(perchance )一字, U译用匆匆一瞥(only on a glance),两者都未能表达出蓦然一词中有突然的意思。许译成突然(when all at once), 最贴切了。
由上可见,诗词的英文翻译要做到简洁,流畅,有韵律,有诗意,贴切,忠实于原作,并不容易。
元宵节诗词英译赏析:《青玉案·元夕》
The Lantern Festival Night - to the tune of Green Jade Table
by Xin Qiji
(1)许渊冲、许明译,简称许译
One night's east wind adorns a thousand trees with flowers
And blows down stars in showers.
Fine steeds and carved cabs spread fragrance en route;
Music vibrates from the flute;
The moon sheds its full light
While fish and dragon lanterns dance all night.
In gold-thread dress, with moth or willow ornaments,
Giggling, she melts into the throng with trails of scents元宵节古诗词100首
But in the crowd once and again
I look for her in vain.
When all at once I turn my head,
I find her there where lantern light is dimly shed.
(2)译者U君,简称U译
The east wind at night has flowered a thousand trees,
Bringing showers of glowing stars down streets,
Fleeting our scented chariots and stately steeds.
Phoenix-cooing flutes resounding,
Jade-pot-flashing lanterns revolving,
Dolphins and dragons are dancing away--
All night long it's bright as day.
See the grain moths silvern, the tassels golden?
See the snow-clad willow twigs of the maidens
Passing with laughter gurgling, fragrance floating?
Far and near, among the crowds surging,
Tens of thousands of rounds for one I've been searching;
Only on a glance cast backward do I behold:
There she is, where lights are burning so low!
(3)温哥华陶先生译,简称陶译
Night lights a thousand trees in bloom
A shower of stars blown
By the east wind
Ornate carriages drawn by gallant horses
Filled the boulevards with a sweet fragrance
Voice of the magic flute flowing
Luster of the jade white urn turning
All night the fishes and the dragons danced
Butterflies, willows, charms of gold
Gone -- that angelic laughter, that subtle perfume
In the crowds for her I'd searched a thousand times
Perchance I turned
And there she was
Where lights were few and dim