这个周六(12 月 5 号)要去参加晚霞的葬礼,我会在葬礼上念一下我写给她的诗《眠歌》。晚霞的先生是美国人,来宾恐怕大部分也是老外。怕大家不知道我在念叨什么,所以提供一个英文版本给不懂中文的人参考。就是印一叠放那儿,一面中文,一面英文,让来宾随便取阅,朗读的话,就只念中文的。
一直觉得,诗其实是不可译的,尤其不可直译。难怪英文版的《眠歌》,怎么读怎么怪,呵呵。读了不少《纽约客》上的英文诗,深知英文诗的写法跟中文诗的写法是有区别的,而且区别不小,完全不是一回事。 以下是我凑合着直译的《眠歌》,大家姑妄看之。感谢香草斧正!
Lullaby It is snowing in southern China It is raining coldly in New York City Have all the leaves turned red in Northampton yet? My hometown I lost the address I lost the key My hometown Who hung my bicycle on the beam My hometown Never to return Never to leave Forget it Forget it Forget it all and you are free
Opening the Bible again and again Listening to Hallelujah all night long Hallelujah, hallelujah Raising the soul to light Glorifying, praising, honoring On the meadow of Heaven Echoing My eyes don’t move I hold back the grief Everyone has something to say Yet the world is lonelier every day
Winter has still come Spring waters yet again fill the Seine Through a summer night in Venice Your oh so familiar gaze Lingers in the window of autumn Seasons come,Seasons go How many silent stages will there be? How many everlasting stages of the journey? How long will Earth still spin? There’s no answer among us
You said, let’s celebrate life Celebrate the life you once had That unique life That enriched life That interesting life Let’s follow the traditional way Let’s pat each other’s shoulders Now we are brothers Brothers, bottom up and Cheers! Brothers, sing with me in the moonlight Brothers, walk the earth with a sword Lick your wounds Let’s celebrate our life
The time has come Light a candle, a stick of incense Let the curtain down Singing softly A lullaby For you, my dear Yafei May you rest in peace! |