《今 》
The Living Present

李大釗
Li Dazhong

| 譯文摘自張培基《英譯中國散文選二》

我以為世間最可寶貴的就是“今”，最易喪失的也是“今”。因為他最易喪失，所以更覺得他可以寶貴。
Of all things in the world, I think, the present is the most precious, and also the most apt to slip through our fingers. We, therefore, treasure it all the more because of its transience.

要點：
1，《“今”》譯為The Living Present,其中l(wèi)iving 是增益成分，用以強化Present的含義。19世紀(jì)美國詩人亨利?沃茲沃斯?朗費羅（之前我們也提到過這位仁兄）在A Psalm of Life中寫道：
Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
（別指望將來，不管它多可愛！
把已逝的過去永久掩埋！
行動吧－－趁著活生生的現(xiàn)在！
心中有赤心，頭上有真宰?。?br> 詩中，他用the dead past 表“過去”，用the living present表“現(xiàn)在”
2， Of all things in the world，此處of 表“在…中”，這種用法之前講到過，也舉了很多例子，這里稍加注意即可~
3， “最易喪失的”譯為the most apt to slip through our fingers（最容易被人們錯過的），也可譯為the most easily lost,或the most liable to slip away。
4， all the more也是常見了，表“更加，愈發(fā)…”這些表程度的詞或短語在散文中灰常常見，注意積累，化為己用~O(∩_∩)O

綜述：開篇我們就發(fā)現(xiàn)這篇文章在表述上偏古語化，因此翻譯時一定要結(jié)合上文理解本質(zhì)含義

為甚么“今”最可寶貴呢？最好借哲人耶曼孫所說的話答這個疑問：“爾若愛千古，爾當(dāng)愛現(xiàn)在。昨日不能喚回來，明天還不確實， 爾能確有把握的就是今日。今日一天，當(dāng)明日兩天?！?/strong>
Why is the present so precious? The following quotation from philosopher Emerson best serves for an answer: “Make use of time if you love eternity; yesterday cannot be recalled; tomorrow cannot be assured; only today is yours. One today is worth two tomorrows.”?

要點：

1，“最好借哲人耶曼孫所說的話答這個疑問”譯為The following quotation from philosopher Emerson best serves for an answer，其中serve for表“為…服務(wù)”此處可以引申為“幫助（解答）”，這個句子本來木有明顯的主語，譯者將quotation作為主語，這樣一來，之后引出quotation的內(nèi)容就比較順暢~
2，“今日一天，當(dāng)明日兩天?！弊g為One today is worth two tomorrows.這里的”當(dāng)“強調(diào)價值上的等同，因此worth更為貼切~

綜述：注意找主語是要為下文服務(wù)滴~必須要能串起整個句子~

為甚么“今”最易喪失呢？因為宇宙大化刻刻流轉(zhuǎn)，絕不停留。時間這個東西，也不因為吾人貴他愛他稍稍在人間留戀。試問吾人說“今”說“現(xiàn)在”，茫茫百千萬劫，究竟哪一剎那是吾人的“今”，是吾人的“現(xiàn)在”呢？
Why is the present so easily lost? Because the universe as well as human life is changing non-stop all the time. Time never tarries with us a bit longer because we treasure and love it. It is hard to tell which moment in the ups and downs of life is our present or now.

要點：
1，“宇宙大化”意即“宇宙與生命”，譯為the universe as well as human life，也可簡譯為the universe,the world,
2,”流轉(zhuǎn)“即”改變“，”刻刻流轉(zhuǎn)，絕不停留“即”不停地在改變“譯為is changing non-stop all the time.此處將”絕不停留“作狀語與”刻刻流轉(zhuǎn)“結(jié)合成一句，也是我們處理四字語的一種方法，可以使得行文更加簡潔~
3，”茫茫百千萬劫”中的“劫“本指天災(zāi)人禍，整個短語可結(jié)合上下文按”無數(shù)人生起伏變化“意譯為in the ups and downs of life
4, “究竟哪一剎那是吾人的“今”，是吾人的“現(xiàn)在”呢？”譯為了否定句It is hard to tell which moment in the ups and downs of life is our present or now.

綜述：注意疑問句譯為否定句的手法~

剛剛說他是“今”是“現(xiàn)在”，他早已風(fēng)馳電掣的一般，已成“過去”了。吾人若要糊糊涂涂把他丟掉豈不可惜？
What we call our present or now at one moment will at the next be quickly gone and become the past. Isn’t it a pity to unthinkingly idle away the present?

要點：
1，“風(fēng)馳電掣“=be quickly gone
2,” 豈不可惜”~~這個反問句我們在上一冊《我坐了木船》，《話說短文》等篇目中著重講過，此處譯為一般疑問句（否定詞開頭）；

綜述：本段的反問句~ idle away，unthinkingly都是上冊見過滴~~快去翻看以前的筆記

有的哲學(xué)家說， 時間但有“過去”與“未來”，并無“現(xiàn)在”。有的又說，“過去”“未來”皆是“現(xiàn)在”。我以為“過去未來皆是現(xiàn)在”的話倒有些道理。因為“現(xiàn)在”就是所有“過去”流入的世界，換句話說，所有“過去”都埋沒于“現(xiàn)在”的里邊。故一時代的思潮，不是單純在這個時代所能憑空成立的，不曉得有幾多“過去”時代的思潮，差不多可以說是由所有“過去”時代的思潮，一湊合而成的。
Some philosophers say that we have the past and the future, but not present. Others say that the present is inclusive of the past and the future. I, however, incline towards the latter view because the present is where all the past empties itself or, in other words, where lies hidden the entire legacy of the past. The prevailing thought of any age does not come into being all by itself. It is the synthesis of the popular thoughts of numerous previous ages or probably of all the past.

要點：
1，“因為‘現(xiàn)在’就是所有‘過去’流入的世界，換句話說，所有‘過去’都埋沒于‘現(xiàn)在’”的里邊“譯為the present is where all the past empties（倒空，流入） itself or, in other words, where lies hidden（隱藏） the entire legacy of the past.譯者為了句式上的統(tǒng)一，再一次統(tǒng)一了兩個分句的主語。
① 譯文中empty作動詞意即“倒空，流入“，用起來生動形象~如This river empties into the South Sea.（這條河流入南海。）
② Lie hidden意為“隱藏，深埋“，一般后加under/below/within如：And what else lies hidden under her veil?(還有什么別的隱藏在她的面紗下嗎？)
2,本段對于“思潮“的翻譯也值得注意，譯者并沒有用tide,wave,trend等詞，而是譯為prevailing/popular thoughts

綜述：empty的使用是個亮點哦，值得學(xué)習(xí)~

吾人投一石子于時代潮流里面，所激起的波瀾聲響，都向永遠(yuǎn)流動傳播，不能消滅。屈原的《離騷》，永遠(yuǎn)使人人感泣。打擊林肯頭顱的槍聲，呼應(yīng)于永遠(yuǎn)的時間與空間。一時代的變動，絕不消失，仍遺留于次一時代，這樣傳演，至于無窮，在世界中有一貫相聯(lián)的永遠(yuǎn)性。
The rippling sound stirred up by a pebble thrown into the current of the times will keep spreading forever. Li Sao, authored by Qu Yuan, will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages. The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln’s head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity. The changes of each age, instead of becoming extinct, will pass on to the next. The process will go on endlessly to form an eternal link in the world.

要點：
1，“吾人投一石子于時代潮流里面，所激起的波瀾聲響，都向永遠(yuǎn)流動傳播，不能消滅?！拔覀儼l(fā)現(xiàn)，這句話除了第一句，后面幾句的主語都是”波瀾聲響“，因此可以直接將”聲響“作為主語，譯為The rippling sound stirred up by a pebble thrown into the current of the times will keep spreading forever.
①“永遠(yuǎn)流傳，不能磨滅“意思重復(fù)，因此后者可以略去不譯
2，“屈原的《離騷》“譯為Li Sao, authored by Qu Yuan,，這種譯法相較于Qu Yuan’sLiSao更加具體
3, “永遠(yuǎn)使人人感泣”中的“感泣“意為”因感觸而流淚“，譯者譯為will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages.（觸動了每個讀者的心弦）如果單純理解為”感動“是不準(zhǔn)確的，翻譯首先要遵循的一定是”信“！
4，“打擊林肯頭顱的槍聲，呼應(yīng)于永遠(yuǎn)的時間與空間?！白g為The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln’s head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity.其中l(wèi)ethal（致命的）是增益成分，原文無其詞而有其意。
①“呼應(yīng)于“譯為echo through，其中echo意為”回音，回響，反響，呼應(yīng)“——如："Lucky cloud" and bedroom wallpaper photograph echo, completely around the design concept to carry on the design.
“祥云”與臥室的壁紙相呼應(yīng)，完全圍繞設(shè)計概念進(jìn)行設(shè)計。
②eternity意即“永恒，無窮無盡的一段時間“
5，“這樣傳演，至于無窮，在世界中有一貫相聯(lián)的永遠(yuǎn)性“譯為The process will go on endlessly to form an eternal link in the world. 中的”這樣傳演,至于無窮“意即”這個進(jìn)程將無窮無盡，永不止歇“~在《養(yǎng)花》中有這么一句”回到屋中再寫一點，然后再出去，如此循環(huán)“也譯為了I go through the same back and forth process again and again.“傳演，循環(huán)，進(jìn)程”翻譯時都可譯為process

綜述：本段三句話，句句都值得深究~

昨日的事件，與今日的事件，合構(gòu)成數(shù)個復(fù)雜事件。此數(shù)個復(fù)雜事件，與明日的整個復(fù)雜事件，更合構(gòu)成數(shù)個復(fù)雜事件。勢力結(jié)合勢力，問題牽起問題。無限的“過去”，都以“現(xiàn)在”為歸宿。無限的“未來”，都以“現(xiàn)在”為淵源。
The events of yesterday and today will combine to form several complicated events which will in turn combine with those of tomorrow to form several new complicated events. Thus one influence combines with another; one problem gives rise to another. The infinite past results in the present, and the infinite future results from the present.

要點：
1，“此數(shù)個復(fù)雜事件…“與上句”合構(gòu)成數(shù)個復(fù)雜事件“指的一件事，可考慮使用which進(jìn)行合譯~in turn意為”輪流，發(fā)過來“屬增譯~
2，“勢力結(jié)合勢力，問題牽起問題”譯為Thus one influence combines with another; one problem gives rise to another.記?。河⒍啻ㄔ~），漢少代（詞）~
3,”無限的’過去’，都以’現(xiàn)在’為歸宿。無限的’未來’，都以’現(xiàn)在’為淵源?！弊g為The infinite past results in the present, and the infinite future results from the present.其中result in意為“終止于….，導(dǎo)致”，result from”由…產(chǎn)生，起因于“，很好的表達(dá)詮釋了”歸宿“和”淵源“

綜述：注意本段定語從句的運用和result in/from