白居易诗《废琴诗》英译赏析
丝桐合为琴,中有太古声。
古声澹无味,不称今人情。
玉徽光彩灭,朱弦尘土生。
废弃来已久,遗音尚泠泠。
不辞为君弹,纵弹人不听。
何物使之然,羌笛与秦筝。
Arthur Waley阿瑟韦利的英文翻译是
THE OLD HARP
废琴
Of cord and cassia-wood is the harp compounded:
Within it lie ancient melodies.
丝桐合为琴,中有太古声。古琴多用梧桐木制成,译者把“桐木”译为cassia-wood不妥,根据《中国植物志》,应为“Firmiana-wood”
Ancient melodies—weak and savourless,
Not appealing to present men’s taste.
古声澹无味,不称今人情。savourless由savour而来,savour, the taste or smell of something, a particular flavor or smell, a distinctive quality. savourless, “无味”。
Light and colour are faded from the jade stops:
Dust has covered the rose-red strings.
玉徽光彩灭,朱弦尘土生。“徽”指的是琴弦音位的标志。即古琴面板左方的一排圆星点,用玉石、贝壳、磁或金属镶制而成。译者译为“stop”, a device for arresting or limiting motion.
Decay and ruin came to it long ago,
But the sound that is left is still cold and clear.
废弃来已久,遗音尚泠泠。“泠泠”,1.形容清凉;冷清。2.本指流水声。借指清幽的声音。“cold and clear”.
I do not refuse to play it, if you want me to:
But even if I play, people will not listen.
不辞为君弹,纵弹人不听。
How did it come to be neglected so?
Because of the Ch’iang flute and the Ch’in flageolet.[53]
何物使之然,羌笛与秦筝。译者注:Ch’iang flute and the Ch’in flageolet, barbarous modern instruments.