翻译中国 || 《红楼梦》第二十七回林黛玉吟诵的诗歌《葬花吟》英译及翻译技巧解析

文摘   2024-06-17 06:41   安徽  

《经典诗词英译》淘宝、京东、当当有售

        《葬花吟》(清·曹雪芹)

                (英译:杨自力)

花谢花飞花满天,红消香断有谁怜?

游丝软系飘春榭,落絮轻沾扑绣帘。

闺中女儿惜春暮,愁绪满怀无释处。

手把花锄出绣帘,忍踏落花来复去。

柳丝榆荚自芳菲,不管桃飘与李飞。

桃李明年能再发,明年闺中知有谁。

三月香巢已垒成,梁间燕子太无情!

明年花发虽可啄,却不道人去梁空巢也倾。

一年三百六十日,风刀霜剑严相逼。

明媚鲜妍能几时,一朝漂泊难寻觅。

花开易见落难寻,阶前愁杀葬花人。

独倚花锄泪暗洒,洒上空枝见血痕。

杜鹃无语正黄昏,荷锄归去掩重门。

青灯照壁人初睡,冷雨敲窗被未温。

怪奴底事倍伤神?半为怜春半恼春。

怜春忽至恼忽去,至又无言去未闻。

昨宵庭外悲歌发,知是花魂与鸟魂?

花魂鸟魂总难留,鸟自无言花自羞。

愿侬此日生双翼,随花飞到天尽头。

天尽头,何处有香丘?

未若锦囊收艳骨,一抔净土掩风流。

质本洁来还洁去,强于污淖陷渠沟。

尔今死去侬收葬,未卜侬身何日丧?

侬今葬花人笑痴,他年葬侬知是谁?

试看春残花渐落,便是红颜老死时。

一朝春尽红颜老,花落人亡两不知!

The flowers so fade and flutter everywhere

Whilst petals red and sweet decay, who care?

In the pavilion sways the spider thread.

To the embroidered curtain, catkins spread.

The maid in chamber grieves for this late spring.

Nowhere can she dispel her mental sting.

She draws the curtain with a hoe in hand,

And bears no heart to tread on flowers and stand.

Willows and elms appear but fresh and bright,

And care not peach or plum blossoms in flight.

Tho' blossom peach and plum next year again,

Next year, who in the chamber shall remain?

By the third month, they have just built a nest.

Between the beams the swallow hath no rest!

Peach and plum blossoms can be pecked next year,

But empty are the nest between the beams and gone the dear!

A year three hundred days and sixty makes.

On days of biting winds and frost she quakes.

How long do these fair flowers and fresh so stay?

Nowhere can they be found once blown away.

The flowers easier to see in bloom than fallen.

I bury them near steps, my heart so broken.

I lean on hoe, with tears in secret shed.

Shed to bare boughs, the tears of blood are bred.

The cuckoo ceased to mourn as it got late.

I seized the hoe, paced back and shut the gate.

I went to bed just when the lamp did shine.

Cold rain on panes, not warm the quilt of mine.

Thou wonder’st what on earth gives me a sting?

The love of spring that joins the hate of spring. 

Love bursts out when spring comes, hate when it goes.

Spring quietly comes and goes, but no one knows.

Last night, a mournful song outdoors was heard.

A soul thus from a flower or from a bird?

The soul of neither flowers nor birds can stay.

Flowers aye feel shy and nothing birds do say.

I wish to have two wings today, thereby

Flying to, with flowers, the farthest of the sky.

The farthest of the sky, where is the fragrant mound?

Why not, in silken bags, charmed petals shroud

That with the stainless earth they can be found.

They came so pure and shall go pure again,

Rather than sink into the ditch of stain.

When thou expir’st today, thy bones I tend.

I know not when on earth my life shall end.

When bury I the flower, the world may laugh.

To bury me, who is the better half?

Behold the spring decay and flowers so fade.

That is when mortal grows the pretty maid.

Oh, once spring borders death, the maid shall gone.

Then flowers and beauty perish, known to none.

翻译技巧解析

    原作出自清代曹雪芹的小说《红楼梦》女主人公林黛玉吟诵诗词《葬花吟》

    在语义翻译层面,译文采用“直译法”,将“红消香断有谁怜”译为“Whilst petals red and sweet decay, who care?”,将“柳丝榆荚自芳菲,不管桃飘与李飞”译为“Willows and elms appear but fresh and bright,/ And care not peach or plum blossoms in flight”,将“明媚鲜妍能几时”译为“How long do these fair flowers and fresh so stay?”,将“质本洁来还洁去,强于污淖陷渠沟”译为“They came so pure and will go pure again,/ Rather than sink into the ditch of stain”,将“试看春残花渐落”译为“Behold the spring decay and flowers so fade”,将“花落人亡两不知”译为“Then flowers and beauty perish, known to none”,再现了原作的艺术意象和语序特点;采用“意译法”,将“梁间燕子太无情”译为“Between the beams the swallow hath no rest”(解释“燕子太无情”意即“梁间燕子飞去”),将“阶前愁杀葬花人”译为“I bury them near steps, my heart so broken”(解释“葬花人”意即吟诗者本人林黛玉),将“未若锦囊收艳骨”译为“Why not, in silken bags, charmed petals shroud”(解释“锦囊”意即“丝袋”、“艳骨”意即“美丽的花瓣”),将“侬今葬花人笑痴,他年葬侬知是谁”译为“When bury I the flower, the world may laugh./ To bury me, who is the better half?”(解释“人笑痴”意即“世人笑痴”,解释“谁”即“另一半”),以帮助英语读者理解原作的内涵意义或为英语读者提供中国古典文化的背景知识。

    在句法翻译层面,使用“换序译法”,将“游丝软系飘春榭”译为“In the pavilion sways the spider thread”,将“落絮轻沾扑绣帘”译为“To the embroidered curtain, catkins spread”,将“愁绪满怀无释处”译为“Nowhere can she dispel her mental sting”,将“手把花锄出绣帘”译为“She draws the curtain with a hoe in hand”,将“却不道人去梁空巢也倾”译为“But empty are the nest between the beams and gone the dear”(先译“梁空巢也倾”,后译“人去”,且将“人”译为the dear),将“冷雨敲窗被未温”译为“Cold rain on panes, not warm the quilt of mine”,将“鸟自无言花自羞”译为“Flowers aye feel shy and nothing birds do say”,将“便是红颜老死时”译为“That is when mortal grows the pretty maid”,保证了上下诗行韵律的和谐;使用“转态译法”,将“明年花发虽可啄”译为“Peach and plum blossoms can be pecked next year”,将“一朝漂泊难寻觅”译为“Nowhere can they be found once blown away”,将“洒上空枝见血痕”译为“Shed to bare boughs, the tears of blood are bred”,体现了“汉语惯用主动语态、英语惯用被动语态”的文化差异;使用“缩句译法”,将“花开易见落难寻”译为“The flowers easier to see in bloom than fallen”,将“半为怜春半恼春”译为“The love of spring that joins the hate of spring”,将“知是花魂与鸟魂”译为“A soul but from a flower or from a bird”体现了“汉语惯用句子、英语惯用名词短语”的文化差异;使用“合句译法”,将“独倚花锄泪暗洒”译为“I lean on hoe, with tears in secret shed”,体现了“汉语重意合、英语重形合”的文化差异。

    在词法翻译层面,使用“换形译法”,将“风刀霜剑”译为“biting winds and frost”,以帮助英语读者理解原作的内涵意义;使用“正反译法”,将“净土”译为“the stainless earth”,体现了“汉语惯用主动语态、英语惯用被动语态”的文化差异;使用“省词译法”,将“一朝春尽红颜老”译为“Oh, once spring borders death, the maid shall gone”(在助动词shall之后省略系动词be),使英语读者自然联想到美国作家威廉·福克纳(1879-1962)在小说《野棕榈》(“The Wild Palms”)中的类似表达“She was gone,and I lost about half memory of her. If one day I was gone, all the memory of her would gone with me”,体现了语言的朴实和诗行的精警;使用“省词译法”,将“花落人亡”译为“flowers and beauty perish”,体现了“汉语惯用同枝同干、英语惯用多枝共干”的文化差异。

    同时,译文创造了翻译美学的“三维美”。首先,全文采用“英雄双韵体”的创作形式,运用二十五组“两行转韵”的表现手法(共五十一诗行,韵脚为everywherecarethreadspreadspringstinghandstandbrightflightagainremainnestrestyeardearmakesquakesstayawayfallenbrokenshedbredlategateshineminestingspringgoesknowsheardbirdstaysaytherebyskymoundshroudfoundagainstaintendendlaughhalffademaidgonenone)和“抑扬格五音步”的英诗格律(第三十九诗行“The farthest of the sky, where is the fragrant mound?”在押韵和格律上稍有变化。该诗行与后两个诗行同时押韵,且运用“抑扬格六音步”)。在第七至第八诗行中,词汇hoeheart押头韵,词汇handstand押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的头韵音素[ h ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ ænd ]按照“a-b-a-b的规则交叉排列(hoehandheartstand),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,抒发了黛玉出门葬花的悲凉情感;在第十三至第十四诗行中,词汇builtbeams押头韵,词汇nestrest押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的头韵音素[ b ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ est ]按照“a-b-a-b的规则交叉排列(builtnestbeamsrest),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,抒发了黛玉对于“梁间燕子飞去的怨情;在第十五至第十六诗行中,词汇peckednest押元韵,词汇yeardear押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的元韵音素[ e ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ ɪə ]按照“a-b-a-b的规则交叉排列(peckedyearnestdear),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,抒发了黛玉对于生命迷茫的情感;在第十九至第二十诗行中,词汇freshfound押头韵,词汇stayaway押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的头韵音素[ f ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ eɪ ]按照“a-b-a-b的规则交叉排列(freshstayfoundaway),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,表达了黛玉对于悲惨命运的咏叹;在第二十七至第二十八诗行中,词汇whenwarm押头韵,词汇shinemine押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的头韵音素[ w ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ aɪn ]按照“a-b-a-b的规则交叉排列(whenshinewarmmine),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,烘托了孤独凄凉的氛围;在第二十九至第三十诗行中,词汇wonder’stlove押元韵,词汇whatthat押辅韵,词汇stingspring押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的元韵音素[ ʌ ]、第二组词汇中的辅韵音素[ t ]第三组词汇中的尾韵音素[ ɪŋ ]按照“a-b-c-a-b-c的规则交叉排列(wonder’stwhatstinglovethatspring),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,表现了“半为怜春半恼春”的幽怨;在第三十三至第三十四诗行中,词汇songsoul押头韵,词汇heardbird押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的头韵音素[ s ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ ɜːd ]按照“a-b-a-b的规则交叉排列(songheardsoulbird),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,抒发了以花喻人、人花同命的感慨;在第四十至第四十一诗行中,词汇silkenstainless押头韵,词汇shroudfound押元韵和尾韵,且第一组词汇中的头韵音素[ s ]、第二组词汇中的元韵和尾韵双重音素[ aʊ ][ d ]按照“a-b-a-b”的规则交叉排列(silkenshroudstainlessfound),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,表达了黛玉怜花惜花的情感;在第四十二至第四十三诗行中,词汇willditch押元韵,词汇againstain辅韵,且第一组词汇中的元韵音素[ ɪ ]、第二组词汇中的辅韵音素[ n ]按照“a-b-a-b”的规则交叉排列(willagainditchstain),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,表达了“尘归尘,土归土”的宗教思想;在第五十至第五十一诗行中,词汇deathperish押元韵,词汇gonenone押尾韵,且第一组词汇中的元韵音素[ e ]、第二组词汇中的尾韵音素[ n ]按照“a-b-a-b”的规则交叉排列(deathgoneperishnone),构成“交叉韵”修辞格,表现了黛玉对爱情悲剧的的血泪怨诉。此外,第一诗行中的三个词汇flowersfadeflutter押头韵,呼应了原句三次使用“花”字的“重复”修辞格,如泣如诉,如怨如慕,突出了“花谢花飞花满天”的景象;第二诗行中的词汇petalsred押元韵,突出了花朵的娇艳和青春的美丽;第三诗行中的词汇swaysspider、第四诗行中的词汇curtaincatkins押头韵,强调了游丝飘榭、落絮扑帘一样的凄苦人生。英雄双韵体、交叉韵、头韵、元韵等美学表现手法使韵律悦耳柔美,节奏低回哀婉,表现了黛玉声声悲音、字字血泪的人生咏叹,创造了诗词的音韵美。

    其次,将第二十三诗行结尾的词汇shed作为第二十四诗行的开头(“I lean on hoe, with tears in secret shed./ Shed to bare boughs, the tears of blood are bred”),使上下句的首尾相重合,形式上成为一种链式结构,表达上前后意思紧扣,气势连贯而下,构成“联珠”修辞格,烘托了黛玉葬花的悲凉氛围,创造了诗词的形式美;将第三十八诗行结尾的短语the farthest of the sky作为第三十九诗行的开头(“Flying to, with flowers, the farthest of the sky./ The farthest of the sky, where is the fragrant mound?”),构成“联珠”修辞格,展现了黛玉多愁善感的个人性格,创造了诗词的形式美;第三十诗行“The love of spring that joins the hate of spring”重复词汇spring,第三十一诗行“Love bursts out when spring comes, hate when it goes”重复词汇when,分别构成“重复”修辞格,再现了原作重复“春”(半为怜春半恼春)和“忽”(怜春忽至恼忽去)的创作手法,烘托了黛玉爱恨交织的情感心理,创造了诗词的形式美;频繁使用表示“死亡”的近义词(如expir’stmortaldeathperish),构成“求雅换词”修辞格,体现了翻译的灵活性和多样性,烘托了悲凉凄美的氛围,创造了诗词的形式美。

    再次,第一诗行“The flowers so fade and flutter everywhere”构成“象征”修辞格,将花拟人,以花喻人,描绘了花儿漫天飞舞的凄清画面,象征着花的命运与人的命运紧密相联,创造了诗词的意象美、意涵美、意境美;第四诗行中的短语the embroidered curtain刻画了红楼里的绣花门帘,说明了黛玉的富裕家境,创造了诗词的意象美;第九诗行中的短语but fresh and bright描绘了柳丝榆荚的娇艳,第十诗行中的短语peach or plum blossoms in flight刻画了桃李的远走高飞,象征着宝玉被迫离家出走,创造了诗词的意象美、意涵美;第二十四诗行“Shed to bare boughs, the tears of blood are bred”构成“夸张”修辞格,烘托了黛玉斑斑血泪、如泣如诉的忧伤情调,创造了诗词的意象美、意涵美;第三十一诗行的短语bursts out(“Love bursts out when spring comes, hate when it goes”)烘托了黛玉怜春的炽烈情感,创造了诗词的意蕴美;第三十七至第三十八诗行“I wish to have two wings today, thereby/ Flying to, with flowers, the farthest of the sky”构成“夸张”修辞格,渲染了黛玉冲破封建礼教束缚、追求理想爱情境界的愿望,创造了诗词的意象美、意涵美和意境美;第三十九诗行中的短语the fragrant mound渲染了天尽头山丘的芳香,烘托了葬花人高贵的气质,创造了诗词的意蕴美、意涵美。“三维美”艺术地表达了林黛玉在生与死、爱与恨的复杂斗争中所产生的焦虑体验及其对生命的迷茫情感。

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