With a cup of wine, I ask the sky:
How often will the moon be so bright?
What date is today, on the fairyland, from where comes the moon light?
I’d like to ride the wind to fly.
Yet I fear it will be too cold to be so high.
Then, I’d just dance with my moon-lit shadow,
This dancing make me forget the daily life style.
Turning around the mansion, through the window,
you shines on a sleepless heart.
Why you’re so wholly full, even when nice people are long way apart?
We have sorrow or joy, be together or separated afar,
while you get dim or bright, wax or wane.
Maybe, that is just how things are going on.
But, may we live long!
At least, for the reason that, no matter how far apart we are,
we still can share the same moon, that is so beautiful, just upon.
不能讀懂原文中國詩詞的外國人應該是一個很大的不幸,我更替他們悲傷的是甚至他們不知道自己失去了多少好詩好詞。
剛才看到有人翻譯的蘇軾《水調歌頭》(參看:http://edu.qq.com/a/20060918/000194.htm),自以為不然。於是乎平生第一次翻譯了詩詞。我感覺翻譯詩詞是一件不可能的任務(mission impossible),不要說翻譯成外文,就是翻譯成白話文也是不可能的。甚至就連同是讀原文,每個人也會有不可能的理解。於是我的翻譯只能是用我有限的語言水平說出我看到的蘇軾《水調歌頭》。
《水調歌頭》原文
丙辰中秋,歡飲達旦,大醉,作此篇,兼懷子由。
明月幾時有?把酒問青天。
不知天上宮闕,今夕是何年。
我欲乘風歸去,又恐瓊樓玉宇,高處不勝寒。
起舞弄清影,何似在人間?
轉朱閣,低綺戶,照無眠。
不應有恨,何事長向別時圓?
人有悲歡離合,月有陰晴圓缺,此事古難全。
但願人長久,千里共嬋娟。