英国民歌Scarborough Fair 因Paul Simon 和Art Garfunkel 的演唱和1966 出的唱片而广为流传,又因次年电影《毕业生》用了这支歌,更使其不胫而走,甚至在中国大陆都非常流行。然而,这首歌还没有理想的翻译。懂英文的人当然不在乎,他们中也不乏反对翻译诗歌之人。我从事翻译和翻译教学多年,深知译诗之难。诗歌是运用语言的最高艺术形式,一种语言的美妙极难在另一种语言中体现出来。美国诗人弗罗斯特甚至说:“诗就是在翻译中失去的东西。”尽管如此,这种不讨好的事还是需要人来作。而且,许多前辈也的确成功地翻译了许多外国好诗,不仅开拓了未谙外文者的眼界,还丰富了我们祖国的文字和文化。偶尔,甚至有人竟能完美地翻译个别作品,令人心悦诚服。当然,更多的时候,诗歌翻译只是帮助我们了解外国文学,欣赏其比喻和意象,却难以体会原作的韵律和节奏。还有一种特别情况,翻译出来的诗歌似乎比原文还美,让不懂外文的读者惊为绝妙好辞。其实,与原文相比,翻译雅过头了,失了信。涟波译的Scarborough Fair这首民歌,就是一例。且看其中四段:
问尔所之,是否如适 Are you going to scarborough fair?
蕙兰芫荽,郁郁香芷 Parsley sage rosemary and thyme.
彼方淑女,凭君寄辞 Remember me to one who lives there.
伊人曾在,与我相知 She once was a true love of mine.
嘱彼佳人,备我衣缁 Tell her to make me a cambric shirt.
蕙兰芫荽,郁郁香芷 Parsley sage rosemary and thyme.
勿用针砧,无隙无疵 Without no seams nor needle work.
伊人何在,慰我相思 Then she will be a true love of mine.
嘱彼佳人,营我家室 Tell her to find me an acre of land.
蕙兰芫荽,郁郁香芷 Parsley sage rosemary and thyme.
良田所修,大海之坻 Between the salt water and the sea strands,
伊人应在,任我相视 Then she will be a true love of mine.
嘱彼佳人,收我秋实 Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather.
蕙兰芫荽,郁郁香芷 Parsley sage rosemary and thyme.
敛之集之,勿弃勿失 And gather it all in a bunch of heather.
伊人犹在,唯我相誓 Then she will be a true love of mine.
首先,为了押韵,原文的“She once was a true love of mine她曾与我相爱”被译作“与我相知”,这是因文害义。“伊人何在,慰我相思”和“伊人应在,任我相视”犯的是同样毛病。更大的问题是,原文中歌者要求以前的恋人要完成一系列不可能的任务,她才能成为他真正的恋人(女人唱时则把那恋人变为男性),译文应用诗经体,雅则雅矣,却未能表现出原诗的主旨。还让人纳闷,为什么“勿用针砧,无隙无疵”就会“慰我相思”了?“良田所修,大海之坻”和“伊人应在,任我相视”又有什么关系?原文要恋人用“to reap it with a sickle of leather用皮子做的镰刀来收割”是什么意思?这句为什么被简单地译成了“收我秋实”?由于译文用了诗经体,显得古雅,令人敬而生畏。很多读者明明有这些问题,却不敢提问,暗自埋怨自己水平低,未解其中奥妙。其实问题出在翻译,出在美而不信。
你是否要去斯卡堡赶集? Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
请替我问候那里一位美女; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Remember me to one who lives there,
她曾是我钟爱的姑娘。 For once she was a true love of mine.
让她给我做件细麻衬衣, Have her make me a cambric shirt,
不用针线,也没有缝隙; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Without no seam nor fine needle work,
那她才是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
让她用梧桐木纺麻衬底, Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane,
用一篮鲜花将麻衣盛起; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, And gather it all with a basket of flowers,
那她才是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
让她在一眼枯井里洗衣, Have her wash it in yonder dry well,
那里泉水不涌,雨水不滴, Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Where water ne'er sprung nor drop of rain fell,
那她才是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
让她给我找一英亩土地, Have her find me an acre of land,
在海沫之间,在沙滩之际; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Between the sea foam and over the sand,
那她才是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
让她用羊羔的犄角耕地, Plow the land with the horn of a lamb,
再播撒堤北干瘪的麦粒; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Then sow some seeds from north of the dam,
那她才是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
割麦要用软皮作镰刀锋利, Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather,
再用石楠花将麦穗盛起; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, And gather it all in a bunch of heather,
那她才是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
如果她做不到,也别泄气, If she tells me she can't, I'll reply,
至少让我知道她曾经努力; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Let me know that at least she will try,
那她就是我钟爱的姑娘。 And then she'll be a true love of mine.
爱情总是要出一些难题, Love imposes impossible tasks,
只要心诚就能够把山移; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Though not more than any heart asks,
我要知道她是我钟爱的姑娘。 And I must know she's a true love of mine.
亲爱的,当你破解了难题, Dear, when thou has finished thy task,
就来我这里,把亲事相提; Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
欧芹、艾蒿、香草芬芳, Come to me, my hand for to ask,
你就是我钟爱的姑娘。 For thou then art a true love of mine.
唯一需要解释的是Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,这不是语言问题,而是文化问题。在中世纪的英国,这四种花草象征坚贞不渝等美德。歌者反复吟唱它们,显然是希望他/她的恋人要具有这些美德。我把这句放在每段第三行,是出于韵律的需要,而且自以为因贴近了“那她才是真心爱我的姑娘”,也让中文读者更容易猜到其隐喻。我的翻译没有涟波的那么典雅,但自信更忠实于原文。