【英譯】 Confucius said: “If governing a country by education in morality, a lord will be like the Big Dipper which is located in a certain orientation with all stars around it.”
【譯解】 (1) 治理政務:治理,有兩種意思。1. 統治、管理:govern, administer. 比如治理國家:govern a country, administer a country. 2. 控製:bring something under control. 比如治理河流:bring waters under control, harness rivers. 其中的harness還做“利用”解,如利用無窮無盡的太陽能:harness the limitless power of the sun. 政務:government affairs. 如果按照字麵直譯,“治理政務”應該可以翻譯成administer government affairs. 而我的譯文governing a country,這是意譯,因為原文中沒有主語,隻有從上下文揣測,看後麵說的“眾星共之”,也就是“眾星捧月”的架勢來看,似乎是指對一國之君而言。如果這樣,一國之君治理政務,不就是治理國家嗎?當然,孔夫子說的這個道理並不局限於一國之君,對於一般的官員,哪怕隻是一科之長,一組之長,一家之長,都非常適用。
【英譯】 Confucius said: “Having 300 poems, 《Poems》could be generalized into one sentence: the thought is pure.”
【譯解】 (1)邪:這也是個十分常見的刺兒頭。“邪”的基本概念就是“不正當”:evil, vice. 請看五花八門的例詞例句。邪不壓正Evil can never prevail over good. 或The upright need not fear the crooked. / 不信邪not believe in heresy / 至於平時說的“邪道”或“邪路”則另有說法:evil ways, vice, depravity. 比如:走邪路give oneself over to evil, give onself over to vice, give oneself over to depravity, take to evil ways. / 把某人引入邪道lead somebody astray / 邪惡evil, wicked, devilish 如邪惡的念頭:a wicked idea / 邪門歪道:crookedways, foul means, dishonest practices / 邪魔evil spirit, demon, Satan / 邪念(邪心)wicked idea, devilish thought, evil interntion / 邪氣bad influence, baneful influence, evil influence; unhealthy trend, evil trend, perverse trend. / 邪說heresy, fallacy / 邪行(邪惡的行徑)evil deeds.
【英譯】 Confucius said: “If a lord guides his people with orders and restrains them with penal law, the people will only try to avoid punishment which is caused owing to crimes but will lost sense of shame. Yet, if a lord guides his people with education in morality and use propieties to make his people’s words and actions keep in line , then the people will not only have a sense of shame but also try to abide by rules.”
【譯解】 (1)本段依然是無主句。我還是把主語設想為“一國之君”。 (2) if a lord guides his people with education in morality and use propieties to make his people’s words and actions keep in line: 這句話使用最簡單,最常見的句型結構,已經能夠很清楚地把意思表達出來。但是如果仔細分析,前後兩截的句式並不協調,如果從原文句意與句式的協調考慮,應該這樣: if a lord guides his people with education in morality and makes his people’s words and actions keep in line with propieties. 不過因為後半截的動賓結構過長,把with propieties遠遠地甩到句尾,顯得太鬆散,讀者會感到鞭長莫及,別說讀者,就是我這個譯者,在寫這段譯解時才發現,因為句式太長,竟然將with propieties給漏掉了!發現之後,感到一股熱血轟然湧向頭頂。鑒於這個“血的教訓”,於是才改換現在這樣,但這樣一來,則把原文中地位卑微的醜小鴨“以禮”二字,升格為天鵝所處的主要地位了。從這句話的翻譯對比可以看出,翻譯這個活兒,有時總難免顧此失彼,因此也隻能以“甘蔗沒有兩頭甜”來給自己找台階下了。
【英譯】 Confucius said: “I was determined to study at the age of fifteen, scored some achievements at thirty, no longer felt puzzled at forty, was enlightened at fifty, could distinguish between truth and falsehood at sixty, could do as I liked without overstepping usual practice at seventy.”
【譯解】 (1) 三十而立:另有解釋為“三十歲能自立”。如果這樣,那就可譯成I could stand on my own legs at thirty. 其中的legs可以換成 feet. 而“自立”,就是獨立,自食其力之類的意思。自立還了翻譯成fend for oneself, earn one’s own living. (2) 五十而知天命:另有解釋為“五十歲懂得客觀規律”,“天命”就是“規律的意思,是說能夠按照普遍規律辦事。如果是這樣,就可翻譯成I could do anything according to general law at fifty. 現在來說“規律”。“規律”可以有兩種翻譯:law, rule. 請看例詞例句:普遍規律general law, general rule; universal law, universal rule. / 自然規律law of nature / 符合。。。的規律conform to the law of…, conform to the law of … / 違反。。。的規律contrary to the law of…, gainst the law of …, go against the law of …,violate the law of …注意:自然科學的規律,一般用law 不用rule.
【英譯】 Meng Yitzu asking questions about filial devotion, Confucius said: “Filial devotion means not going against standards of morality.” Later on, Fan Chi drove carriage for Confucius, Confucius told him: “Meng Sun asked me what filial devotion is. I told him that filial devotion means not going against standards of morality.” Fan Chi said: “What do you mean by saying not going against standards of morality?” Confucius said: “When parants are alive, you should serve them according to standards of morality; when they pass away, you should burry them and offer sacrifices to them according to standards of morality.”
【譯解】 (1) Meng Yitzu asking questions about filial devotion: 說一說這句話的句法。其實它不是一個完整的句子,隻是全句中的附加部分,用語法術語說就是“懸垂”語。“懸垂”語是由一個狀語從句凝縮而成,往往以現在分詞形式出現。可分成兩種情況:1. 如果“懸垂”部分的主語和主句的一致,則無需主語。如:When the boy entered the classroom, he saluted his teacher. (男孩進入教室的時候,他向老師行個禮。)由於時間狀語從句和主句兩者的主語一致,因此可以濃縮成這樣的懸垂結構:Entering the classroom, he saluted his teacher. 2. 如果狀語從句和主語兩者的主語不一致,懸垂語就要保留原來的主語。如:When the boy entered the classroom, his teacher smiled to him. (男孩進入教室的時候,老師朝他笑了笑。)狀語從句和主語兩者的主語不一致,前者是男孩,後者是老師,因此懸垂語要保留原來的主語“男孩”:The boy entering the classroom, his teacher smiled to him. 使用懸垂句式可以使句型靈活多變,免得總用簡單地句式,顯得太小兒科。現在再回過頭來看Meng Yitzu asking questions about filial devotion,大概就不覺得怪了。因為如果把懸垂結構還原成完整句子,就會是:When Meng Yitzu asked questions about filial devotion, Confucius said…不難看出,主從句兩部分主語不一致,因此懸垂部分要保留原來主語Meng Yitzu.
【英譯】 Meng Wubo asking questions about filial devotion, Confucius said: “The key point is that you should especially be concerned about your parants’ illness.”
【譯解】 (1) 擔憂:worry (about), feel anxious (about), be concerned (over, at, about). 請看例詞例句:為某人的健康擔憂worry about somebody’s health, be worried about somebody’s health / 為某人的安全擔憂be anxious about somebody’s safety, be concerned over somebody’s safety / 我擔憂我們不能按時完成任務。I’m afraid we may not finish our work on time. / 擔憂發生最糟糕的情況fear the worst / 我們對他的病情感到特別擔憂。We feel great anxiety about his illness. / 他已徹底解除擔憂。He was completely relieved of one’s anxiety.
【英譯】 Tzu You asking questions about filial devotion, Confucius said: “The so called filial devotion nowadays only means to provide for parants. But even dogs and horses can be provided for. So, if we don’t emphasize the necessity of respecting parants, then what’s the difference between providing for parants and raising dogs and horses?”
【譯解】 (1) 養:這是個十分常見的詞。它和其它字搭配起來還會形成各種各樣的派生詞,翻譯起來十分麻煩。現在就從最基本的意思談起。1. 供養:support, provide for. 比如:養家support one’s family 2. 飼養:raise, keep, rear. 比如:養豬raise pigs, rear pigs / 養蜂keep bees / 養鳥keep pet birds 3. 培植:grow 比如:養花grow flowers 4. 生育:give birth to 比如:養了一女give birth to a daughter 5. 領養:foster, adoptive 比如:養父foster father, adoptive father / 養女adopted daughter 6. 培養:cultivate, acquire 比如:養成優良作風cultivate good style of work 7. 調養:recuperate比如:調養身體recuperate ( one’s health) / 調養好傷heal one’s wound 8. 留長:grow 比如:養胡子grow a beard, cultivate a beard, raise a beard. 其它:養兵maintain an army / 養兵千日,用兵一時 maintain an army for a thousand days to use it in the moment of truth / 養病recuperate (from an illness) / 他現在北京養病。He is now recuperating at Beijing. / 養老1.奉養父母或老人provide for one’s parents, provide for the aged 2. 年老閑居修養spend the rest of one’s days in retirement / 養老金old-aged pension / 養料nutriment, nourishment / 從…吸取養料draw nourishment from, take nourishment from / 養路maintain a road / 養道班road maintenance crew / 養路費road toll / 養神repose, rest with ease of mind and body / 閉目養神sit in repose with closed eyes / 養生keep fit, maintain one’s health, preserve one’s fit / 養育bring up / 養育子女bring up children / 養殖breed, cultivate / 水產養殖aquatic farm / 海水養殖sea-farming / 養殖海帶cultivate kelp / 養豬場pid farm, piggery (2) 再來看幾條帶“養”字的成語。1. 養虎遺患:nurture a tiger to court disaster; warm a snake in one’s bossom, cherish a snake in one’s bossom ; Appeasement brings disaster. (appeasement姑息或讓步) 2. 養精蓄銳:conserve one’s strength, store up one’s energy. 3. 養尊處優:revel in high position and live in fomfort, be in a bed of roses, be in clover. revel in 迷戀;clover本是三葉草,用到成語裏則意思翻新,十分有趣, be in clover 或livelike pigs in clover, 都是說生活優裕,即養尊處優。
【英譯】 Tzu Xia asking questions about filial devotion, Confucius said: “The most difficult thing is to treat parents with amiable looks. If having something to do, you can do it for them; if having food and wine, you let them enjoy. Could it be said that it is considered filial devotion to parents?”
【譯解】 (1) 難道,難道說:這個句式翻譯成英文有點別扭。基本有兩個說法:1. Surely it doesn’t mean that …2. Could it be said that…請看例句:難道這點困難我們還不能克服嗎?Surely it doesn’t mean that we can’t overcome evern such small difficulties. / 難道這是辦不到的嗎?Could it be said that it is impossible of attainment? / 到這個時候難道她還在睡覺(不成)?Surely she can’t still be in bed at this hour? / 難道你還不願意?Surely you can’t mean to refuse this offer? 或Don’t tell me you’re unwilling! 注意這最後兩句的變形。
【英譯】 Confucius said: “When I taught Yan Hui, he never had any objections all day long just like a foolish man. But after he left, I examined his private words and found he had developed what I’d taught him. Therefore, he is not foolish at all.
【譯解】 (1) after he lef:我非常喜歡用動名詞和懸垂結構,這句話似乎可以改成After Yan Hui’s leaving, I examined his private words或Yan Hui leaving, I examined his private words. 但是我考慮這句話是處於對話之中,並非處於敘述之中,對話時很隨便,一般不會考慮什麽懸垂結構等語法問題,因此用完整的句子為好,如果是敘述的口吻說這件事,則何以改變花樣,使用上述兩種結構。
【英譯】 Confucius said: “If you want to know a person, you should analyze the motives of his words and deeds, observe the way he takes and examine what he is up to with ease of mind. If so, how can a person cover up himself? How can a person cover up himself?”
【譯解】 (1) 安心:be easy in mind, set one’s mind at ease. 比如:安心在療養院休息吧!Set your mind at ease and have a good rest in the sanatorium. / 安心工作settle down to one’s work 或set about one’s work with ease of mind. (2) 做事:除be up to之外,還可以用work on的結構。寫到此處,手邊正好放著一份餐館廣告,上麵有一句話可以作為最佳例句:We’re constantly working on new products made with less sodium. 我們目前正不斷地研製由微量蘇打材料製作的新產品。其中的work on 與be up to意思相同,表示從事、致力於某事。因此,“考察他所安心做的事”還可以翻譯成:examine what he is working on with ease of mind.