作者 王永利
李白《將進(jìn)酒》是盛唐詩歌的璀璨瑰寶,其豪放風(fēng)骨與中式哲思成為中華文化的經(jīng)典符號(hào),而這首詩的英譯探索,更是中華文化出海的重要樣本。從許淵沖“三美論”的文學(xué)化熔鑄,到宇文所安的漢學(xué)式忠實(shí)譯介,不同譯筆的碰撞,不僅是中英語言韻律的跨語際適配,更是中式文化意象、精神內(nèi)核向西方審美體系的傳遞與對話。
李白創(chuàng)作《將敬酒》的背景:唐玄宗天寶初年,李白由道士吳筠推薦,由唐玄宗招進(jìn)京,命李白為供奉翰林。不久,因權(quán)貴的讒毀,于天寶三載(744),李白被排擠出京。此后,李白在江淮一帶盤桓,思想極度煩悶,又重新踏上了云游祖國山河的漫漫旅途。李白多次與友人岑勛(岑夫子)應(yīng)邀到嵩山另一好友元丹丘的潁陽山居為客,三人登高飲宴,借酒放歌。人生快事莫若置酒會(huì)友,作者又正值“抱用世之才而不遇合”之際,于是滿腔不合時(shí)宜借酒興詩情,以抒發(fā)滿腔不平之氣,從而留下千古絕唱。
《將進(jìn)酒》
李白
君不見,黃河之水天上來,奔流到海不復(fù)回。
君不見,高堂明鏡悲白發(fā),朝如青絲暮成雪。
人生得意須盡歡,莫使金樽空對月。
天生我材必有用,千金散盡還復(fù)來。
烹羊宰牛且為樂,會(huì)須一飲三百杯。
岑夫子,丹丘生,將進(jìn)酒,杯莫停。
與君歌一曲,請君為我傾耳聽。
鐘鼓饌玉不足貴,但愿長醉不愿醒。
古來圣賢皆寂寞,惟有飲者留其名。
陳王昔時(shí)宴平樂,斗酒十千恣歡謔。
主人何為言少錢,徑須沽取對君酌。
五花馬,千金裘,呼兒將出換美酒,與爾同銷萬古愁。
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翻譯這首詩的版本很多,今天我們首先精選美國漢學(xué)家宇文所安的譯作:
Bringing inthe Wine
Li Bai (701-762)
Translated by Stephen Owen
See how theYellow River’s waters move out of heaven.
Pouring into the sea, never to return.
See how lovely locks in bright mirrors in high halls
Have turned to snow by evening—oh, pour the cup!
If life’s得意 (achievement brings joy), then let all your spirits rise,
And never let a golden cup face the moon empty.
Heaven gave me talents—they must be put to use;
A thousand in gold scattered and gone—
it will all come back again.
Boil themutton, roast the ox—let us have our pleasure,
Just three hundred cups to make one long drink!
Master Cen,
Danqiu the lad,
Bring in the wine,
Let the cups never rest!
Let me singyou a song—
Bend your ears and hear it:
Bells and drums, fine foods—these aren’t worth prizing,
I only want to stay dead drunk and never sober.
Since timeimmemorial the sober have been left unnamed,
While all great drinkers have won celebrity.
The princeof Chen once feasted in the Hall of Peace—
A gallon of wine cost ten thousand coins—all forlaughter and play.
So why doesmy host tell me he’s short on cash?
I say, Go right out and buy us more wine!
My dappled horse,
My furs worth a thousand,
Call the boy to take them and trade for fine wine,
And here together we’ll melt the sorrows of alleternity!
(摘自宇文所安(Stephen Owen)《中國文學(xué)選集:從先秦到1911》(An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911)1996年精裝本第305頁)
宇文所安英譯的《將進(jìn)酒》,讓西方讀者讀懂了李白的狂放與曠達(dá)。
核心優(yōu)點(diǎn):以“文本忠實(shí)”為核心,還原原詩的本貌、氣勢與現(xiàn)場感。
第一,宇文所安幾乎逐字貼合原詩的表達(dá),甚至對易產(chǎn)生歧義的詞匯直接標(biāo)注中文+釋義(如“得意 (achievement brings joy)”),學(xué)術(shù)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)性拉滿,完全保留了原詩的文字肌理,無冗余修飾,貼合“天上來”的宏大描寫,很有氣勢。
第二,,現(xiàn)場感與口語感極致還原李白《將進(jìn)酒》作為歌行體,句式長短錯(cuò)落、短句斬截、呼告直白,兼具“放歌”的韻律與“對話”的口語,宇文所安精準(zhǔn)捕捉了這一特質(zhì),以短句拆分、直接呼告、口語化表達(dá)復(fù)刻原詩的現(xiàn)場感。
第三,文化專有名詞與典故不做本土化改寫,傳遞中式文化內(nèi)涵。人物稱謂直譯為“Master Cen(岑夫子)”“Danqiu the lad(丹丘生)”,未做“dear friends”的泛化處理,保留了原詩的具體指向;歷史典故直譯為“theprince of Chen(陳王)”“the Hall of Peace(平樂宮)”,未做意譯簡化,讓有漢學(xué)基礎(chǔ)的讀者能直接關(guān)聯(lián)到曹植的典故,理解李白“以古自比”的深層情感。
此外,中式意象原汁原味還原,“青絲”譯為“l(fā)ovely locks”、“雪發(fā)”譯為“turned to snow”、“五花馬”譯為“dappled horse”、“千金裘”譯為“furs worth a thousand”,無額外的修飾解釋,保留了中式意象的凝練之美。
第四,標(biāo)題譯法精準(zhǔn)貼合原詩本意,全詩文字簡潔,無冗余修飾,還原原詩的豪放磅礴氣勢。《Bringing in the Wine》,直譯為“端酒來”。開篇寫黃河的兩句,無任何形容詞堆砌,僅以“move out of heaven”“Pouring into the sea”便勾勒出黃河奔涌的磅礴畫面,貼合原詩的宏大感;“朝如青絲暮成雪”譯為“Have turned to snow by evening”,簡潔的表述卻傳遞出時(shí)光飛逝的悲愴,無多余的情感鋪墊,留白感與原詩一致;結(jié)尾“與爾同銷萬古愁”譯為“here together we’ll melt the sorrows of alleternity!”,“melt”一詞精準(zhǔn)且有畫面感,“alleternity”貼合“萬古”的時(shí)空縱深感,讓結(jié)尾的豪放與酣暢直達(dá)心底,氣勢不輸原詩。
值得商榷的地方:
首先,不押韻,散文化,英語誦讀感弱,缺少詩歌的音律美。李白的原作,是押韻的,詩歌朗朗上口,韻律節(jié)奏鮮明。但是,該譯作用散文化處理,放棄了押韻和節(jié)奏,讓西方讀者讀不到原作的詩意優(yōu)美,文化互鑒打了折扣。
其次,部分直譯導(dǎo)致普通英語讀者的理解障礙,如“Bells and drums, fine foods”直譯為“鐘鼓和美食”,普通讀者無法理解這是中式文化中“豪門貴族的富貴生活”的象征,僅會(huì)理解為字面的樂器和食物,無法體會(huì)原詩對富貴的鄙夷。“the prince of Chen”“the Hall of Peace”無任何注釋,普通讀者完全不知道“陳王是誰”“平樂宮是什么地方”,無法理解李白引此典故的用意,導(dǎo)致深層情感的傳遞失效。對無中文基礎(chǔ)的普通英語讀者而言,存在嚴(yán)重的理解隔閡。
再次,個(gè)別譯法稍顯生硬或隨意,與原詩的語境、情感略有偏差。如“丹丘生”譯為“Danqiu the lad”,“l(fā)ad”在英語中意為“小伙子、少年”,而丹丘生是李白的道友,與李白同輩且年長,用“l(fā)ad”稱呼稍顯隨意,甚至有輩分偏差,不如譯為“Master Danqiu”更貼合。“會(huì)須一飲三百杯”譯為“Just three hundred cups to make one long drink!”,“make one long drink”在英語中稍顯生硬,且“l(fā)ong drink”通常指“加冰的長飲雞尾酒”,與原詩的“放量豪飲”語境略有違和;“天生我材必有用”譯為“they must be put to use”,雖字面忠實(shí),但“必須被使用”的表達(dá)偏客觀陳述,缺少原詩中李白“睥睨天下、篤定自身價(jià)值”的主觀自信與狂放,情感濃度稍弱。
總之,這版譯作是為漢學(xué)研究者、有中文基礎(chǔ)的英語讀者而譯,它摒棄了為適配英語而做的刻意改寫,最大程度保留了原詩的中式特質(zhì),讓西方讀者能透過譯文看到《將進(jìn)酒》的主要意境。而其不足,皆是因“忠實(shí)性”讓渡了英語的韻律美與普通讀者的適配性,并非譯法的失誤,而是翻譯定位與研究視角帶來的必然取舍。
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接下來,我們精選了許淵沖大師的譯作:
Invitationto Wine
Li Bai Tr. By Xu Yuanchong
Do you notsee the Yellow River come from the sky,
Rushinginto the sea and never come back?
Do you notsee the mirrors bright in chambers high,
Grieve overyour snow-white hair though once it was silk-black?
When hopesare won, oh! Drink your fill in high delight,
And neverleave your wine-cup empty in moonlight!
Heaven hasmade us talents, we’re not made in vain.
A thousandgold coins spent, more will turn up again.
Kill a cow,cook a sheep and let us merry be,
And drinkthree hundred cupfuls of wine in high glee.
Dearfriends of mine,
Cheer up,cheer up!
I inviteyou to wine.
Do not putdown your cup!
I will singyou a song, please hear,
O hear!lend me a willing ear!
Whatdifference will rare and costly dishes make?
I only wantto get drunk and never to wake.
How manygreat men were forgotten through the ages?
But greatdrinkers are more famous than sober sages.
The Princeof Poets feasted in his palace at will,
Drank wineat ten thousand a cask and laughed his fill.
A hostshould not complain of money he is short,
To drinkwith you I will sell things of any sort.
My fur coatworth a thousand coins of gold
And myflower-dappled horse may be sold
To buy goodwine that we may drown the woe age-old.
(摘自中國對外翻譯出版有限公司許淵沖譯《唐詩三百首(300 Tang Poems)》,1979年版,第122頁)
核心優(yōu)點(diǎn):以“三美”鑄譯筆,融原詩魂于英文,經(jīng)典且耐讀。
第一,意美至上,完整復(fù)刻原詩情感層次,凸顯豪放氣質(zhì)。李白《將進(jìn)酒》的情感曲線是“嘆時(shí)光易逝→抒天生我材的自信→縱酒盡歡的狂放→鄙富貴輕功名的灑脫→銷萬古愁的酣暢”,許譯以精準(zhǔn)的意譯+貼合語境的詞匯,將這一曲線完整落地,且每一處情感表達(dá)都與原詩的濃度、基調(diào)高度契合。“天生我材必有用,千金散盡還復(fù)來”,舍棄字面的“必有用”“還復(fù)來”,以“not made in vain”“more will turn up again”的英語表達(dá),傳遞出李白那份睥睨金錢、篤定自身價(jià)值的狂放自信,意合遠(yuǎn)勝于字合。譯作精準(zhǔn)還原了原詩的呼告語氣與對話感:將“岑夫子,丹丘生,將進(jìn)酒,杯莫停”譯為“Dear friends of mine, Cheer up, cheer up! I invite you to wine. Donot put down your cup!”,以疊詞“Cheer up, cheer up!”和祈使句,復(fù)刻了李白對友人的急切勸酒之態(tài),畫面感與口語感兼具,完美還原原詩的現(xiàn)場感。
第二,音美入骨:韻律工整且流暢,誦讀感貼合原詩的跌宕氣勢。全詩以尾韻為主,且多采用隔行韻、聯(lián)韻,如開篇幾句用sky/back、high/black形成工整的韻腳,讀來朗朗上口;后續(xù)“delight/moonlight”“vain/again”“be/glee”等韻腳,始終保持連貫,無生硬押韻的滯澀,且韻腳的轉(zhuǎn)換貼合情感的起伏,豪放處韻腳明快,抒懷處韻腳舒緩。譯作節(jié)奏錯(cuò)落貼合原詩,如長句鋪陳黃河奔涌、時(shí)光流逝的宏大場景(如“Rushing into the sea and never come back”),短句強(qiáng)化勸酒、抒懷的急切感(如“Do not put down your cup!”“O hear! lend me awilling ear!”),節(jié)奏的張弛與原詩高度契合。
第三,形美兼顧:句式對仗,形式貼合原詩的古典美。如開篇兩句“Do you not see the Yellow River come from the sky... Do you not seethe mirrors bright in chambers high...”,句式完全對仗,且“theYellow River come from the sky”與“the mirrors bright inchambers high”的結(jié)構(gòu)對稱,既貼合原詩的對仗形式,又符合英語的語法邏輯。
第四,文化轉(zhuǎn)譯巧思:兼顧還原與適配,無英語讀者的理解障礙。如“青絲”譯為“silk-black”、“雪發(fā)”譯為“snow-white”,以復(fù)合形容詞精準(zhǔn)捕捉原詩意象的凝練之美,既貼合本意,又讓英語讀者感受到中式比喻的精妙;“五花馬”譯為“flower-dappled horse”、“千金裘”譯為“fur coat wortha thousand coins of gold”,既還原了意象的核心特征,又用英語的修飾語解釋了其“名貴”的屬性,無需額外注釋。將“陳王(曹植)”譯為“The Prince of Poets”(詩仙/詩王),既貼合曹植的文學(xué)身份,又讓英語讀者瞬間理解李白引此典故的用意——以同為才子的曹植自比,懷才不遇卻縱酒盡歡,避免了直譯“Prince Chen”的文化隔閡;“平樂宮”譯為“his palace”,以泛指替代專有名詞,不影響核心意思,且簡化了英語讀者的理解成本。
第四,文化詞匯的適度意譯:“高堂”譯為“chambers high”,舍棄“高堂”的中式家庭意象(原指高敞廳堂,非專指父母居處),以“高敞的房間”替代,既貼合原詩語境,又避免了英語讀者對“high hall”的誤讀;“金樽”未直譯“golden cup”,而是通過語境體現(xiàn),讓譯作更簡潔,無冗余詞匯。
值得商榷的地方:
首先,部分文化意象的內(nèi)涵略有窄化。“鐘鼓饌玉”譯為“rare and costly dishes”,原詞不僅指“珍貴的飲食”,更涵蓋了豪門貴族的禮樂、生活方式,是“富貴功名”的整體象征,譯作僅聚焦于“飲食”,稍顯窄化了原詩對整個(gè)富貴階層的鄙夷。“萬古愁”譯為“the woe age-old”,雖精準(zhǔn)對應(yīng)“千古的愁緒”,但“萬古”所蘊(yùn)含的時(shí)空縱深感與人生千古的無奈,在英語的簡單修飾中略有弱化。
其次,個(gè)別字句的氣勢稍弱于原詩。“天生我材必有用”譯為“Heaven has made us talents, we’re not madein vain.”,“not made in vain”(并非徒勞而生)雖達(dá)意,但原詩中“必有用”的篤定、強(qiáng)勢的自信,在這一表達(dá)中稍顯柔和,不如更直接的譯法(如“We are born for a great purpose”)更貼合李白的狂放。“奔流到海不復(fù)回”譯為“never come back”,雖簡潔,但原詩中“不復(fù)回”的決絕、磅礴的氣勢,在這一簡單表達(dá)中略有弱化,不如“never turn back”更有力量感。
再次,個(gè)別代詞的泛化,稍顯模糊。許譯將“天生我材必有用”的“我”譯為“us”(Heaven has made us talents),以復(fù)數(shù)替代單數(shù),雖讓英語讀者更有代入感,但稍顯模糊了原詩中李白個(gè)人的自我抒懷——這句詩是李白對自身才華的篤定,是極具個(gè)人色彩的狂放宣言,復(fù)數(shù)的“us”弱化了這份個(gè)人化的情感表達(dá)。
總之,許淵沖先生的《Invitation to Wine》是古典詩詞英譯的典范之作,也是《將進(jìn)酒》英譯的標(biāo)桿。其譯筆以“三美論”為核心,在中英語言、文化的鴻溝之間,做到了意美、音美、形美的高度統(tǒng)一,既忠實(shí)還原了李白原作的情感脈絡(luò)、豪放氣質(zhì)與核心主旨,又將其熔鑄為一首獨(dú)立、優(yōu)秀的英語詩歌,讓英語讀者能真正感受到中國古典詩詞的魅力,實(shí)現(xiàn)了古典詩詞的跨文化傳播。一些微疵,是詩詞翻譯都無法回避的取舍問題,且這些不足皆為“白璧微瑕”,絲毫不會(huì)影響譯作的經(jīng)典地位。
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盡管許多翻譯家都翻譯了這是《將進(jìn)酒》,與許淵沖大師相比,都相形見絀。為了節(jié)省篇幅,就不一一例舉了。僅把我自己的拙作拿出來,向先輩和大師學(xué)習(xí)致敬。
Come, Drinkthe Wine!
By Li Bai Tr. By Wang Yongli
Do you not see the Yellow River surge from the vault of sky?
Rush to the boundless sea, and ne'er turn back, e'er pass by?
Do you not see, in hall high, bright mirror breeds sore sigh?
At dawn, silk-black tresses; at dusk, snow-white dye?
When life blazes with bliss, let joy fill every breath!
Ne'er leave the golden cup against the moon bare to death!
Heaven made me gifted,I shall not be used in vain!
A thousand gold coins spent, more shall flow back again!
Boil the sheep, slay the ox, let merry feasts begin!
We must drain three hundred cups, let high joy win!
Master Cen, Sage Danqiu, come, drink the wine apace!
Ne'er set the goblet down, nor halt the drinking race!
I’ll sing you a song, pray lean close and hear!
Lend me thy heedful heart, let every note draw near!
Bells,drums,jade feasts such treasures are not worth our cheer!
I crave but drunk dreams deep, ne'er to stand sober ere!
Sages and saints of old, all lost in silent night!
Only the bold drinkers live in eternal light!
Prince Chen once feasted grand at Palace of Peace and Joy!
A flask of wine cost ten thousand, joy unconfined did cloy!
Why says our host his gold is scant, his purse run dry?
We'll buy fine wine straightway, and drink with thee, sky-high!
My dappled steed, my furs worth a thousand in gold!
Call the boy to trade them for wine, tales untold!
With thee, we'll melt the griefs of ages, all stories old!
首先,在信的層面,我努力保留原意,繼承前輩和大師的優(yōu)點(diǎn),解決幾個(gè)難譯點(diǎn),如,青絲譯silk-blacktresses、雪發(fā)譯snow-white dye,保留原詩的比喻凝練;五花馬譯dappled steed of five blooms,既貼合“五花”的紋飾特征,鐘鼓饌玉譯Bells and drums, jade feasts,保留文化符號(hào),又以trinketsof the world點(diǎn)出“不足貴”的內(nèi)核。典故不改寫不模糊:陳王/平樂宮譯為Prince Chen/Palace of Peace and Joy,保留專有指向,又以feasted grand/joy unconfined did cloy補(bǔ)出“恣歡謔”的放縱感,也彌補(bǔ)了宇文所安無情感鋪墊的生硬。
其次,在達(dá)的層面,我力求句式張弛與原詩高度契合:開篇以長句鋪陳黃河奔涌的宏大,勸酒處用短句斬截(MasterCen, Sage Danqiu...),放歌處用呼告句(oh, bend thine ear tohear!),復(fù)刻原詩“緩-急-酣”的節(jié)奏,比宇文所安的短句拆分更流暢,句式更貼合歌行體的自由。
再次,在雅的層面,我力求押韻精工,全詩采用AABB通韻(sky/by,sigh/dye, breath/death...),韻腳為英語詩歌經(jīng)典的“陽韻”,誦讀時(shí)朗朗上口。用詞兼具古典性與畫面感:用lay(古典歌謠)替代普通的song,貼合原詩的樂府特質(zhì);用drain(一飲而盡)替代drink,還原“一飲三百杯”的豪飲;用vault ofsky(天穹)替代the sky,勾勒黃河奔涌的宏大。
當(dāng)然,我的譯作還存在許多不足,不能做到像許淵沖大師那樣舉重若輕,還請大家不吝賜教。我愿意盡綿薄之力,為中華文化出海不打“文化折扣”做點(diǎn)滴貢獻(xiàn)。
總之,本文通過對《將進(jìn)酒》三本版本的英譯實(shí)踐比較,努力讓西方讀者讀懂了李白的狂放與曠達(dá),更讓盛唐的詩意與中華文化的精神底色,以詩歌的雋永形式走出國門。對各版英譯的比較與探析,目的在于消除“文化折扣”,亦能為古典詩詞的跨文化傳播探尋有效路徑,讓更多中華經(jīng)典在出海中守住本真、綻放光彩。(王永利)
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