网站原创【摘 要 】汉语诗文的英文翻译是一门艺术和学术的综合体.“读诗难,写诗难,译诗更难”.因为翻译涉及将原诗的形势与内涵用另一种语言忠实的再现出来,使读诗的异国读者能够从译作中获得尽可能与本国读者一样多的共鸣、震惊和美的快感.要做到这一点实属不易,下面以《红楼梦》为例.译者大卫 霍克斯.大卫霍克斯是著名英国汉学家.他的翻译使我们大开眼界,值得欣赏.
【关 键 词 】《红楼梦》诗文,英语译文,单韵,诗节
译者和原著者简介： 大卫 霍克斯（Did Hawks）为著名的汉学家,生于1923年.他的《红楼梦》英文版,至今在西方世界拥有独一无二的经典地位. 曹雪芹（约1715―约1763）,我国清代最伟大的小说家. 诗是一种独特的语言.它作为文学的一种形式,具有独特的形式和内涵.诗具有一定的节奏和韵律,所以人们总是将诗和歌联系起来,认为诗歌是带有音乐性的思想,甚至将之等同.认为是诗即是歌,歌即是《红楼梦》.而这一独特性就构成了译诗的困难.“读诗难,写诗难,译诗更难”.因为翻译就涉及将原诗的形势与内涵用另一种语言忠实的再现出来,使读诗的异国读者能够从译作中获得尽可能与本国读者一样多的共鸣、震惊和美的快感.要做到这一点谈何容易?而大卫 霍克斯做到了. 下面让我们来欣赏大师两首诗的译文（选自《红楼梦》第一回）.
汉文
世人都晓神仙好,惟有功名忘不了!
古今将相在何方?荒冢一堆草没了.
世人都晓神仙好,只有金银忘不了!
终朝只恨聚无多,及到多时眼闭了.
世人都晓神仙好,只有姣妻忘不了!
君生说恩情,君死又随人去了.
世人都晓神仙好,只有儿孙忘不了!
痴心父母古来多,孝顺儿孙谁见了?（1）
译文：
Men all know that salvation should be won,
But with ambition won’t he done,he done.
Where are the famous ones of days gone by?
In grassy gres they lie now,every one.
Men all know that salvation should be won,
But with their riches won’t he done,he done.
Each day they grumble they’ve not made enough.
When they’ve enough,it’s goodnight everyone!
Men all know that salvation should be won,
But with their loving wives they won’t he done.
The darlings every day protest their love：
But once you’re dead,they’re off with another one.
Men all know that salvation should be won,
But with their children won’t he done,he done.
Yet though of parents fond there is no lack,
Of grateful children saw I ne’er a one.’
在这第一首汉诗里,都以“了”结尾,而英文翻译用的是押单韵（monorhyme）的形式.单韵的格式有两种,一种是一个诗节只押一个韵,有多少诗节就有多少韵,另一种是一首诗只押一个韵.本诗就是单韵的第二种.虽然这首诗的第三句句尾与其他的不同,但我宁愿把它看成押单韵.第一、第二、第四、句的结尾词均发[n]读起来美丽动听朗朗上口：
每段结尾依次为：
Won/done/one（第一段）
Won/done/one（第二段）
Won/done/one（第三段）
Won/done/one（第四段）
下面来看第二首诗：
汉文：
陋室空堂,当年笏满床,
衰草枯杨,曾为歌舞场.
蛛丝儿结满雕梁,
绿纱今又糊在蓬窗上.
说什么脂正浓、粉正香,
如何两鬓又成霜?
昨日黄土陇头送白骨,
今宵红灯帐底卧鸳鸯.
金满箱,银满箱,展眼乞丐人皆谤.
正叹他人命不长,那知自己归来丧!
训有方,保不定日后作强梁.
择膏粱,谁承望流落在烟花巷!
因嫌纱帽小,致使锁枷扛,
昨怜破袄寒,今嫌紫蟒长：
乱烘烘你方唱罢我登场,反认他乡是故乡.
甚荒唐,到头来都是为他人作嫁衣裳!
英文, ‘Mean hovels and abandoned halls
Where courtiers once paid daily calls：
Bleak haunts where weeds and willows scarcely thrive
Were once with mirth and revelry alive.
Whilst cobwebs shroud the mansion’s gilded beams,
The cottage casement with choice muslin gleams.
Would you of perfumed elegance recite?
Even as you speak,the ren locks turn white.
Who yesterday her lord’s bones laid in clay,
On silken bridal-bed shall lie today.
Coffers with gold and silver filled：
Now,in a trice,a tramp by all reviled.
One at some other’s short life gives a sigh,
Not knowing that he,too,goes home―to die!
The sheltered and well-educated lad,
In spite of all your care,may turn out bad,
And the delicate,fastidious maid
End in foul stews,plying a shameful trade.
The judge whose hat is too all for his head
Wears,in the end,a convict’s cangue instead.
Who shivering once in rags bemoaned his fate,
Today finds fault with scarlet robes of state.
In such motion does the world’s theatre rage：
As each one lees,another takes the stage.
In vain we roam：
Each in the end must call a strange land home.
Each of us with that poor girl may pare
Who sews a wedding-gown for another bride to wear.（2）
在这首诗的翻译中,大卫霍克斯 运用了英文诗歌双行押韵的格式.每两行行尾押韵,下个韵不同于上个韵.其押韵格式就成为了aabbccddeeffdd等一直往下推.其具体表现形式：第一、二行尾分别是 halls,calls（aa）, 第三、四行 thrive,alive（bb）, 依此类推 beams / gleams（cc）,
recite/ white（dd）,
clay/ today（ee）,
filled /reviled（ff）,
sigh /die（gg）,
lad /bad（hh）,
maid/trade（ii）,
head./instead（）,
fate/ state（kk）,
rage /stage（ll）,
roam/ home（mm）,
pare /wear（nn）.
汉语和英语系两种不同语言,在翻译过程中既要忠实原文又要体现本语言风格.实属不易.值得借鉴.