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阅读《习近平谈治国理政》时,读者会发现总书记谙熟中华传统文化,不时结合现实引经据典、论理说情,颇接地气。品读此类文章,读者不但能感受到领袖的家国情怀,而且能感悟到领袖博观约取的文化底蕴。
今天我们择选“青年要自觉践行社会主义核心价值观”一文中的部分古语及其英译,一起感受经典文化的恒久魅力,体会英文表述中华传统文化的独特方式。
原文:行百里者半九十。
译文:A thing is yet to be done until it is done.
点评:汉英翻译经常需要采用太极手法,以虚译实,此一例也。
原文:大学之道,在明明德,在亲民,在止于至善。
译文:The way to great learning is to manifest bright virtue and to treat the people as one’s own family, thereby arriving at supreme goodness.
点评:“止于至善”英文表述甚多,还有be committed to excellence等。
原文:国有四维,礼义廉耻,“四维不张,国乃灭亡。”
译文:In ancient China our ancestors developed core values highlighted by “propriety, righteousness, honesty and a sense of shame—the four anchors of our moral foundation, and a question of life and death for the country.”
点评:对传统文化稍有研究的读者肯定知道,此处的“义”也有理解为“正义”的,所以,英文有时译作justice;而“廉”也可直译为integrity;“礼”译为civility也颇贴切。
原文:民惟邦本。
译文:The people are the foundation of a state.
原文:天人合一
译文:the harmony of Nature and man
点评:与“合一”相关的另一常用短语就是“知行合一”:the congruence between knowledge and actions; consistency of knowledge and practice。
原文:和而不同
译文:harmony without uniformity
点评:这是中华文化中一个很典型的价值观,其英文表述也可采用另一地道表达:agree to disagree。
原文:天行健,君子以自强不息。
译文:As Heaven changes through movement, a gentleman makes unremitting efforts to perfect himself.
点评:针对同句汉语,读者诸君以为下面译文如何?Whereas the universe moves eternally, a gentleman strives for perfection constantly.
原文:大道之行也,天下为公。
译文:When the Great Way prevailed, a public spirit ruled all under Heaven.
点评:“天下为公”单独使用时,尤其仅作短语时,经常翻译为a world shared by all。
原文:天下兴亡,匹夫有责。
译文:Everyone is responsible for his country’s rise or fall.
原文:君子义以为质。
译文:A gentleman takes morality as his bedrock.
点评:如前,“义”可以理解为integrity,也可以理解为justice。
原文:德不孤,必有邻。
译文:A man of high moral quality will never feel lonely.
點评:“有德之人”最常见的英文表述是a man of character,所以这句话是不是也可译为:A man of character is never alienated.
原文:老吾老以及人之老,幼吾幼以及人之幼。
译文:Respect others’ elders as one respects one’s own, and care for others’ children as one cares for one’s own.
点评:这句古语的意思相当明晰,所以翻译起来相对简单。
原文:千磨万击还坚劲,任尔东西南北风。
译文:In the face of all blows, not bending low, it still stands fast. Whether from east, west, south or north the wind doth blast.
点评:诗歌翻译,兼顾押韵,颇有难度,但这里处理得当,译文中诗韵犹存。
原文:非学无以广才,非志无以成学。
译文:One cannot enhance one’s ability and wisdom if one does not work hard; neither can one succeed without ambition. 原文:若无德,则虽体魄智力发达,适足助其为恶。
译文:He who is strong physically and talented but has no virtue will end up on the side of vice.
原文:见善则迁,有过则改
译文:learning from fine things that may appear and correcting any mistakes that may occur
原文:学而不思则罔,思而不学则殆。
译文:Reading without thinking makes one muddled; thinking without reading makes one flighty.
原文:千淘万漉虽辛苦,吹尽狂沙始到金。
译文:Gold glitters only after countless washings and sievings.
点评:在具体语境中,韵文也不一定总要翻译成韵文。
原文:博学之,审问之,慎思之,明辨之,笃行之。
译文:Learn extensively, inquire earnestly, think profoundly, discriminate clearly and practice sincerely.
点评:这几个副词的选择值得翻译爱好者学习。
原文:所谓大学者,非谓有大楼之谓也,有大师之谓也。
译文:The key to the success of a university lies in having a lot of highly accomplished gurus rather than imposing buildings.
原文:天下难事,必作于易;天下大事,必作于细。
译文:Difficult things are done starting from easy ones; a great undertaking begins with minor work.
原文:己所不欲,勿施于人。
译文:Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you.
点评:其实,我一直认为,日常交往中,除了遵循“己所不欲,勿施于人”,我们还应该遵循“己所欲,亦勿施于人”。毕竟,英文有云:One man’s meat is another’s poison. 在国际交往中,尤其如此,君以为然否?
古典诗文在现代语文中经常使用,但诗无达诂,因此导致翻译时经常遇到这样的难题:准确理解汉语意义;其次才是找到合適的英文表述,忠实、通顺地传译。本次讨论中的“义”“礼”等字的翻译均说明了上述道理。
最后我们一起看看我在美国波士顿唐人街拍到的一张图片,对翻译感兴趣的朋友可以对比思考一下“礼义廉耻”“天下为公”等词的不同译法。
今天我们择选“青年要自觉践行社会主义核心价值观”一文中的部分古语及其英译,一起感受经典文化的恒久魅力,体会英文表述中华传统文化的独特方式。
原文:行百里者半九十。
译文:A thing is yet to be done until it is done.
点评:汉英翻译经常需要采用太极手法,以虚译实,此一例也。
原文:大学之道,在明明德,在亲民,在止于至善。
译文:The way to great learning is to manifest bright virtue and to treat the people as one’s own family, thereby arriving at supreme goodness.
点评:“止于至善”英文表述甚多,还有be committed to excellence等。
原文:国有四维,礼义廉耻,“四维不张,国乃灭亡。”
译文:In ancient China our ancestors developed core values highlighted by “propriety, righteousness, honesty and a sense of shame—the four anchors of our moral foundation, and a question of life and death for the country.”
点评:对传统文化稍有研究的读者肯定知道,此处的“义”也有理解为“正义”的,所以,英文有时译作justice;而“廉”也可直译为integrity;“礼”译为civility也颇贴切。
原文:民惟邦本。
译文:The people are the foundation of a state.
原文:天人合一
译文:the harmony of Nature and man
点评:与“合一”相关的另一常用短语就是“知行合一”:the congruence between knowledge and actions; consistency of knowledge and practice。
原文:和而不同
译文:harmony without uniformity
点评:这是中华文化中一个很典型的价值观,其英文表述也可采用另一地道表达:agree to disagree。
原文:天行健,君子以自强不息。
译文:As Heaven changes through movement, a gentleman makes unremitting efforts to perfect himself.
点评:针对同句汉语,读者诸君以为下面译文如何?Whereas the universe moves eternally, a gentleman strives for perfection constantly.
原文:大道之行也,天下为公。
译文:When the Great Way prevailed, a public spirit ruled all under Heaven.
点评:“天下为公”单独使用时,尤其仅作短语时,经常翻译为a world shared by all。
原文:天下兴亡,匹夫有责。
译文:Everyone is responsible for his country’s rise or fall.
原文:君子义以为质。
译文:A gentleman takes morality as his bedrock.
点评:如前,“义”可以理解为integrity,也可以理解为justice。
原文:德不孤,必有邻。
译文:A man of high moral quality will never feel lonely.
點评:“有德之人”最常见的英文表述是a man of character,所以这句话是不是也可译为:A man of character is never alienated.
原文:老吾老以及人之老,幼吾幼以及人之幼。
译文:Respect others’ elders as one respects one’s own, and care for others’ children as one cares for one’s own.
点评:这句古语的意思相当明晰,所以翻译起来相对简单。
原文:千磨万击还坚劲,任尔东西南北风。
译文:In the face of all blows, not bending low, it still stands fast. Whether from east, west, south or north the wind doth blast.
点评:诗歌翻译,兼顾押韵,颇有难度,但这里处理得当,译文中诗韵犹存。
原文:非学无以广才,非志无以成学。
译文:One cannot enhance one’s ability and wisdom if one does not work hard; neither can one succeed without ambition. 原文:若无德,则虽体魄智力发达,适足助其为恶。
译文:He who is strong physically and talented but has no virtue will end up on the side of vice.
原文:见善则迁,有过则改
译文:learning from fine things that may appear and correcting any mistakes that may occur
原文:学而不思则罔,思而不学则殆。
译文:Reading without thinking makes one muddled; thinking without reading makes one flighty.
原文:千淘万漉虽辛苦,吹尽狂沙始到金。
译文:Gold glitters only after countless washings and sievings.
点评:在具体语境中,韵文也不一定总要翻译成韵文。
原文:博学之,审问之,慎思之,明辨之,笃行之。
译文:Learn extensively, inquire earnestly, think profoundly, discriminate clearly and practice sincerely.
点评:这几个副词的选择值得翻译爱好者学习。
原文:所谓大学者,非谓有大楼之谓也,有大师之谓也。
译文:The key to the success of a university lies in having a lot of highly accomplished gurus rather than imposing buildings.
原文:天下难事,必作于易;天下大事,必作于细。
译文:Difficult things are done starting from easy ones; a great undertaking begins with minor work.
原文:己所不欲,勿施于人。
译文:Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you.
点评:其实,我一直认为,日常交往中,除了遵循“己所不欲,勿施于人”,我们还应该遵循“己所欲,亦勿施于人”。毕竟,英文有云:One man’s meat is another’s poison. 在国际交往中,尤其如此,君以为然否?
古典诗文在现代语文中经常使用,但诗无达诂,因此导致翻译时经常遇到这样的难题:准确理解汉语意义;其次才是找到合適的英文表述,忠实、通顺地传译。本次讨论中的“义”“礼”等字的翻译均说明了上述道理。
最后我们一起看看我在美国波士顿唐人街拍到的一张图片,对翻译感兴趣的朋友可以对比思考一下“礼义廉耻”“天下为公”等词的不同译法。