如今,越來(lái)越多的外國(guó)朋友對(duì)漢語(yǔ)逐步產(chǎn)生濃厚興趣。有人甚至涉獵中國(guó)的古典文學(xué)作品,如美國(guó)漢學(xué)家艾愷早在20世紀(jì)60年代,就初涉到浩瀚無(wú)邊的古漢語(yǔ)。中國(guó)是一個(gè)崇尚“緣分”的社會(huì),因而“緣分”二字在古典文學(xué)作品里信手拈來(lái)。那么,如何用英文來(lái)翻譯“緣分”二字呢?本文主要介紹運(yùn)用三個(gè)英語(yǔ)單詞來(lái)翻譯處理古典文學(xué)作品里的“緣分”二字,以饗中外讀者。
一、luck(y)譯
luck主要有“運(yùn)氣,幸運(yùn)”等意思。如:There was a woman who was beautiful, who started with all the advantages, yet she had no luck. 曾經(jīng)有這樣一位美麗的婦人,各種有利條件齊集一身,然而卻說(shuō)不上是命運(yùn)的寵兒。請(qǐng)看luck(y)譯如何處理“緣分”二字。例如:
1) 做甚么了便沒(méi)?只恨我夫妻緣分上薄,自不撞著! (出處:元末明初文學(xué)家施耐庵的《水滸》All Men Are Brothers) Who says there isn’t? It’s just that my marriage luck has been bad. I’ve never met the right one.
2)她無(wú)緣,小生薄命。 (出處:元代雜劇作家王實(shí)甫的《西廂記》)。She lacks the karma; I’m out of luck.
3)只為緣慳分淺,遇不著一個(gè)知己,所以對(duì)月傷懷,臨風(fēng)灑淚!(出處:清代小說(shuō)家吳敬梓的《儒林外史》The Scholars) But I have not been lucky enough to find a true friend, and that is why I so often give way to melancholy!
4)只為緣慳分淺,遇不著一個(gè)知己,所以對(duì)月傷懷,臨風(fēng)灑淚! (出處:《儒林外史》) But I have not been lucky enough to find a true friend, and that is why I so often give way to melancholy!
二、fate譯
fate主要有“命運(yùn)”等意思。如:By a strange twist of fate, Andy and I were on the same plane for Cairo, the capital city of Egypt. 由于命運(yùn)的奇特安排,我和安迪乘坐了同一架飛機(jī)飛往埃及首都開(kāi)羅。請(qǐng)看fate譯如何處理“緣分”二字。例如:
1)富貴功名,前緣分定。(出處:明代小說(shuō)家吳承恩《西游記》) Wealth and honor, glory and fame, are predetermined by fate.
2)一則是天緣,二來(lái)是‘情人眼里出西施’。(出處:清代小說(shuō)家曹雪芹的《紅樓夢(mèng)》) It’s partly fate, and partly a case of “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
3)更使襟靈憎市井,足知緣分在云山。(出處:北宋文學(xué)家呂南公的《奉答顧言見(jiàn)寄新句》) The mind dislikes the marketplace even more and it’s enough to know that fate lies in Yunshan.
三、destiny譯
destiny主要有“命運(yùn);天命”等意思。如:I believe there’s some force guiding us --- call it belief, destiny or fate. 我總認(rèn)為有某種力量在引導(dǎo)著我們---叫它信仰也罷,天意也罷,還是命運(yùn)也罷。請(qǐng)欣賞destiny譯如何處理“緣分”二字。例如:
1) 備分淺緣薄,不能與先生相聚。(出處:元末明初小說(shuō)家羅貫中所著《三國(guó)演義》) My meagre lot, my partly destiny keep us from remaining together.
2)君琴瑟之好,自相知音;薄命人烏有此福。如有緣,再世可相聚耳。(出處:清代文學(xué)家蒲松齡的《聊齋·宦娘》) You are like a matching lute and zither set. You can appreciate each other’s music. Fate has been too unkind to allow me such blessings. If we are linked by the ties of destiny, we will meet again in the next life.
除用以上三個(gè)英語(yǔ)單詞英譯“緣分”之外,有人還用honour和lot等詞翻譯與處理過(guò)《三國(guó)演義》里的“緣分”和“無(wú)緣”等字眼。例如:
1) 備久慕先生,無(wú)緣拜會(huì)。Your talents and your virtue have ever been the objects of my esteem. But I have not had the honour of being presented to you.
2) 備分淺緣薄,不能與先生相聚。My meagre lot, my partly destiny keep us from remaining together.
參考文獻(xiàn):
[1]知乎, “緣分用英語(yǔ)怎么翻譯更合適?” https://www.zhihu.com/question/19911438/answer/662751049
[2]毛里林(譯) “漢語(yǔ)熱持續(xù)升溫”,《英語(yǔ)世界》2018年第7期
[3]劉重德(主編) 《英漢翻譯例句詞典》,湖南文藝出版社,1999年