考研·翻译硕士：罗经国·英译·王勃·《滕王阁序》

王勃·《滕王阁序》英译

豫章故郡，洪都新府；星分翼轸，地接衡庐；襟三江而带五湖，控蛮荆而引瓯越。物华天宝，龙光射牛斗之墟；人杰地灵，徐孺下陈蕃之榻。雄州雾列，俊采星驰。台隍枕夷夏之交，宾主尽东南之美。都督阎公之雅望，棨戟遥临；宇文新州之懿范，襜帷暂驻。十旬休假，胜友如云；千里逢迎，高朋满座。腾蛟起凤，孟学士之词宗；紫电清霜，王将军之武库。家君作宰，路出名区，童子何知，躬逢胜饯。

时维九月，序属三秋。潦水尽而寒潭清，烟光凝而暮山紫。俨骖騑于上路，访风景于崇阿。临帝子之长洲，得天人之旧馆。层峦耸翠，上出重霄；飞阁流丹，下临无地。鹤汀凫渚，穷岛屿之萦回；桂殿兰宫，即冈峦之体势。披绣闼，俯雕甍，山原旷其盈视，川泽纡其骇瞩。闾阎扑地，钟鸣鼎食之家；舸舰迷津，青雀黄龙之舳。云销雨霁，彩彻云衢。落霞与孤鹜齐飞，秋水共长天一色。渔舟唱晚，响穷彭蠡之滨；雁阵惊寒，声断衡阳之浦。

遥襟甫畅，逸兴遄飞。爽籁发而清风生，纤歌凝而白云遏。睢园绿竹，气凌彭泽之樽；邺水朱华，光照临川之笔。四美具，二难并；穷睇眄于中天，极娱游于暇日。天高地迥，觉宇宙之无穷；兴尽悲来，识盈虚之有数。望长安于日下，目吴会于云间；地势极而南溟深，天柱高而北辰远。关山难越，谁悲失路之人？萍水相逢，尽是他乡之客。怀帝阍而不见，奉宣室以何年？

嗟乎！时运不齐，命途多舛；冯唐易老，李广难封。屈贾谊于长沙，非无圣主；窜梁鸿于海曲，岂乏明时？所赖君子安贫，达人知命。老当益壮，宁移白首之心？穷且益坚，不坠青云之志。酌贪泉而觉爽，处涸辙以犹欢。北海虽赊，扶摇可接；东隅已逝，桑榆非晚。孟尝高洁，空余报国之情；阮籍猖狂，岂效穷途之哭？

勃三尺微命，一介书生。无路请缨，等终军之弱冠；有怀投笔，慕宗悫之长风。舍簪笏于百龄，奉晨昏于万里；非谢家之宝树，接孟氏之芳邻。他日趋庭，叨陪鲤对；今兹捧袂，喜托龙门。杨意不逢，抚凌云而自惜；钟期既遇，奏流水以何惭？

呜呼！胜地不常，盛筵难再；兰亭已矣，梓泽丘墟。临别赠言，幸承恩于伟饯；登高作赋，是所望于群公。敢竭鄙怀，恭疏短引；一言均赋，四韵俱成。

滕王高阁临江渚，佩玉鸣鸾罢歌舞。

画栋朝飞南浦云，珠帘暮卷西山雨。

闲云潭影日悠悠，物换星移几度秋。

阁中帝子今何在？槛外长江空自流。

A Tribute to King Teng’s Tower

Wang Bo

Nanchang, which was the capital of Yuzhang Prefecture during the Han Dynasty, now falls under the jurisdiction of Hongzhou. It straddles the border of the influence of the Ye and Zhen constellations (1), and is adjacent to the Heng and the Lu mountains (2). The three rivers (3) enfold it like the front part of a garment (4) and the five lakes encircle it like a girdle (5). It controls the savage Jing area (6) and connects Ou (7) and Yue (8), and its products are nature’s jewels. The radiance of its legendary sword shoots directly upward between the constellations Niu and Dou (9). Its talented people are outstanding, and the spirit of intelligence pervades the place. This was the place where Xu Ru spent the night on his visit to Chen Fan (10). The mighty Hongzhou spreads out immensely amid the fog, and the intellectual luminaries are as numerous as meteors chasing one another. It borders both the uncultured and the civilized areas, and its host and guests are all prominent people from the East and the South. Under the escort of guard of honor with halberds in their hands, Governor Yan, a man of high repute, comes to attend this event from afar. Prefect Yuwen (11), a model of virtue, stops his carriage on the way to his new appointment. On this official holiday, which falls on every tenth day, good friends gather together, and a galaxy of distinguished guests from distant places fill the hall. Also present at the gathering are Master Meng , whose literary grace is as imposing as a dragon soaring and a phoenix dancing, and General Wang, who has weapons as sharp as the famous swords “Purple Lightning” and “Blue Frost” in his armory. I, an ignorant boy, have the good fortune to take part in this grand banquet on my journey to visit my father, who is a magistrate of a county.

It is September, the third month of autumn. The puddles on the ground have dried up, and the water in the pond is cool and translucent. At dusk the rays of the setting sun, condensed in the evening haze, turn the mountains purple. In the stately carriages drawn by the horses we make our way ahead, visiting the attractive scenic spot in the mountains. Soon we arrive at the river bank, where the King Teng’s Tower beckons, then we ascend the tower where the fairy once dwelled (12). Ranges upon ranges of green mountain rise as high as the sky. The red glow in the water is the reflection of the richly painted tower that seems hovering in the air. From its heights no land is visible. Circling around are the wild ducks on the sand-bars. Cassia-wood courts and magnolia-wood halls rise and fall like mountain ranges. Pushing open the door carved with decorative patterns, I look down upon endless waves of brightly tinted roof tiles, each elaborately engraved with lovely etchings. A panorama of mountains and plains stretches beneath me, and I am mesmerized by the mighty scene of the winding rivers and big lakes. In the city there are houses everywhere. There are families of great affluence, whose meals are served with many cooking tripods of food and to the accompaniment of music. Massive ships and fierce war vessels are densely moored at the ports. On the sterns of many ships are carved designs of blue birds and brown dragons. The rain has just let up and the rainbow has vanished. The sunlight shoots through the rosy clouds, and the autumn water is merged with the boundless sky into one hue. The fishermen can be heard singing the evening songs, their voices drifting as far as the banks of the Poyang Lake. Even the wild geese feel the chill of dusk settling upon them, and they cry all the way while flying southward, disappearing around the south bend of the Heng Mountain.

Looking afar and chanting, and then looking downward and singing, I feel a sudden rush of ecstasy soaring up in me. The music of the panpipe is like a gentle cool breeze. The soft singing lingers on; it is so soothing that even the passing white clouds seem to come to a halt. The gathering here can be compared to the banquet in the bamboo garden hosted by Prince of Xiao of the Liang State (13), and many a guest is a greater drinker than Tao Yuanming (14). It is also like the feast at River Ye where Cao Zhi (15) composed the poem in praise of the lotus flower. Present are many talented scholars who are as gifted as Xie lingyun of Linchuan (16). It is not an easy thing to have four excellent things all at once, that is, good weather, beautiful scenery, full enjoyment and heartfelt happiness, and it is even more difficult to have a generous host and honored guests. I look into the vast expanse of the sky and amuse myself to my heart’s content on this festive day. The sky is high and the land is boundless; I cannot but feel the immensity of the universe. Sadness follows happiness. I am aware that success and failure are predestined. I look into the distance, but Chang’an, the capital of the country, is far beyond the setting sun in the west, and Wuhui (17) is unapproachable somewhere amid the clouds. At the farthest end of the south are the depths of the South Sea, and far away in the north is the pillar that upholds the sky, but the Polestar is still farther. Since the mountains and passes are hard to travel over, who would sympathize with the disappointed ones? The people I meet here are all politically frustrated, drifting together like duckweeds. I pine for the Emperor but am not summoned. How long should I wait before I am called to the court again like Jia Yi (18)?

Alas! I am ill fated, and my life is full of frustrations. Feng tang grew old quickly (19) and Li Guang had difficulty getting promoted (20). Jia Yi was unjustly exiled to Changsha. Was it because there was no wise emperor on the throne? Liang Hong had to seek refuge at the seaside (21). Was it because there was no good government in his time? Fortunately what supports one is the belief that a man of noble character always contented with his lot. Old as one is, he gains vigor with age and by no means wavers in his aspiration. Poor as one is, he is all the more determined in adversity and by no means gives up his ambition. One keeps his integrity even if he has drunk the water of the spring of Avarice (22) and is cheerful even is he is confronted with misfortune. Though the North Sea is far away, one can still get there with the help of the strong wind. Though the morning is gone, it is not too late to make up the loss in the evening. Meng Chang was noble and honest, but his devotion to the country was futile (23). Ruan Ji was unruly and untrammeled, but he burst out crying when in dire straits (24). How can we learn from him?

I am an insignificant scholar of a low official position and am of the same age as Zhong Jun (25), but unlike him, I have no opportunity to serve in the army. I will follow the example of Ban Chao (26), who threw aside the writing brush to enlist in the armed services and I admire Zong Que (27) who made up his mind to seek a military career by braving the wind and waves. I am determined not to accept the offer of a lifelong government position by wearing a hair dress and holding a tablet before the chest as court officials do. Rather, I will travel thousands of li to go home to wait on my parents, paying respect to them morning and evening. As a son I am not as good as Xie Xuan (28) but in my early years I had the fortune to have men of virtue as my neighbors. In a few days I will be with my father and I will take care of him and receive instructions from him as did Kong Li (29). On this day I have the honor to be invited by Governor Yan to this grand occasion. I am as blissful as if I had leaped over the Dragon’s Gate (30). Since I do not have someone like Yang Yi to recommend me (31), I can only sigh with grief and caress this piece of writing which expresses my lofty aspiration. Now that I have met a bosom friend like Zhong Ziqi (32), why should I be ashamed of presenting this writing of mine?

Ah! A beautiful scenic spot is rarely seen, and a sumptuous banquet like this one is even less likely to be held again. The grand gathering at the Orchid Pavilion (33) is an event in history and the famous Jinggu Garden (34) is now in ruins. I have the good fortune to attend this feast and I would like to leave this farewell message at the time of paring. I count on all the gentlemen here to ascend the tower and contribute their writings. I humbly compose this short piece in all sincerity. Since every one of us is required to write a poem, the following is what I write:

The lofty King Teng’s Tower Overlooks the River.

The jade pendants (35) tinkle, and the carriage bells jingle.

The banquet’s over, the guests are leaving, and the singing and the dancing have stopped.

In the morn the rosy clouds from the southern shore flit across the painted pillars.

In the eve the rain in the western mountains are drawn in by the red curtains.

The lazy clouds are reflected in the water and the days pass in leisure.

Things change and stars move; how many years have passed since the building of the Tower?

Where is its builder, King Teng?

Only the River outside the railing flows to the east all by itself.

(1)In old times the sky was divided into 28 constellations, and each constellation had influence on a certain area on the earth. Nanchang was under the influence of the Ye and the Zhen constellations.

(2)The Heng Mountain is located to the southwest of Nanchang and the Lu Mountain to its north.

(3)The three rivers are the Jing, the Song, and the Zhe rivers.

(4)In old times there was a piece of cloth in the upper part of a long gown, with which people used to wrap things.

(5)The five lakes are the Tai, the Poyang, the Qingcao, the Danyang, and the Dongting lakes.

(6)The Jing area was the Chu area prior to the Qin Dynasty. It was less developed than the rest of the country.

(7)It now mainly refers to Zhejiang Province.

(8)The name of a kingdom during the Zhou Dynasty (1046B.C.- 256 B.C.) , mainly referring to the east of Zhejiang Province, Jiangsu Province, and part of Anhui Province.

(9)It was said that during the Jin Dynasty, there appeared a purple vapor between the Niu and the Dou constellations. Later people discovered a precious sword in Hongzhou.

(10)Xu Ru was a poor scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Despite poverty, he declined to be a government official. When Chen Fan was the prefect of Yuzhang County, he received no guests except Xu Ru, for whom a bed was always prepared in his home.

(11)It refers to Yuwen Jun, who was newly appointed as prefect of Lizhou.

(12)It refers to King Teng’s Power.

(13)Prince of Xiao of the Liang State of the Western Han Dynasty often entertained scholars in the bamboo garden by the Sui River.

(14)Tao Yuanming was the author of “A Tale of the Fountain of the Peach Blossom Spring”.

(15)Cao Cao and his son Cao Zhi often entertained guests by River Ye. Cao Zhi had written a poem in praise of the lotus flowers.

(16)Xie Lingyun was an official in Linchuan Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. Another interpretation is that Wang Xizhi is referred to here, because he was also an official in Linchuan.

(17)Wuhui is today’s City of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province.

(18)During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, Jia Yi was exiled to Changsha and was called back to the court four years later.

(19)Feng Tang was an official of a low rank in the Han Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Wu, he was recommended to a high-ranking official. But it was too late, as he was already over ninety and could no longer serve the emperor.

(20)Li Guang, a military man during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He had performed many military exploits but had never been fully rewarded.

(21)Liang Hong was a scholar during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He wrote a satirical song to criticize the noblemen and offended the emperor. He had to escape to the Qi and the Lu areas, which were near the sea.

(22)It was believed that on the outskirts of Guangzhou there was the Spring of Avarice. People became avaricious after drinking its water.

(23)Meng Chang was an upright official during the Eastern Han Dynasty, but he never got a high position.

(24)Ruan Ji was a scholar in the Wei and the Jin dynasties. He was angry with the rotten politics of his time and often went out in his carriage. When the road was blocked, he would cry and turn back.

(25)Zhong Jun was a young man living in the Western Han Dynasty. He made up his mind to capture the king of the enemy when he was about twenty years of age.

(26)Ban Chao was a scribe during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He later performed military exploits and was rewarded.

(27)Zong Que was a young man during the Southern Dynasty (420-589). When asked what he would do in the future, he answered that he would go to the front and “brave the wind and waves”. Later he became a general.

(28)Xie Xuan, a young man during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His uncle praised him as “the treasure tree of the Xie family.”

(29)Kong Li was the son of Confucius.

(30)The Dragon’s Gate is a narrow pass in the shape of a gate in the Longmen Mountain where the Yellow River flows through. It was believed that if a carp leaped over the gate, it would turn into a dragon.

(31)Yang Deyi recommends Sima Xiangru, a great poet, to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

(32)Zhong Ziqi, a man living the Spring and Autumn Period. It was said that he was a master in playing the qin, a seven-stringed plucked musical instrument. Bo Ya regarded him as his bosom friend because he understood the music Bo Ya played.

(33)See “Prologue to the Collection of Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion”.

(34)See “Entertainment Given in the Peach and Plum Garden on a Spring Evening”.

(35)In old times people wore a jade pendant to the body and it gave a tinkling sound when the person moved.（罗经国 译）