英漢翻譯原理第二講：什么是好的譯文？（續）

【例14】 There is a mix of confrontation and cooperation between them.

【譯文】 他們之間既有對抗，又有合作。

【例15】 He died, and was survived by wife and three children.

【譯文】 他死了，撇下了妻子和三個孩子。

【例16】 Law enforcement cannot responsibly stand aloof.

【譯文】 司法部門如果對此不聞不問，那就是失職。

【例17】 Evidently he had the first quality of an angler, which is not to measure the pleasure by the catch.

【譯文】 他顯然具備了垂釣者的首要品質，即以釣為樂，釣多釣少無所謂。

【例18】 Nothing out of its place is good, nothing in its place is bad.

×身外之物無一是善，身內之物無一是惡。

【譯文】 凡事不當無一是好，凡事得當無一是壞。

【例19】 Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered and enjoyed every day.

×幸福似甘露，日日可享用。

【譯文】 幸福猶如甘露，要天天采集才能日日享用。

忠實原文是指譯文與原文實質內容上的一致，而不是形式上的一致。譯者由于對原文理解不深，不能透過原文的形式掌握其實質內容，僅見其形，未見其神，這樣譯出的文字形式上似乎與原文一致了，但與原文的意思卻相去甚遠。這便是犯了翻譯上的形式主義。但是靈活出了格，過分強調譯文的流暢，而不受原文意思的約束，鬧了獨立性，在原文的思想內容之外隨意添枝加葉，這種譯法稱之為自由主義。

【例20】 This was one of the secrets of his great popularity, but it was a popularity which was as unsettled as the waves. It swelled, and bubbled, and foamed for a while, only to recede, and be lost to its former possessor.

×這是他名噪一時的一個秘密，但這種名聲如同波濤一樣起伏不定：在短暫的時間內如日中天，盛極一時，炙手可熱，但轉瞬間又煙消云散，終于在原來有些聲望的人身上消失了。

【譯文】 這是他名噪一時的一個秘密，但這種名聲如同波濤一樣起伏不定：一時間奔騰高漲，洶涌澎拜，轉瞬間又一落千丈，終于在原來享有這種聲望的人身上蕩然無存。

佳譯欣賞：

【例21】 A thief is a thief.

【譯文】 賊性難改。

【例22】 There was no snow, the leaves were gone, the grass was dead.

【譯文】 天未下雪，但葉落草枯。

【例23】 Human affairs are all subject to changes and disasters.

【譯文】 人世間，事不由己，變遷災禍，難以逆料。

【例24】 It was a day as fresh as grass growing up and clouds going over and butterflies coming down can make it. It was a day compounded from silences of bee and flower and ocean and land, which were not silences at all, but motions, stirs, flutters, risings, fallings, each in its own time and matchless rhythm.

【譯文】 綠草萋萋，白云冉冉，彩蝶翩翩，這日子是如此清新；蜜蜂無言，春花不語，海波聲歇，大地音寂，這日子是如此安靜。然而并非安靜，因為萬物各以其獨特的節奏，或動，或搖，或震，或起，或伏。