在英语里读懂唐诗
纪念许渊冲先生 Uni-Note Vol.297
2021年6月17日，百岁翻译家许渊冲逝世。
翻出许老神仙用英语翻译的唐诗三百首，不知不觉就读了一晚上23333
我的读法是先看原版唐诗，遇到难以想象怎么翻译的，再看许老神仙的英译。后者的答卷，总是意出尘外骚气逼人。
读这本书的乐趣是双份的，它会同时更新你对唐诗和英语的认知。
下面来解说一下许老神仙翻译唐诗三百首的30大名场面。如果这篇有人看，我明天就续一篇宋词三百首。
先来看
陈子昂的《登幽州台歌》
，这不是第一首唐诗，却如清晨的一声汽笛，划开王朝天幕，领得唐诗气象。
前不见古人，后不见来者，
念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下。
翻译采用隔行押韵，用词同样苍莽刚健，译出了原诗的史诗气质。
ON THE TOWER AT YOUZHOU by CHEN ZI’ANG
Where are the great men of the past
And where are those of future years?
The sky and earth forever last;
Here and now I alone shed tears.
接下来是
王之涣的《登鹳雀楼》
白日依山尽，黄河入海流。
欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。
只有二十个字，信息量却极大，属于很难翻译的唐诗。许译每句也控制在5个单词（除了个别虚词），诗的后半译得尤为精警，即便在英语世界里也是座右铭级别的存在。
ON THE STORK TOWER by WANG ZHIHUAN
The sun along the mountain bows;
The Yellow River seawards flows.
You will enjoy a grander sight
If you climb to a greater height.
在语法上，唐诗省略了大量的虚词（连词、介词、助词），给诗带来朦胧美的同时，也给诗词小白设置了阅读障碍。许译在语法上“补齐”了唐诗的原意，又不失文采。比如下面两首。
凉州词
王之涣
黄河远上白云间，一片孤城万仞山。
羌笛何须怨杨柳，春风不度玉门关。
OUT OF THE GREAT WALL by WANG ZHIHUAN
The Yellow River rises to the white cloud;
The lonely town is lost amid the mountains proud.
Why should the Mongol flute complain no willows grow?
Beyond the Gate of Jade no vernal wind will blow.
春晓
孟浩然
春眠不觉晓，处处闻啼鸟。
夜来风雨声，花落知多少！
SPRING MORNING by MENG HAORAN
This spring morning in bed I'm lying,
Not to awake till birds are crying.
After one night of wind and showers,
How many are the fallen flowers!
唐诗里的一些比喻也有类似的特点，既朦胧，又难猜。比如下面第一首的“青海”不是青海省，第二首的“冰心”也不是谢婉莹。许译相当于既当翻译又当解说。
从军行 其四
王昌龄
青海长云暗雪山，孤城遥望玉门关。
黄沙百战穿金甲，不破楼兰终不还。
ARMY LIFE IV by WANG CHANGLING
Clouds on frontier o'er shadow mountains clad in snow;
A lonely town afar faces Pass of Jade Gate.
Our golden armor pierced by sand, we fight the foe;
We won't come back till we destroy the hostile state.
芙蓉楼送辛渐
王昌龄
寒雨连江夜入吴，平明送客楚山孤。
洛阳亲友如相问，一片冰心在玉壶。
FAREWELL TO XIN JIAN AT LOTUS TOWER by WANG CHANGLING
A cold rain mingled with East Stream invades the night;
At dawn you leave the Southern hills lonely in haze.
If my friends in the North should ask if I'm all right,
My heart is free of stain as ice in crystal vase.
如果请唐代大诗人来出高考翻译题，李白应该是最不按套路出牌的。下面五道题堪称丧心病狂，直到遇到许氏神仙翻译。
-1-
噫吁，危乎高哉！
蜀道之难，难于上青天。
（李白《蜀道难》）
Oho! behold! how steep! how high!
The westward way is harder than to climb the sky.
-2-
君不见黄河之水天上来，奔流到海不复回！
君不见高堂明镜悲白发，朝如青丝暮成雪！
（李白《将进酒》）
Do you not see the Yellow River come from the sky,
Rushing into the sea and ne'er come back?
Do you not see the mirrors bright in chambers high
Grieve o'er the snow-white hair though once silk-black?
-3-
举杯邀明月，对影成三人。
（李白《对月独酌》）
I raise my cup to invite the Moon who blends
Her light with my Shadow and we're three friends.
-4-
霓为衣兮风为马，云之君兮纷纷而来下。
虎鼓瑟兮鸾回车，仙之人兮列如麻。
（李白《梦回天姥吟留别》）
Clad in the rainbow, riding on the wind,
The lords of clouds descend in a procession long,
Their chariots drawn by phoenix disciplined,
And tigers playing for them a zither song,
Row upon row, like fields of hemp, immortals throng.
-5-
弃我去者，昨日之日不可留。
乱我心者，今日之日多烦忧。
（李白《宣州谢朓楼饯别校书叔云》）
What left me yesterday
Can be retained no more;
What troubles me today
Is the times I deplore.
接下来，是曾经击败李白的男人——崔颢。他的《黄鹤楼》前两联出现了三个“黄鹤”，愣是把谁都不服的李白给写服了，李白多年后写了首《登金陵凤凰台》，第一联“凤凰台上凤凰游，凤去台空江自流。”仍然能看出崔颢《黄鹤楼》给他造成的PTSD。
昔人已乘黄鹤去，此地空余黄鹤楼。
黄鹤一去不复返，白云千载空悠悠。
（崔颢《黄鹤楼》）
The sage on yellow crane was gone amid clouds white.
To what avail is Yellow Crane Tower left here?
Once gone, the yellow crane will ne'er on earth alight;
Only white clouds still float in vain from year to year.
下面是李白的迷弟杜甫，这首《望岳》的英译是许老神仙自己的得意之作，比如“一览众山小”的“小”字，看看他用的词汇，就能感受到什么是翻译界的高精尖。
望岳
杜甫
岱宗夫如何？齐鲁青未了。
造化钟神秀，阴阳割分晓。
荡胸生层云，决眦入飞鸟。
会当凌绝顶，一览众山小。
GAZING ON MOUNT TAI by DU FU
O peak of peaks, how high it stands!
One boundless green o'erspreads two States.
A marvel done by Nature's hands,
O'er light and shade it dominates.
Clouds rise therefrom and lave my breast;
My eyes are strained to see birds fleet.
Try to ascend the mountain's crest:
It dwarfs all peaks under our feet.
“安得广厦千万间”几句堪称杜甫咆哮体，许氏的翻译会怎么处理呢？
安得广厦千万间，大庇天下寒士俱欢颜，
风雨不动安如山！
呜呼！
何时眼前突兀见此屋，
吾庐独破受冻死亦足！
（杜甫《茅屋为秋风所破歌》）
Could I get mansions covering ten thousand miles,
I'd house all scholars poor and make them beam with smiles.
In wind and rain these mansions would stand like mountains high.
Alas! should these houses appear before my eye,
Frozen in my unroofed cot, content I'd die.
《秋兴八首》是七律标杆，绣花针式的修辞炼字，“抗翻性”很强。
秋兴
杜甫
玉露凋伤枫树林，巫山巫峡气萧森。
江间波浪兼天涌，塞上风云接地阴。
丛菊两开他日泪，孤舟一系故园心。
寒衣处处催刀尺，白帝城高急暮砧。
ODE TO AUTUMN
The pearllike dewdrops wither maples in red dye;
The Gorge and Cliffs of Witch exhale dense fog around.
Waves of upsurging river seem to storm the sky;
Dark clouds o'er mountains touch their shadows on the ground.
Twice full-blown, asters blown off draw tears from the eye;
Once tied up, lonely boat ties up my heart home-bound,
Thinking of winter robes being made far and nigh,
I hear at dusk but nearby washing blocks fast pound.
再来看看，《登科后》里的“龌龊”“放荡”“得意”，许氏是怎么“不译而译”的。
登科后
孟郊
昔日龌龊不足夸，今朝放荡思无涯。
春风得意马蹄疾，一日看尽长安花。
SUCCESSFUL AT THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM by MENG JIAO
Gone are all my past woes! What more have I to say?
My body and my mind enjoy their fill today.
Successful, faster runs my horse in vernal breeze,
I've seen within one day all flowers on the trees.
民歌语言的洗脑韵律，也是几乎不可能被翻译的，而许译挑战的就是不可能。以刘白这对好基友的作品为例。
竹枝词
刘禹锡
杨柳青青江水平，闻郎江上唱歌声。
东边日出西边雨，道是无晴还有情。
BAMBOO BRANCH SONGS I by LIU YUXI
Between the green willows the river flows along;
My dear one in a boat is heard to sing a song.
The west is veiled in rain, the east enjoys sunshine;
My dear one is as deep in love as day is fine.
花非花
白居易
花非花，雾非雾。
夜半来，天明去。
来如春梦几多时？
去似朝云无觅处。
A FLOWER IN THE HAZE by BAI JUYI
In bloom, she's not a flower;
Hazy, she's not a haze.
She comes at midnight hour;
She goes with starry rays.
She comes like vernal dreams that cannot stay;
She goes like morning clouds that melt away.
沧海桑田和巫山云雨这种成语+典故，用汉语解释都得几十个字，要想用几个英语单词就让老外看懂，恐怕只有像许氏这样“暴力”处理了。
离思
元稹
曾经沧海难为水，除却巫山不是云。
取次花丛懒回顾，半缘修道半缘君。
THINKING OF MY DEAR DEPARTED by YUAN ZHEN
No water's wide enough when you have crossed the sea;
No cloud is beautiful but that which crowns the peak.
I pass by flowers which fail to attract poor me
Half for your sake and half for Taoism I seek.
修仙题材的唐诗，许译赋予了微型小说范儿。
访隐者不遇
贾岛
松下问童子，言师采药去。
只在此山中，云深不知处。
FOR AN ABSENT RECLUSE by JIA DAO
I ask your lad 'neath a pine tree.
“My master's gone for herbs, ” says he.
You hide amid the mountains proud,
I know not where deep in the cloud.
从语言艺术上来说，“粒粒皆辛苦”这样的诗是没法翻译的，许译自然也无法超越规律，但不能钻火圈还可以胸口碎大石，许译把这首名诗打碎重组，仿佛植入了一副全新复合型材料骨架，译出了乡村重金属的味道。
悯农
李绅
锄禾日当午，汗滴禾下土。
谁知盘中餐，粒粒皆辛苦！
THE PEASANTS by LI SHEN
At noon they weed with hoes;
Their sweat drips on the soil.
Each bowl of rice, who knows?
Is the fruit of hard toil.
放眼大唐，出诗歌翻译题能跟李白掰手腕的，恐怕只有李·哥特·贺了，许译毫不怠慢，以十四行诗的架势稳稳接住。
雁门太守行
李贺
黑云压城城欲摧，甲光向日金鳞开。
角声满天秋色里，塞上燕脂凝夜紫。
半卷红旗临易水，霜重鼓寒声不起。
报君黄金台上意，提携玉龙为君死。
DEFENSE OF THE WILD GEESE GATE by LI HE
Dark clouds threaten the town, its walls risk to be worn;
Defenders' sunlit armour glitters like scales bright.
The sky in autumn hue is loud with blowing horn;
The rouge-congealed frontier dissolves in purple night.
Our half-unfurled red flags come to shivering stream;
Laden with heavy frost, cold drumbeats can't rise high.
We'd do our best to realize our lord's golden dream,
Jade-dragon sword in hand, we're not afraid to die.
历史题材七绝爱好者杜牧，他作品的翻译同样让人好奇，关键词：“南朝四百八十寺”“周郎”“二乔”“后庭花”“楚腰”“扬州梦”……
江南春
杜牧
千里莺啼绿映红，水村山郭酒旗风。
南朝四百八十寺，多少楼台烟雨中。
SPRING ON THE SOUTHERN RIVERSHORE by DU MU
Orioles sing for miles 'mid red blooms and green trees;
By hills and rills wineshop streamers wave in the breeze.
Four hundred eighty splendid temples still remain
Of Southern Dynasties in the mist and the rain.
赤壁
杜牧
折戟沉沙铁未销，自将磨洗认前朝。
东风不与周郎便，铜雀春深锁二乔。
THE RED CLIFF by DU MU
We dig out broken halberds buried in the sand
And wash and rub these relics of an ancient war.
Had the east wind refused General Zhou a helping hand,
His foe'd have locked his fair wife on northern shore.
泊秦淮
杜牧
烟笼寒水月笼沙，夜泊秦淮近酒家。
商女不知亡国恨，隔江犹唱后庭花。
MOORED ON RIVER QINHUAI by DU MU
Cold water and sand bars veiled in misty moonlight,
I moor on River Qinhuai near wineshops at night.
The songstress knows not the grief of the captive king,
By riverside she sings his song of Parting Spring.
遣怀
杜牧
落魄江湖载酒行，楚腰纤细掌中轻。
十年一觉扬州梦，赢得青楼薄倖名。
A CONFESSION by DU MU
I roved the rivers, indulged in pleasure and wine
With slender Southern girls who'd dance on palms of mine.
Having dreamed happy dreams ten years, I woke a rover
Who earned in mansions green the name of fickle lover.
下面是朦胧诗的“鼻祖”，杜牧的诗坛CP李商隐。他的诗里每个词你都认识，合在一起你就不懂他想说什么了。来看看许氏阅读理解。
锦瑟
李商隐
锦瑟无端五十弦，一弦一柱思华年。
庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶，望帝春心托杜鹃。
沧海月明珠有泪，蓝田日暖玉生烟。
此情可待成追忆？只是当时已惘然。
THE SAD ZITHER by LI SHANGYIN
Why should the sad zither have fifty strings?
Each string, each strain evokes but vanished springs:
Dim morning dream to be a butterfly;
Amorous heart poured out in cuckoo's cry.
In moonlit pearls see tears in mermaid's eyes;
With sunburned mirth let blue jade vaporise.
Such feeling cannot be recalled again;
It seemed long lost e'en when it was felt then.
这首诗同样体现了许译四两拨千斤的技术特点，译诗完全绕开了对焚书坑儒、刘邦项羽秦始皇的名词解释，却抓住了这场文化浩劫及其续集故事的精髓。
焚书坑
章碣
竹帛烟销帝业虚，关河空锁祖龙居。
坑灰未冷山东乱，刘项元来不读书。
THE PIT WHERE EMPEROR QIN BURNED THE CLASSICS by ZHANG JIE
Smoke of burnt classics gone up with the empire's fall,
Fortresses and rivers could not guard the capital.
Before the pit turned cold, eastern rebellions spread;
The leaders of revolts were not scholars well read.
黄巢一个文化程度不高的农民革命家，写的诗能从几万首唐诗的红海里脱颖而出，入选TOP300，应该是没走后门的。能像《菊花》这样把一种优雅的草本植物写出千军万马的气势，黄巢绝对是古今第一人。许译以斯巴达气质相匹配，壮怀激烈旗鼓相当。
菊花
黄巢
待到秋来九月八，我花开后百花杀。
冲天香阵透长安，满城尽带黄金甲。
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM by HUANG CHAO
When autumn comes, the mountain-climbing day is nigh;
My flower blows when other blooms come to an end.
In battle array my fragrance rises sky-high;
The capital with my golden armour will blend.
最后是唐诗三百首里唯一的不具名作品，对照许先生的“少年时”来读此诗，堪称言传身教。对一位翻译家最好的纪念就是欣赏他的作品。谨以这篇整理纪念许先生，long live your blossoms~
金缕衣
无名氏
劝君莫惜金缕衣，劝君须惜少年时。
有花堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝！
THE GOLDEN DRESS by ANONYMOUS
Love not your golden dress, I pray,
More than your youthful golden hours!
Gather sweet blossoms while you may
And not the twig devoid of flowers.
獭祭鱼
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