今夕何夕兮?
搴舟中流。
今日何日兮?
得與王子同舟。
蒙羞被好兮,
不訾詬恥。
心幾頑而不絕兮,
得知王子。
山有木兮,
木有枝。
心說君兮,
君不知?
翻譯成英語是這樣的:
Song From Yue
What an evening is it?
I’m in a boat flowing in the river.
What day is it today?
I'm in the same boat with the prince.
I feel shy and flattered,
Not ashamed, but honored.
My heart will go on
With the prince as a friend.
Trees grow thick in the hills,
Trunks with twigs and leaves.
My love goes to the prince
But he does not know it.
影視劇中伶人們表演《越人歌》的場景
提示
據楚大夫莊幸說,當年鄂君子皙“泛舟於新波”之中,有個越人“擁楫而歌”。歌詞表達了越人對身為令尹的楚王母弟鄂君子皙的仰慕之情。但鄂君子皙不懂越語,不得不請人翻譯。於是漢語文學史上有了這首著名的《越人歌》。據說這是中國文學史上翻譯的第壹首民歌。英文翻譯,基本上是以句為單位的直譯,沒有發生明顯的改變和修飾。
哩哩歌
爾勞勞,
我亦勞勞,
我食谷,
爾食草。
譯成英語是這樣的:
Lili Song
You are a coolie;
I 'am a coolie.
You feed on grass;
I feed on grain.
提示
這大約也是壹首古歌,流傳於江蘇阜寧壹帶。莊稼人在耕田或趕車時,壹邊吆喝壹邊唱著:“妳勞苦,我也勞苦。我吃糧食,妳吃草。”全詩實際上只用了七個字。翻譯用了專指中國古代勞工的coolie(苦力),而後兩句做了位置的調換,更加符合邏輯。
飛魚
飛魚飛魚飛飛,
壹起壹起歸歸。
尾巴尾巴翹翹,
壹起壹起跳跳。
翻譯成英語是這樣的:
Flying Fish
Flying fish,fish flying,
Together,we’re flying.
Tail fin up,tail fin up,
Together we jump up.
提示
這首兒歌,其節奏是二二二,但兩句壹段,押韻,疊字、疊詞,有韻味。翻譯是壹種半模仿、半創造的事業,只求大體有韻味、有節奏,基本上有意思而已。
鴻雁
鴻雁,天空上,對對排成行;
江水長,秋草黃,草原上琴聲憂傷。
鴻雁,向南方,飛過蘆葦蕩;
天蒼茫,雁何往,心中是北方家鄉。
鴻雁,北歸還,帶上我的思念;
歌聲遠,琴聲顫,草原上春意暖。
鴻雁,向蒼天,天空有多遙遠;
酒喝幹,再斟滿,今夜不醉不還。
英譯版:
Wild Geese
Wild geese, in the sky, flying slowly in pairs;
The river is long,the grass go dry,
And sad is thesong from the grassland.
Wild geese, towards the South,flying acrossthe reeds;
Wild is the air, wandering the birds,
The North is my homeland.
Wild geese,return from the South,with my longing for home;
The song echoes,the zither wild,
Spring is here in the grassland.
Wild geese,landing and looking back,the sky is now far away;
Let’s drink up the wine,and refill the cup,
And enjoy this drunken night,drunk!