《好了歌》与翻译

《好了歌》

世人都晓神仙好，惟有功名忘不了！

古今将相在何方？荒冢一堆草没了。

世人都晓神仙好，只有金银忘不了！

终朝只恨聚无多，及到多时眼闭了。

世人都晓神仙好，只有姣妻忘不了！

君生日日说恩情，君死又随人去了。

世人都晓神仙好，只有儿孙忘不了！

痴心父母古来多，孝顺儿孙谁见了？

（曹雪芹著）

译文一

Won-Done Song

Men all know that salvation should be won.

But with ambition won’t have done, have done.

Where are the famous ones of days gone by?

In grassy graves they lie now, every one.

Men all know that salvation should be won.

But with their riches won’t have done, have done.

Each day they grumble they’ve not made enough.

When they’ve enough, it’s goodnight every one!

Men all know that salvation should be won.

But with their loving wives won’t have done.

The dalings every day protest their love:

But once you’re dead, they’re off with another one.

Men all know that salvation should be won.

But with their children won’t have done, have done.

Yet though of parents fond there is no lack.

Of grateful children saw I ne’er a one.

( 霍克思翻译)

译文二

All Good Things Must End.

All men long to be immortals,

Yet to riches and rank each aspires;

The great ones of old, where are they now?

Their graves are a mass of briars.

All men long to be immortals,

Yet silver and gold they prize.

And grub for money all their lives,

Till death seals up their eyes.

All men long to be immortals

Yet dote on the wives they’ve wed,

Who swear to love their husband evermore,

But remarry as soon as he’s dead.

All men long to be immortals,

Yet with getting sons won’t have done.

Although fond parents are legion,

Who ever saw a really filial son?

( 杨宪益，戴乃迭翻译)

西人有云，散文是最井然有序的文字，而诗歌则是最井然有序的绝妙好词。念过翻译学的人都晓得翻译里没有对等，而诗歌翻译最高境界是意美、音美和形美兼备。然而，诗歌在所有的文学体裁中最难翻译，原因就是不能做到形神兼备，要么得意而忘形，要么得形而忘意，真是鱼与熊掌不能得兼啊。

有人云，诗歌是翻译中丢失的东西，个中原因就在于意美、音美和形美不能兼顾，顾此而失彼。诗歌翻译，求其意美已难矣，意音形得兼者上上品也。

注：霍克思是前牛津大学汉语教授，精通汉语。他独自翻译了《红楼梦》的前80回，其学生兼女婿闵福德翻译了后40回。霍 克思译本力求忠实地将原作中每一个信息传递到译文当中。以意译为主，归化为主，处处为译入语读者著想，便于读者接受理解。译文流畅，完美地再现了原作的风 貌，在中外享有盛誉。

杨宪益是中国杰出的翻译家，才华横溢。早年留学英国， 遇到后来成为他夫人的英国女子戴乃迭。夫妇二人皆学贯中西，相濡以沫，联手翻译佳作无数，其中最为有名的就是《红楼梦》120回英译本。杨译以直译为主， 但译文优美顺畅，毫无生硬死译做作之痕迹，忠实地传达了原著内容，传播了原文中许许多多的文化信息，颇受国内外人士的赞誉。

比较而言，霍克思译本似乎更受译入语读者的喜爱。以上面这首诗歌的翻译而言，霍克思的译文较好地再现了原诗歌作为歌谣的特点，押韵，上口，基本上做到了意美、音美和形美。而杨译则力求内容的忠实，重在意美，音美上较为逊色。

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