中國文學英譯絮談

沙楓

“智取生辰綱”的英譯

《水滸》的“智取生辰綱”這一回，人多愛讀。英譯也較多，英國新出版不久的兩本書都有選譯。

白之（Birch）在“Anthology of Chinese Literature”選譯了這一回，劍橋大學張心滄博士在“Chinese Literature popular Fiction and Drama”也選譯了這一回。

且看：

那七個販棗子的客人立在松樹傍邊，指著這一十五人，說道：“倒也！倒也！” 只見這十五個人，頭重腳輕，一個個面面廝覷，都軟倒了。

這一段話，是生動的。

白之的英譯是這樣的：

The seven peddlers of daters now ranged themselves at the edge of the pines and pointed at the fifteen. "Go on, fall down!" they cried.

And the fifteen men, heads heavy, feet light, gaped at each other and one after another crumpled to the ground.

張心滄的英譯是這樣的：

......the seven date merchants, who had been standing beside the pine trees, raised their right hands and, pointing seven mesmerizing fingers at the party of fifteen, chanted in chorus: "Sink! Sink! Sink in heavy slumber!" Instantly the Regent's carriers felt giddy in the head and wobbly at the knees; they stared dully at one another and sank to the ground.

上述兩譯，前者譯來比較通俗，后者用字較深奧。

再看看三十年代的兩種英譯。

賽珍珠的英譯是這樣的：

Then those seven date merchants stood beneath the pine trees and pointed at the fifteen men and said, "Down they go! Down they go!"

They then watched these fifteen men; their heads were heavy and their feet light and each stared speechless at the other, and all fell feebly to the ground.

Jackson 的英譯是這樣的：

The seven traders of dates sitting under the pine trees pointed their fingers at the soldiers and said, "They are now falling down." The soldiers, in fact, felt "their heads heavy and their feet light," and after looking at each other slyly had laid down.

這兩種英譯，也是各有千秋。

“倒也！倒也！”四人的譯法大不相同也。

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