這個周六(12 月 5 號)要去參加晚霞的葬禮,我會在葬禮上念一下我寫給她的詩《眠歌》。晚霞的先生是美國人,來賓恐怕大部分也是老外。怕大家不知道我在念叨什麽,所以提供一個英文版本給不懂中文的人參考。就是印一疊放那兒,一麵中文,一麵英文,讓來賓隨便取閱,朗讀的話,就隻念中文的。
一直覺得,詩其實是不可譯的,尤其不可直譯。難怪英文版的《眠歌》,怎麽讀怎麽怪,嗬嗬。讀了不少《紐約客》上的英文詩,深知英文詩的寫法跟中文詩的寫法是有區別的,而且區別不小,完全不是一回事。 以下是我湊合著直譯的《眠歌》,大家姑妄看之。感謝香草斧正!
Lullaby It is snowing in southern China It is raining coldly in New York City Have all the leaves turned red in Northampton yet? My hometown I lost the address I lost the key My hometown Who hung my bicycle on the beam My hometown Never to return Never to leave Forget it Forget it Forget it all and you are free
Opening the Bible again and again Listening to Hallelujah all night long Hallelujah, hallelujah Raising the soul to light Glorifying, praising, honoring On the meadow of Heaven Echoing My eyes don’t move I hold back the grief Everyone has something to say Yet the world is lonelier every day
Winter has still come Spring waters yet again fill the Seine Through a summer night in Venice Your oh so familiar gaze Lingers in the window of autumn Seasons come,Seasons go How many silent stages will there be? How many everlasting stages of the journey? How long will Earth still spin? There’s no answer among us
You said, let’s celebrate life Celebrate the life you once had That unique life That enriched life That interesting life Let’s follow the traditional way Let’s pat each other’s shoulders Now we are brothers Brothers, bottom up and Cheers! Brothers, sing with me in the moonlight Brothers, walk the earth with a sword Lick your wounds Let’s celebrate our life
The time has come Light a candle, a stick of incense Let the curtain down Singing softly A lullaby For you, my dear Yafei May you rest in peace! |