文/陳德彰

數(shù)字“三”的英譯（下）

文/陳德彰

下面舉一些漢語(yǔ)典故和經(jīng)典古文的引例和其英譯，筆者加上了簡(jiǎn)單的點(diǎn)評(píng)，供大家參考。

1.道生一，一生二，二生三，三生萬(wàn)物。

The Tao begets the One, the One consists of Two opposites (the Yin and the Yang), the Two begets the Three, and the Three begets all things of the world.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這是道家經(jīng)典《道德經(jīng)》中的名言，講述開(kāi)天辟地。其中的“一”“二”“三”不是平常意義上的數(shù)字，故用大寫(xiě)。

2.鑿井者，起于三寸之坎，以就萬(wàn)仞之深。

A deep well is dug starting with a shallow pit.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這里的“三寸”和后面的“萬(wàn)仞”相對(duì)，通過(guò)對(duì)比說(shuō)明一個(gè)哲理，故沒(méi)有具體譯出。

3.夫戰(zhàn)，勇氣也。一鼓作氣，再而衰，三而竭。

Fighting is a race of courageous spirit. With the first roll of drums, the spirit of the soldiers is inspired; with the second roll, it will decline; with the third roll,it will die out.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這里的“鼓”是動(dòng)詞，意為“擊鼓”，而“一”“再”“三”都是副詞，表示一個(gè)過(guò)程。但英語(yǔ)不像漢語(yǔ)那樣多用動(dòng)態(tài)，而是多用靜態(tài)，故用序數(shù)詞將“一鼓”譯為the first roll of drums。

4.國(guó)之所以至治者三：一曰法，二曰信，三曰權(quán)。

Orderly government is brought about in a state of three things. The first is law, the second good faith, and the third right standards.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這里的“一”“二”“三”表示重要性的先后，故也用了序數(shù)詞。其中第一個(gè)“三”后面沒(méi)有具體內(nèi)容，是文言中常用的，其后必須加上things一詞。

5.君子有三畏：畏天命，畏大人，畏圣人之言。

There are three things of which the gentleman stands in awe: the ordinances of Heaven, great men, and the words of the sages.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】此譯前半句點(diǎn)明了“三畏”，后面不再重復(fù)“畏”，使句子顯得簡(jiǎn)潔，而這一點(diǎn)是好的英語(yǔ)行文的要求，正如一則英諺所說(shuō)：Simplicity is the best of style.

6.君子有三變：望之嫣然，即之也溫，聽(tīng)其言也歷。

The gentleman’s character/image seems to undergo three changes. Looked at from a distace, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his words are firm and decided.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】注意這里的“三變”不是君子本身的變化，而是他的形象在他人心目中的變化，這一點(diǎn)要在譯文中說(shuō)清楚。

7.智仁勇三者，天下之達(dá)德也。

Wisdom, magnanimity, and courage, these three are the virtues universally acknowledged.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這樣譯基本保持了原文的詞序，只做了小小的改動(dòng)。句子結(jié)構(gòu)也很清楚。

8.三人行，必有我?guī)煛?/h2>

When I walk along with two others, one of them may serve as my teacher.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這只是一種譯法，人們對(duì)其中“三人”是否包括說(shuō)話人有不同看法，有人就譯為 If there are three people walking together, I can surely learn something from one of them.

9.三軍可奪帥也，匹夫不可奪志也。

The commander of a large army may be taken away, but the will of the common people can never be taken away.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】“三軍”現(xiàn)代指海軍、陸軍和空軍（注意英文中并不把海陸空稱為three armies，這三個(gè)兵種的英文分別是army、navy、air force。army只是“陸軍”，也可指“陸軍的一個(gè)軍”），古代指左軍、中軍和右軍。毛澤東《長(zhǎng)征》一詩(shī)中“三軍”譯為the three armies，指的是紅軍的一、四方面軍。引文中的“三軍”并不強(qiáng)調(diào)三個(gè)軍種，故譯為a large army是可取的。同樣，“三軍易得，一將難求”可譯為a general is harder to find than a large army，如果不是說(shuō)軍隊(duì)而泛指，則可譯為real talented and competent talents are hard to come by。

10.三人成虎。

The rumor that a tiger appeared in a downtown place would be believed when it were repeated by three persons.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這一說(shuō)法有一個(gè)典故：某個(gè)鎮(zhèn)上有人謊稱“老虎來(lái)了”，但沒(méi)有人相信，可是后來(lái)很多人紛紛跟著說(shuō)，于是大家就都相信了。在非文藝作品里也可解釋性地譯為 repeated false reports will lead one astray。還有一則寓言《咕咚來(lái)了》，也有類似的內(nèi)容，我國(guó)還出了一套特種郵票。

11.吾日三省吾身：為人謀而不忠乎？與朋友交而不信乎？傳不習(xí)乎？

I reflect on three questions every day: Have I done anything unfaithful to others? Have I done anything insincere to my friends? Have I reviewed what I learned?

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這是孔子教導(dǎo)人們自我修養(yǎng)的最重要的一點(diǎn)。由于“吾日三省吾身”常常被單獨(dú)引用，不少人將其中的“三”譯為three times；in three ways/respects，忽略了《論語(yǔ)》中原文后面的話而誤譯。這就告訴我們，翻譯時(shí)必須先弄清上下文。

12.早起三光，晚起三荒。

Rising early makes things bright; rising late makes one in rush.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】要譯對(duì)此俗語(yǔ)，首先要弄清楚“光”和“荒”的意思，才能懂得“三光”和“三荒”的含義。而這里的“三”表示的是“全部”的意思。上面的譯法是保持原文詞序的正譯，每個(gè)字都有著落。不過(guò)翻譯時(shí)也可以意思為主，不必?fù)缸盅郏热缈梢砸庾g為：He who does not rise early never does a good day’s work. 意思明確，而且更符合英語(yǔ)的習(xí)慣用法，簡(jiǎn)直就像是一條英語(yǔ)諺語(yǔ)。

13.早起三朝當(dāng)一天。

To get up early for three mornings is equal to gain one day of time.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這也是勸人早起的話，但較口語(yǔ)化。這里的“三朝”是“三個(gè)早晨”的意思。這兩個(gè)例子告訴我們對(duì)“三”字的英譯確實(shí)要下功夫才行。

14.一日不見(jiàn)，如三秋兮。

When I do not see her, one day seems long as three seasons.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】譯文用了倒裝句，念起來(lái)頗有點(diǎn)英詩(shī)的味道，而“三秋”譯為three seasons 也是亮點(diǎn)，因?yàn)槿齻€(gè)秋天是不可能連在一起的。有人說(shuō)，“三秋”一般指“三年”，此話不錯(cuò)，不過(guò)在本詩(shī)意境中，“三年”似乎太長(zhǎng)了一點(diǎn)，做點(diǎn)改動(dòng)也是可以的。

15.碩鼠碩鼠，無(wú)食我黍！三歲貫汝，莫我肯顧。

Large rat, large rat, eat no more millet we grow! Three years you have grown fat; no care for us you show.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】這是《詩(shī)經(jīng)·碩鼠》中的一句。譯文盡量保持了原詩(shī)的節(jié)奏和韻律。人們常說(shuō)“詩(shī)歌不可譯，只能藝術(shù)再創(chuàng)造”，還有人說(shuō)“只有詩(shī)人才能翻譯詩(shī)歌”。不過(guò)，這一譯文還是很值得大家學(xué)習(xí)的。

16.誰(shuí)言寸草心，報(bào)得三春暉。

Never enough is the gratitude of grass for the grace of the spring sun.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】“三春”指“春天的三個(gè)月”，也有人說(shuō)指“（農(nóng)歷）三月”，因?yàn)榇藭r(shí)正是和煦而美麗的春天。

17.烽火連三月，家書(shū)抵萬(wàn)金。

Flames of war are raging higher and higher; letters from home are worth their weight in gold.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】為了再創(chuàng)造原詩(shī)的意境，此譯沒(méi)有緊扣原詩(shī)的具體用詞，也值得人們欣賞。

18.舉杯邀明月，對(duì)影成三人。

I raise my cup to invite the moon who blends. With the moon, my shadow and myself, there are now three friends.

【點(diǎn)評(píng)】李白的這首詩(shī)耳熟能詳，譯文也不錯(cuò)。尤其是最后的“三人”沒(méi)有譯成three persons而用了three friends，這是一個(gè)亮點(diǎn)。不過(guò)the moon who blends似可簡(jiǎn)化為the bright moon。

10 Fascinating Extinct Animals (VII)

7. Tecopa Pupfish提可巴鳉

The Tecopa pupfish was native to the Mojave desert in California and could survive in waters as warm as 108 degrees Fahrenheit.

Human development around the Tecopa Hot Springs in the mid-20th century and the channelling of two springs together left the habitat unsuitable for the small fish.

The Tecopa pupfish became extinct by 1970 or soon after.