中國(guó)文學(xué)英譯絮談

沙楓

“薰籠”翻譯的烏龍

錢歌川在《譯事鉤奇》一文中談到：

白居易作后宮詞有“斜倚薰籠坐到明”的句子，其中“薰籠”一詞，是薰籠上加一個(gè)籠子，實(shí)際上就是指的火爐，??????白詩說的“斜倚薰籠”是說宮女幽居后宮，得不到君王的寵幸，?？吭跔t子上取暖，一直到天明。我記不清楚是介爾斯，還是華萊，還是另一位，竟把白居易后宮詞中的薰籠，譯作屏風(fēng)了。他沒有想到靠在屏風(fēng)上，如果睡熟了豈不會(huì)把屏風(fēng)推倒而使那位宮女跌倒？

華萊（Waley，一譯者韋理）雖然譯了白居易不少的詩詞，卻未翻譯這一首后宮詞。

介爾斯（Giles，一譯翟理士）譯了這一首后宮詞，卻未譯“薰籠”一詞。

錢氏所說把“薰籠”譯作“屏風(fēng)”的，可能是 Cranmer-Byng，他是把“薰籠”譯作“screen”的。

這首《后宮詞》，全詩是這樣的：

淚盡羅巾夢(mèng)不成，夜深前殿按歌聲。
紅顏未老恩先斷，斜倚薰籠坐到明。

Cranmer-Byng 的譯文如下：

A network handkerchief contains no tear,
'Tis dawn at court ere wine and music sate.
The rich red crops no aftermath await,
Rest on a screen, and you will fall, I fear.

這首英譯，除了最后一句“斜倚熏籠坐到明”誤譯外，第一句“淚盡羅巾夢(mèng)不成”譯作“A network handkerchief contains no tear”，也是不對(duì)的。“紅顏”譯作“rich red crops”也較深?yuàn)W。

Giles 的英譯是這樣的：

Soaked in her kerchief through with tears, yet slumber will not come;
In the deep dead of night she hears the song and beat of drum.
Alas, although his love has gone, her beauty lingers yet;
Sadly she sits till early dawn, but never can forget.

Giles 的英譯，一向音韻悠揚(yáng)，而帶點(diǎn)意譯。

此詩還有幾種英譯，現(xiàn)介紹于后，以便比較。

Cairncross 的英譯是這樣的：

The handkerchief is wet with tears,
She cannot break into dreams;
In the depth of night from the Palace threshold rises a song in measure.
The glow on her face is not tarnished,
Already her favor is over;
Leaning against the perfume burner,
She will stay seated till daybreak.

Jenyns 的英譯是這樣的：

Her tears are spent in her handkerchief, yet dreams will not come.
In the depths of night from the front of the palace comes the sound of songs of music.
She is still pretty and young, yet the imperial favor has been withdrawn before her beauty withered.
leaning aslant on her wicker-framed brazier she sits till dawn.

而譯了《唐詩三百首》的 Bynner，卻把“薰籠”譯作“香枕”（incense-pillow）。

整首詩是譯成這樣的：

Her tears are spent, but no dreams come.
She can hear the others singing through the night.
She has lost his love.
Alone with her beauty,
She leans till dawn on her incense-pillow.

抄到這里，抄到“pillow”這個(gè)字，記起一部荷里活的電影“Pillow Talks”，香港放映時(shí)的中譯片名也是用一句白居易的詩歌，就是“夜半無人私語時(shí)”，自勝于“枕邊人語”了。

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