《匆匆》朱自清散文英譯版本

匆匆朱自清[1]燕子去了，有再來的時候；楊柳枯了，有再青的時候；桃花謝了，有再開的時候。但是，聰明的，你告訴我，我們的日子為什么一去不復返呢？ ——是有人偷了他們罷：那是誰？又藏在何處呢？是他們自己逃走了罷：現(xiàn)在又到了那里呢？[2]我不知道他們給了我多少日子；但我的手確乎是漸漸空虛了。在默默里算著，八千多日子已經(jīng)從我手中溜去；像針尖上一滴水滴在大海里，我的日子滴在時間的流里，沒有聲音，也沒有影子。我不禁頭涔涔而淚潸潸了。[3]去的盡管去了，來的盡管來著；去來的中間，又怎樣地匆匆呢？早上我起來的時候 ,小屋里射進兩三方斜斜的太陽。太陽他有腳啊，輕輕悄悄地挪移了；我也茫茫然跟著旋轉。于是 ——洗手的時候，日子從水盆里過去；吃飯的時候，日子從飯碗里過去；默默時，便從凝然的雙眼前過去。我覺察他去的匆匆了，伸出手遮挽時，他又從遮挽著的手邊過去，天黑時，我躺在床上，他便伶伶俐俐地從我身上跨過，從我腳邊飛去了。等我睜開眼和太陽再見，這算又溜走了一日。我掩著面嘆息。但是新來的日子的影兒又開始在嘆息里閃過了。[4]在逃去如飛的日子里，在千門萬戶的世界里的我能做些什么呢？只有徘徊罷了，只有匆匆罷了；在八千多日的匆匆里，除徘徊外，又剩些什么呢？過去的日子如輕煙，被微風吹散了，如薄霧，被初陽蒸融了；我留著些什么痕跡呢？我何曾留著像游絲樣的痕跡呢？我赤裸裸來到這世界，轉眼間也將赤裸裸的回去罷？但不能平的，為什么偏要白白走這一遭??？[5]你聰明的，告訴我，我們的日子為什么一去不復返呢？（寫于1922年3月18日）朱自清《蹤跡》，1924：68-70上海：亞東圖書館1【譯文一】HasteTheswallowsmaygo,buttheywillreturnanotherday;thewillowsmaywither,buttheywillturngreenagain;thepeachblossomsmayfadeandfall,buttheywillbloomagain.ouYwhoarewiserthanI,tellme,then:whyisitthatthedays,oncegone,neveragainreturn?Aretheystolenbysomeone?Then,bywhom?Andwherearetheyhidden?Ordotheyrunawaybythemselves?Then,wherearetheynow?IdonotknowhowmanydaysI’vebeengiven,yetslowlybutsurelymysupplyisdiminishing.Countingsilentlytomyself,Icanseethatmorethan8,000ofthemhavealreadyslippedthroughmyfingers,eachlikeadropofwaterontheheadofapin,fallingintotheocean.Mydaysaredisappearingintothestreamoftime,noiselesslyandwithoutatrace;uncontrollably,mysweatandtearsstreamdown.What’sgoneisgone,andwhatiscomingcannotbehalted.Fromwhatisgonetowhatisyettocome,whymustitpasssoquickly?InthemorningwhenIgetuptherearetwoorthreeraysofsunlightslantingintomysmallroom.Thesun,doesithavefeet?Stealthilyitmovesalong,asItoo,unknowingly,followitsprogress.ThenasIwashupthedaypassesthroughmywashbasin,andatbreakfastthroughmyricebowl.WhenIamstandingstillandquietmyeyescarefullyfollowitsprogresspastme.Icansensethatitishurryingalong,andwhenIstretchoutmyhandstocoverandholdit,itsoonemergesfromundermyhandsandmovesalong.Atnight,asIlieonmybed,agilelyitstridesacrossmybodyandfliespastmyfeet.AndwhenIopenmyeyestogreetthesunagain,anotherdayhasslippedby.Iburymyfaceinmyhandsandheaveasigh.Buttheshadowofthenewdaybeginsdartingby,eveninthemidstofmysighing.DuringthesefleetingdayswhatcanI,onlyoneamongsomany,accomplish?Nothingmorethantopaceirresolutely,nothingmorethantohurryalong.Inthesemorethan8,000daysofhurryingwhathaveItoshowbutsomeirresolutewanderings?Thedaysthataregonearelikesmokethathasbeendissipatedbyabreeze,likethinmiststhathavebeenburnedoffundertheonslaughtofthemorningsun.WhatmarkwillIleavebehind?WillthetraceIleavebehindbesomuchasagossamerthread?NakedIcameintothisworld,andinatwinklingstillnakedIwillleaveit.ButwhatIcannotacceptis:whyshouldImakethisjourneyinvain?YouwhoarewiserthanI,pleasetellmewhyitisthatoncegone,ourdaysneverreturn(481.words)(TranslatedbyHowardGoldblatt.Lau&Goldblatt,1995:625-626)(TranslatedbyHowardGoldblatt.JosephS.M.Lau&HowardGoldblatt(eds.).TheColumbiaAnthologyofModernChineseLiterature.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress,1995:625-626)【譯者簡介】HowardGoldblatt,ResearchProfessorofChineseattheUniversityofNotreDame,USA.,hastaughtmodernChineseliteratureandcultureformorethanaquarterofacentury.HeobtainedhisBAfromLongBeachStateCollegein1961,MAfromSanFranciscoStateUniversityin1971,andPhDfromIndianaUniversityin1974.AstheforemosttranslatorofmodernandcontemporaryChineseliteratureintheWest,hehaspublishedEnglishtranslationsofover40volumesofChinesefictionintranslationtohisname,includingMoYan’RedsSorghum,aswellasseveralmemoirsandavolumeofpoetryintranslation.GoldblattwasawardedtheTranslationCenterRobertPaynewardA(1985)and“TranslationofthearY”(1999)givenbytheAmericanTranslatorsAssociation.HeisalsothefounderandeditorofthescholarlyjournalModernChineseLiterature,andhascontributedessaysandarticlesThetoWashingtonPost,TheTimesofLondon,TIMEMagazine,2WorldLiteratureToday,andTheLosAngelesTimes.【譯文二】TransientDaysIfswallowsgoaway,theywillcomebackagain.Ifwillowswither,theywillturngreenagain.Ifpeachblossomsfade,theywillfloweragain.But,tellme,youthewise,whyshouldourdaysgobynevertoreturn?Perhapstheyhavebeenstolenbysomeone.Butwhocoulditbeandwherecouldhehidethem?Perhapstheyhavejustrunawaybythemselves.Butwherecouldtheybeatthepresentmoment?Idon’tknowhowmanydaysIamentitledtoaltogether,butmyquotaofthemisundoubtedlywearingaway.Countingupsilently,Ifindthatmorethan8,000dayshavealreadyslippedawaythroughmyfingers.Likeadropofwaterfallingoffaneedlepointintotheocean,mydaysarequietlydrippingintothestreamoftimewithoutleavingatrace.Atthethoughtofthis,sweatoozesfrommyforeheadandtearstrickledownmycheeks.Whatisgoneisgone,whatistocomekeepscoming.Howswiftisthetransitioninbetween!WhenIgetupinthemorning,theslantingsuncaststwoorthreesquarishpatchesoflightintomysmallroom.Thesunhasfeettoo,edgingawaysoftlyandstealthily.And,withoutknowingit,Iamalreadycaughtinitsrevolution.ThusthedayflowsawaythroughthesinkwhenIwashmyhands;vanishesinthericebowlwhenIhavemymeal;passesawayquietlybeforethefixedgazeofmyeyeswhenIamlostinreverie.Awareofitsfleetingpresence,Ireachoutforitonlytofinditbrushingpastmyoutstretchedhands.Intheevening,whenIlieonmybed,itnimblystridesovermybodyandflitspastmyfeet.BythetimewhenIopenmyeyestomeetthesunagain,anotherdayisalreadygone.Iheaveasigh,myheadburiedinmyhands.But,inthemidstofmysighs,anewdayisflashingpast.Livinginthisworldwithitsfleetingdaysandteemingmillions,whatcanIdobutwaverandwanderandliveatransientlife?WhathaveIbeendoingduringthe8,000fleetingdaysexceptwaveringandwandering?Thebygonedays,likewispsofsmoke,havebeendispersedbygentlewinds,and,likethinmists,havebeenevaporatedbytherisingsun.WhattraceshaveIleftbehind?No,nothing,notevengossamer-liketraces.Ihavecometothisworldstarknaked,andinthetwinklingofaneye,Iamtogobackasstarknakedasever.However,Iamtakingitverymuchtoheart:whyshouldIbemadetopassthroughthisworldfornothingatall?Oyouthewise,wouldyoutellmeplease:whyshouldourdaysgobynevertoreturn?(475words)（張培基譯,1999:75-77)（張培基譯，《英譯中國現(xiàn)代散文選（漢、英對照）》，上海：上海外語教育出版社， 1999:75-77)【譯者簡介】張培基，畢業(yè)于上海圣約翰大學英文系，曾任《上海自由西報》英文記者、《中國評論周報》（英文）特約撰稿人，后赴日本東京遠東國際軍事法庭任英語翻譯，于美國印地安納大學英國文學系肄業(yè)后回國。歷任北京外文出版社編譯、中國人民解放軍外國語學院英語教授、北京對外經(jīng)濟貿(mào)易大學英語教授。主要譯作：柔石《為奴隸的母親》、曹禺《明朗的天》、《英譯中國現(xiàn)代散文選》（上、下冊）；主要論著：《習語漢譯英研究》、《英漢翻譯教程》。3【譯文三】RushSwallowsmayhavegone,butthereisatimeofreturn;willowtreesmayhavediedback,butthereisatimeofregreening;peachblossomsmayhavefallen,buttheywillbloomagain.Now,youthewise,tellme,whyshouldourdaysleaveus,nevertoreturn?—Iftheyhadbeenstolenbysomeone,whocoulditbe?Wherecouldhehidethem?Iftheyhadmadetheescapethemselves,thenwherecouldtheystayatthemoment?IdonotknowhowmanydaysIhavebeengiventospend,butIdofeelmyhandsaregettingempty.Takingstocksilently,Ifindthatmorethaneightthousanddayshavealreadyslidawayfromme.Likeadropofwaterfromthepointofaneedledisappearingintotheocean,mydaysaredrippingintothestreamoftime,soundless,traceless.Alreadysweatisstartingonmyforehead,andtearswellingupinmyeyes.Thosethathavegonehavegoneforgood,thosetocomekeepcoming;yetinbetween,howswiftistheshift,insucharush?WhenIgetupinthemorning,theslantingsunmarksitspresenceinmysmallroomintwoorthreeoblongs.Thesunhasfeet,look,heistreadingon,lightlyandfurtively;andIamcaught,blankly,inhisrevolution.Thus—thedayflowsawaythroughthesinkwhenIwashmyhands,wearsoffinthebowlwhenIeatmymeal,passesawaybeforemyday-dreaminggazeasIreflectinsilence.Icanfeelhishastenow,soIreachoutmyhandstoholdhimback,buthekeepsflowingpastmywithholdinghands.Intheevening,asIlieinbed,hestridesovermybody,glidespastmyfeet,inhisagileway.ThemomentIopenmyeyesandmeetthesunagain,onewholedayhasgone.Iburymyfaceinmyhandsandheaveasigh.Butthenewdaybeginstoflashpastinthesigh.WhatcanIdo,inthisbustlingworld,withmydaysflyingintheirescape?Nothingbuttohesitate,torush.WhathaveIbeendoinginthateight-thousand-dayrush,apartfromhesitating?Thosebygonedayshavebeendispersedassmokebyalightwind,orevaporatedasmistbythemorningsun.WhattraceshaveIleftbehindme?HaveIeverleftbehindanygossamertracesatall?Ihavecometotheworld,starknaked;amItogoback,inablink,inthesamestarknakedness?Itisnotfairthough:whyshouldIhavemadesuchatripfornothing!Youthewise,tellme,whyshouldourdaysleaveus,nevertoreturn?(463words)（朱純深譯,1994(4):63-64）（朱純深譯，《中國翻譯》，1994(4):63-64）【譯者簡介】ZhuChunshen,associateprofessoroftranslationstudies,receivedhisPhDfromtheUniversityofNottingham,BritainandMAfromFujianNormalUniversity,China.HetaughtatFujianNormalUniversityandtheNationalUniversityofSingaporebeforejoiningCityUniversityofHongKonginSeptember1998.Currently,ZhuservesasLeaderfortheprogramofMAinTranslationandInterpretation,andisMemberoftheCommitteeforTranslationTheoryandPedagogy,Translators’AssociationofChina.【譯文四】DaysGoneBy[1]Whentheswallowshavegone,thereisstilltimetoreturn;thereisstilltimetoreturn;whenthe4poplarandwillowtreeshavebecomewithered,thereisstilltimetoseegreen;whenthepeachflowershavealreadyfaded,thereisstilltimetoblossom.Butpleasetellme,thegenius,whythenhavemydaysgoneandneverreturned?Ifsomepeoplehavestolenthem,thenwhoarethey?Andwherearetheyhidden?Iftheyhaveescapedbythemselves,thenwherearetheynow?Idon’tknowhowmanydaysIhavebeengiven,butthedaysinmyhandsarebecomingnumbered.Countingsilently,overeightthousanddayshaveslippedby.Justlikewaterdropsuponapinpointdrippingslowlyintothevastocean,mydayshavebeendrippingintotheriveroftime,quietlyandinvisibly.Ican’thelpdrippingwithsweatandweepingmanytears.Althoughthegoingshavegoneandthecomingsareconstantlycoming,howhurriedisthetimebetween?WhenIgetupinthemorning,Iseetwoorthreeribbonsoflightstreamingintomyroom.Thesunalsohasfeet;itmovesawayontiptoeandIfollowitaimlessly.WhenIwashmyhands,mydayswashoffintomybasin;whenIameating,thedaysvanishfrommybowl;andwhenIamsittingsilently,mydayspassbymygazingeyes.WhenIfeelthemgoawaysohurriedly,Ireachoutmyhandsonlytoholdthembackbeforetheyarebeyondmygrasp.Whenitisdark,Ilieuponmybedandwatchdayscleverlyjumpovermybodyorflyawayfrommyfeet.WhenIopenmyeyestomeetthesunagain,anotherdayhasgoneby.Icovermyfaceandsigh,butthesparkofanewdaybeginstoflashawayinmybreath.Intheseswiftlyescapingdays,whatcanIdointhisworldamongstthousandsofhouseholdsofhouseholds?Icandonothingbuthesitateandhurry.Intheseovereightthousandhurrieddays,whathasbeenlefttomebesideshesitation?Thepastdayslikelightsmokeareblownawaywiththebreezeorlikeathinlayerofmistevaporatewiththemorningsun.AndwhatmarkhaveIleftintheworld?WhenhaveIeverleftamarkastinyasahairspring?Icametothisworldnaked,soonI’llleaveherenakedtoo.But,’itsunfairtome?whydidIcometothisworldfornothing?You,thegenius,pleasetellmewhyourdayshavegonebyandhaveneverreturned?（《中國名家散文精譯》[M].青島：青島出版社,1999.張夢井，杜耀文編譯 135-136）【譯者簡介】張夢井，英語教授，碩士生導師，研究領域關涉語言學、翻譯學、交際學、社會和文化等。先后發(fā)表《達爾文的語言觀》、《英語不及物動詞的主義特征》等有關論文多篇，出版《中國名家散文精譯》、《金箭》、《英美名詩100首》、《中國小詩100首》、《外國小詩100首》、《佛教圣地五臺山》、《中國俚語、隱語、行話詞典》等專著和譯著?，F(xiàn)為秦皇島外國語職業(yè)學院客座教授和浙江樹人大學特聘教授。【譯文五】FleetingTimeSwallowsflyaway,yetreturn;willowswither,yetburgeonagain;peach-blossomfades,yetbloomsafresh.Buttellme,youwhoarewise,whydoourdaysdepartnevertoreturn?Doessomeonestealthem—ifso,who?Andwherearetheybeinghidden?Orhavetheyfledoftheirownaccord—andifso,wherearetheynow?Idonotknowhowmanydayshavebeengrantedme,butmyhandisgrowingemptierallthetime.InsilenceIcomputethatmorethaneightthousanddayshavealreadyslippedthroughmyfingers.Likeadropofwateronthepointofaneedlewhichdripsintotheocean,mydayshavedrippednoiselesslyintothestreamoftime,leavingnotatracebehind.Thepasthasgonewhitheritlisted,andthefutureiscomingasitwills;butwhyisthisjunctionofpastandfuturesofleeting?WhenIgetupinthemorning,twoorthreeraysofsunlightslantintomy5chamber.Thesunhasfeetwhichpadlightly,stealthilyon;andIfollow,revolvingbemusedlyinitswake.Andso—whenIwashmyhands,mytimeslipsoutofthebasin;whenIeat,itslipsawaythroughmybowl;whenIamsilent,itslipspastmyabstractedeyes.Consciousthatitisfleetingaway,Istretchoutmyhandstocatchit,butitstreamsthroughmyoutstretchedfingers;andatnightwhenIlieinbed,itglidesnimblyovermybodyorfliesfrombesidemyfeet.WhenIopenmyeyestoseethesunagain,anotherdayhasslippedpast.Isighandcovermyface.Buttheshadowofthenew-comedaybeginstoflutteroffinmysigh.WhatcanIdointhesedayswhichescapesofastinthisworldwithitsteemingmillions?Icanonlywander,onlyhastenaway.WhathaveIachieved,apartfromwandering,intheeightthousanddayswhichhaveflittedby?Mypasthasbeenscatteredlikesmokebythelightbreeze,ordispersedlikemistbythemorningsun.Andwhattracesareleftme?Whatvestiges?NakedIcameintotheworld,andnakednodoubtIshallgofromitverysoon.Whatmakesmeindignant,though,isthequestion:WhatshouldIhavetomakethisaimlesstrip?Answerme,youwhoarewise:Whydoourdaysdepartnevertoreturn?SwiftlySwallowsdepart,theywillcomebackagain;willowswither,theywillbegreenagain;peachflowersfade,theywillbloomagain.Butcleverasyouare,pleasetellme,whydoourdayspassnevercomebackagain?Hassomeonestolenthem?Ifso,whocouldthatbe?Andwherehavetheybeenhidden?Havetheyrunawaybythemselves?Wherearetheynow?Idon’tknowhowmanydaysIhavebeengiven,butIdoknowthatsomethingisslippingfrommygrasplittlebylittle.Icountingin’msilence:overeightthousanddayshaveslippedthroughmyfingers,likeadropofwaterfromthepointofa