诗/Wislawa Szymborska
中译/郭绿狮
两人都深信
罪魁
是那突然的激情——
这笃信自是美丽
更美的却是犹疑
他俩不相识
哪料到会有故事
或许早已
擦身而过多少次
在大街或小巷
在走廊上
或楼梯旁
想问问他们
曾记否——
旋转门里面对面
人潮汹涌中轻声道歉
拨错了的一通电话——
但我知道呵
不,他们不记得
会惊讶吧
若他们得知
命运已与他们戏弄
蹉跎岁月;
它还不想
把他们推入归宿
它让他们聚拢
却又让他们离疏
一会儿在两人中间作堵
一会儿又让出一条路
岂无迹象,岂无天机泄露?
不能参透却终是劳徒
许是三年前
抑或上周天
新叶从一只肩膀飞越
落在另一只肩;
许是童年的那只皮球,消失在草丛间——
丢失了还能否拾回
谁又能预见?
门把转动,门铃揿响
一只手的掌印
覆在了先前的另一只上;
行李室里 两只皮箱检查完毕
并排摆放;
某夜共赴一梦
梦后一朝苏醒
醒后又有谁记起!
每个开始
都不过是继续
缘分之书
顶多向人半启
多余的话
本来应该到此为止,但有一些话不吐不快。严复说「译事三难」是「信达雅」,林语堂又来一个「忠顺美」;傅雷说要「传神」,钱钟书来一个更玄的「化境」。在我看来,翻译是一种「再现」,举英译中来说,就是要让读中文的中文阅读者,得到类似读英文的英文阅读者的阅读体验。当然,因为语言本身代表和塑造着一种思维方式和文化传统,真正的「忠实」难以做到,但这应当是我们追求的终极目标。
这在翻译诗的时候表现得尤为重要。我发现现在国内出版的翻译后的诗集几乎不能读,翻译者的最大问题在于被原文框死了。如果说语言的组合尚有一些变动,那么标点、断句几乎就被框死了。美其名曰「信」「忠」,殊不知原文的氛围、韵味已经全无,何来「信」,何来「忠」?这种戕害诗作的译法,是真正的不信,不忠。为什么他们这样?我不相信什么鬼话,只有一种原因,那就是他们没有被原作感动!
原诗是波兰文,小弟不才,只得阅读几个英译本比较略得大意。但我为什么敢说自己的是最佳中译?不是因为我的有多好,而是因为其他的都太烂了。他们太死了。
大家对照可以看出,上面的这个翻译,不但不拘于用词,而且断句、使用标点也「全凭我意」,极度放肆(典型的如为了押韵把“tuesday”译为「周天」而不是「周二」,毫不影响原意,还大大增强了诗歌的节奏感)。可知这放肆之下,却是为了追求「再现」的极大「忠实」!
诗歌是最最微妙最最脆弱的文学,一字一句,一空一行,都对音律、意境有着极大的影响。其翻译断不可拘泥,而是要以最敏感的触觉、最大程度的热忱,去「再现」原诗奉献给读者的享受。
《一见钟情》是一首饱含深情又充满唏嘘的杰作,被中译者搞得韵味全无、气氛尽失。为什么?因为他们根本没有被这首诗感动,所以也不会想把这种感动用另一种语言表达出来。
附上本人参考的两个英译本共对照,同时附上两个不堪入目的中译本共比较。
另外,其实这两个中译本也都是根据英译本翻译的,难道我们国家没有能翻译波兰语的人了吗?
Both are convinced
that a sudden surge of emotion bound them together.
Beautiful is such a certainty,
but uncertainty is more beautiful.
Because they didn't know each other earlier, they suppose that
nothing was happening between them.
What of the streets, stairways and corridors
where they could have passed each other long ago?
I'd like to ask them
whether they remember-- perhaps in a revolving door
ever being face to face?
an "excuse me" in a crowd
or a voice "wrong number" in the receiver.
But I know their answer:
no, they don't remember.
They'd be greatly astonished
to learn that for a long time
chance had been playing with them.
Not yet wholly ready
to transform into fate for them
it approached them, then backed off,
stood in their way
and, suppressing a giggle,
jumped to the side. There were signs, signals:
but what of it if they were illegible.
Perhaps three years ago,
or last Tuesday
did a certain leaflet fly
from shoulder to shoulder?
There was something lost and picked up.
Who knows but what it was a ball
in the bushes of childhood.
There were doorknobs and bells
on which earlier
touch piled on touch.
Bags beside each other in the luggage room.
Perhaps they had the same dream on a certain night,
suddenly erased after waking.
Every beginning
is but a continuation,
and the book of events
is never more than half open.
-translated by Walter Whipple
They're both convinced
that a sudden passion joined them.
Such certainty is beautiful,
but uncertainty is more beautiful still.
Since they'd never met before, they're sure
that there'd been nothing between them.
But what's the word from the streets, staircases, hallways --
perhaps they've passed each other a million times?
I want to ask them
if they don't remember --
a moment face to face
in some revolving door?
perhaps a "sorry" muttered in a crowd?
a curt "wrong number" caught in the receiver?
but I know the answer.
No, they don't remember
They'd be amazed to hear
that Chance has been toying with them
now for years.
Not quite ready yet
to become their Destiny,
it pushed them close, drove them apart,
it barred their path,
stifling a laugh,
and then leaped aside.
There were signs and signals,
even if they couldn't read them yet.
Perhaps three years ago
or just last Tuesday
a certain leaf fluttered
from one shoulder to another?
Something was dropped and then picked up.
Who knows, maybe the ball that vanished
into childhood's thicket?
There were doorknobs and doorbells
where one touch had covered another
beforehand.
Suitcases checked and standing side by side.
One night, perhaps, the same dream,
grown hazy by morning.
Every beginning
is only a sequel, after all,
and the book of events
is always open halfway through.
-translated by Stanislaw Baranczak and Clare Cavanagh
他们两人都深信
一种突然的激情使他们结合在一起。
这样的信念是美丽的,
但犹疑不定更为美丽。
如果从未相遇,他们确信,
他们之间将什么也不会发生。
然而,从街道、楼梯、走廊传来的词语在说着什么?
也许,他们已无数次擦身而过?
我想问一问他们
是否已不再记得——
在某扇旋转门里
在瞬间,他们曾看见彼此的面容?
也许,在人群中,曾低声说“对不起”?
在电话里,不经意地说过“打错了”?——
然而,我知道答案。
是的,他们已忘却。
他们如此惊异,多年来,
机遇一直
摆弄着他们。
机遇还没有准备好
去成为他们的命运,
它将他们推近,又驱使他们分离,
它挡住他们的去路,
随后又闪到一边,
屏住了窃笑。
曾经有过一些迹象与征兆,
但他们未能解读。
也许是三年前,
或者就在上个星期二,
一片树叶
从一人的肩上飘至另一人的肩上。
一件东西掉了,又被捡起。
谁知道呢,也许是那只球,消失于
儿时的灌木丛?
门把上,门铃上,
一人先前的触痕被另一人的
覆盖。
他们寄存的箱子并排在一起。
有一个晚上,也许,他们做着相同的梦,
到了早上,却不再清晰。
每一个开端
仅仅是延续,总之,
事件之书
总是从中途开启。
(胡桑译)
他们都认为,是一种突如其来的感觉
把他们联在一起。
这当然是美丽的,
甚至比那飘忽不定的命运更美。
他们认为,他们彼此并不熟悉,
在他们之间什么也不曾发生,
这些街道,楼梯,这些走廊,
在很久以前,他们会在哪里相逢?
我很愿意去询问他们,如果他们还记得——
或许某天,他们在一个旋转门里碰过面?
——人群里的一声“对不起”?
——电话里的一句“打错了”?
可是我知道那回答:
不,他们什么也回忆不起。
当他们得知,命运已经
已经如此长时间地和他们嬉戏,
他们应该多么惊异!
还没有完全做好准备去投入那变幻的命运,
它使他们靠近,又把他们推远,
隔断他们的道路,
然后压抑住笑声
远远地逃开;
这儿有一些符号,痕迹,
无法破译,也没有什么关系。
三年前,或者就在上个星期二,
这片树叶从一个人的肩飞向另一个人?
有些东西遗失了又重新聚集。
天知道,或许是童年的一个玻璃球
已经滚进了灌木丛里?
这儿有把手,有门铃,
什么地方,这只手握过的
另一只手也曾经握过:
在行李寄存处,这只手提箱紧挨着下一个。
也许那同样的梦被忘却,在某个夜晚的漫步中:
可是每个标记都只是个延续,
命运之书的阅读也经常从中间一页开始。
(张祈译)
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