初三那會兒大家特流行寫告別留言簿。我翻遍了唐詩三百首,挑了這首錦瑟放在我留言簿的扉頁上。一是覺得這首詩寫得很懵懂。雖然那時還不真識愁滋味,青澀的離情別緒也已經泛漾心頭。
前天去溫哥華唐人街,掏了本唐詩宋詞,隨手翻開又是這首錦瑟。現在經了些人情世故,讀來感覺自然和二十年前不同。但是我當初懵懂的感覺還是對的。這首詩因為太隱喻,向來理解不一。有說是悼念亡人,也有說是詩人懷才不遇,又覺老之將至之感慨。
錦瑟
[唐]李商隱
莊生曉夢迷蝴蝶,望帝春心托杜鵑。
滄海月明珠有淚,藍田日暖玉生煙。
我試著翻譯成英文,但當看到楊憲益、戴乃迭夫婦的譯文時就決定放棄了。細細琢磨,楊,戴的譯文真正做到了“信達雅”。
我尤其喜歡“望帝春心托杜鵑”中的”托”字譯為“repose”.因為repose除了寄托,托付,還有安息的意思。和望帝化魂化子規的故事相暗合。有的譯本用“entrust”,我認為遠遠沒有repose來的貼切。
The Gorgeous Zither
By Li Shang-yin (Tang Dynasty)
The Gorgeous zither has fifty strings.
Each string, each fret recalls a youthful year.
Master Zhuang woke from a dream puzzled by a butterfly.
Emporer Wang reposed his amorous heart to the cuckoo.
The moon shines on the sea pearls look like tears.
The sun is warm at Lantian the jade emits mist
This feeling might have become a memory to recall
But even then, it was already suggestive of sorrow.