林語堂譯《蘭亭集序》

本文轉自：英語相伴

▲王羲之畫像

《蘭亭集序》又名《蘭亭宴集序》《蘭亭序》等。東晉穆帝永和九年（公元353年）三月三日，王羲之與謝安、孫綽等四十一位軍政高官，在山陰（今浙江紹興）蘭亭“修禊”，會上各人做詩，王羲之為他們的詩寫的序文手稿。《蘭亭序》中記敘蘭亭周圍山水之美和聚會的歡樂之情，抒發作者對於生死無常的感慨。

「蘭亭集序」

The Orchid Pavilion

作者 | 王羲之

翻譯 | 林語堂

永和九年，歲在癸(guǐ）醜。暮春之初，會於會(kuài)稽山陰之蘭亭，修禊(xì)事也。

It is the ninth year of Yonghe (A.C.353), also known as the year of Guichou in terms of the Chinese lunar calendar. On one of those late spring days, we gather at the Orchid Pavilion, which is located in Shanyin County, Kuaiji Prefecture, for dispelling bad luck and praying for good fortune.

群賢畢至，少長(zhǎng)鹹集。

The attendees of the gathering are all virtuous intellectuals, varying from young to old.

此地有崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹，又有清流激湍，映帶左右，引以為流觴(shāng)曲水，列坐其次。

Endowed with great mountains and lofty peaks, Orchid Pavilion has flourishing branches and high bamboo bushes all around, together with a clear winding brook engirdled, which can thereby serve the guests by floating the wine glasses on top for their drinking.

雖無絲竹管弦之盛，一觴一詠，亦足以暢敘幽情。

Seated by the bank of brook, people will still regale themselves right by poetizing their mixed feelings and emotions with wine and songs, never mind the absence of melody from string and wind instruments.

是日也，天朗氣清，惠風和暢。仰觀宇宙之大，俯察品類之盛。

It is such a wonderful day, with fresh air and mild breeze. Facing upwards to the blue sky, we behold the vast immensity of the universe; when bowing our heads towards the ground, we again satisfy ourselves with the diversity of species.

所以遊目騁(chěng)懷，足以極視聽之娛，信可樂也。

Thereby we can refresh our views and let free our souls, with luxuriant satisfaction done to both ears and eyes. How infinite the cheer is!

夫(fú)人之相與，俯仰一世。

People keep coming and going, and life soon rushes to its end.

或取諸懷抱，悟言一室之內；或因寄所托，放浪形骸之外。

Some people prefer to share their proud aspiration and lofty goals with close friends indoors, while some others choose to follow their interest and free their minds wherever and whenever they like.

雖趣(qǔ)舍萬殊，靜躁不同，當其欣於所遇，暫得於己，快然自足，不知老之將至；

May characters vary from person to person, or some would rather stay peaceful while others like to live restlessly, they will all become delighted and satisfied once they meet something pleasant, so cheerful that they get unaware of their imminent old age.

及其所之既倦，情隨事遷，感慨系之矣。

However, when they get tired of their old fancies that they’ve already experienced, and sentiment correspondingly accompanies the change of situation, all sorts of complicated feelings will well up in the heart, too.

向之所欣，俯仰之間，已為陳跡，猶不能不以之興懷，況修短隨化，終期於盡！

Isn’t it thought-provoking that the happiness we used to enjoy passes by without leaving a single trace, let alone that the length of life is subject to the fate, and death is inevitable for anybody in the end?

古人雲：“死生亦大矣”，豈不痛哉！

Just as some ancient man once put it, “Death also deserves our attention, like what life does.”, so how can we restrain ourselves from grieving?

每覽昔人興感之由，若合一契，未嘗不臨文嗟悼(jiē dào)，不能喻之於懷。

Every time I ponder about the reasons why our predecessors would produce works with such inenarrable emotions, I find there seem some similarities between our minds. Yet I cannot help lamenting their literary masterpieces while I am struggling for the very cause in my innermost world.

固知一死生為虛誕，齊彭殤(shāng)為妄作。

Now I come to realize that it has been ridiculous for me to equate death with life, long life with short life .

後之視今，亦猶今之視昔，悲夫！

The descendents view us just the way we look at our predecessors, and how woeful it is!

故列敘時人，錄其所述，雖世殊事異，所以興懷，其致一也。

Hence I write down all the names of the attendees and put their poetry into record. Conditions may go with the changes of time, but people’s emotions shall stay the same.

後之覽者，亦將有感於斯文。

I believe the following readers will still have much to mediate about life and death when appreciating this poetry anthology.