張培基英譯散文賞析之《最後一圈 》

最後一圈
The Last Lap
何爲
He Wei
| 譯文摘自張培基《英譯中國散文選二》

70年代後期，收閱蕭乾同志的一封信，他說“要跑好人生的最後一圈”。當時怦然有所觸動，一直記得這句話。年前讀他的《八十自省》一文，自謂“這一圈跑了大半，離終點不會太遠了”。更是令人感慨萬千，不勝惆悵。算一下他的最後一圈，長達十餘年，很長，也很有成績，殊堪慶幸。以他的堅毅頑強和曠達，其“終點”線設在21世紀，是完全可預期的。
Back in the late 1970s, I received a letter from Xiao Qian (1), in which he said, “I shouldn’t slacken off on this last lap of my life.” I was deeply touched and have remembered his words to this day. Last year, when I read his I’m an Octogenarian, in which he said, “Having covered more than half of this lap, I’m now close to the finishing line,” I was even more touched and seized with a feeling of sadness. To my great delight, however, his last lap, having lasted, as I figure out, for more than a decade now, is very long and fruitful. Judging by his strong will and broad-mindedness, the finishing line should undoubtedly be somewhere in the coming 21st century.
要點：
1，“蕭乾”是名人，適當備註有助於讀者的理解，所以採用加腳註的方法
2，“要跑好人生的最後一圈”譯爲I shouldn’t slacken off on this last lap of my life.譯者採用反面敘述的方法，其中slacken off 作“鬆勁”，“懈怠”講。此句也可從正面譯爲I should make a success of this last lap of my life.
3,“《八十自省》”譯爲I’m an Octogenarian，其中Octogenarian意爲“八旬老人”，書中還給出另一種譯法，爲I’ve Completed My 80th Birthday.
4,“感慨萬千，不勝惆悵”中的“感慨萬千”意即“感觸頗深”譯爲I was even more touched，“不勝惆悵”即“十分傷感”譯爲（be）seized with a feeling of sadness.

綜述：何爲的作品一般簡潔明瞭，語言錘鍊，感情真切，自然流露，翻譯時切記“假大空”。

從人生道路上的最後一圈，想到馬拉松超長距賽跑。古希臘人在馬拉松地方戰勝敵軍，一名士兵爲了迅速傳遞捷報，一鼓作氣跑畢四萬二千一百九十五米的路程，到了雅典後就力竭死去。他帶去勝利的信息，他又是長途跋涉的勝利者，後人將這一距離的競賽項目稱爲馬拉松賽跑，作爲紀念。
Meanwhile, the last lap of human life has reminded me of the marathon race. According to legend, when the ancient Greeks defeated the invaders at Marathon (2), a Greek soldier is believed to have run nonstop from Marathon to Athens, a distance of 42, 195 metres, to announce the Athenian victory at the battlefield. Unfortunately, after making the announcement, he dropped dead from exhaustion. He was not only the courier carrying news of the Greek victory, but also the winner of the record journey. Now the long-distance foot race of the same distance has been named after the Battle of Marathon to commemorate the legendary feat of the Greek soldier.
要點：
1，“古希臘人在馬拉松地方戰勝敵軍……”是一個傳說，因此增譯According to legend，下文增譯“is believed to”也一樣，同legend相呼應。
2，“一鼓作氣跑畢四萬二千一百九十五米的路程，到了雅典…”轉化說法，即“他一鼓作氣從戰場跑回了雅典，全程…米”譯爲to have run nonstop from Marathon to Athens, a distance of 42, 195 metres, 這樣比較符合英語行文的習慣，“一鼓作氣”即“沒有停頓”譯爲nonstop。
3，“他帶去勝利的信息，他又是長途跋涉的勝利者，後人將這一距離的競賽項目稱爲馬拉松賽跑，作爲紀念。”採用分譯法，譯爲He was not only the courier carrying news of the Greek victory, but also the winner of the record journey. Now the long-distance foot race of the same distance has been named after the Battle of Marathon to commemorate the legendary feat of the Greek soldier. 其中“作爲紀念”意即“紀念該希臘士兵的傳奇功績”，故譯爲to commemorate the legendary feat of the Greek soldier。

綜述：本段有兩個大長句，注意譯者是如何將其拆分組合形成符合英語行文習慣的句子。

馬拉松賽跑是考驗人的意志和力量的競技運動。長跑者在同一起跑線出發。一眼望不到盡頭的跑道上，強者與弱者的差距逐漸拉開。最後一圈是拼搏的時刻。第一個到達終點的優勝者，迎來陣陣掌聲和熱烈歡呼，屏幕上閃耀着他創造的記錄。
The marathon race is a sports event testing man’s endurance and strength. Runners start from the same starting line and on the seemingly endless track the gap gradually widens between the strong and the weak. The last lap always witnesses the runners going all out to win success. The first to reach the finishing line is showered with warm applause and acclamation while the new record he or she has created is flashing across the screen.
要點:
1,“人的意志”即“人的耐力”不宜譯爲willpower,可譯爲man’s endurance
2,“一眼望不到盡頭的”=seemingly endless
3,“最後一圈是拼搏的時刻”即“最後一圈是長跑者們鼓足幹勁奪取勝利的時刻”，譯爲The last lap always witnesses the runners going all out to win success，go all out 意爲“鼓足幹勁，銳意進取”也可用exert oneself to

綜述：“最後一圈是拼搏的時刻。第一個到達終點的優勝者，迎來陣陣掌聲和熱烈歡呼，屏幕上閃耀着他創造的記錄。”注意最後一句的主語與前面的不同，要進行轉換。

然而，跑道上也有這樣的場面：拖着疲憊不堪的雙腿，苦苦掙扎着，搖搖欲墜幾乎昏厥的身子，終於奮力衝過封鎖線，那是多麼激動人心的時刻！縱或是最後一名，也是一位勝利者，同樣贏得熱情的鼓勵和讚許的掌聲。人們爲長跑者堅忍不拔的精神深深感動了。
Nevertheless, we also see this moving scene: An exhausted runner, dragging a pair of weary feet and staggering as though about to fall into a faint, barely managers at long last to hit the finishing line after a desperate struggle. Oh, what a stirring moment! He may be the last, yet he is also a winner. He likewise deserves spectators’ warm encouragement and approving applause. People are deeply moved by his tenacity.
要點：
1，“拖着疲憊不堪的雙腿，苦苦掙扎着，搖搖欲墜幾乎昏厥的身子，終於奮力衝過封鎖線……”首先要增主語An exhausted runner，其次要看句子間的關係，即“長跑者拖着雙腿和身子苦苦掙扎後終於通過了終點”，譯者將其譯爲barely managers at long last to hit the finishing line after a desperate struggle（很少有人在苦苦掙扎後能夠堅持到最後），突出了跑者的艱辛。

人的一生好比馬拉松賽跑。人人都有最後一圈，這一圈通常屬於人生道路漫長的老人。七老八十的人，穿過艱難的世途，穿過芸芸衆生，穿過重重障礙，於是到了人生的最後一圈。
Human life can be likened to the marathon race. All people, especially the aged who have already seen much of life, have the last lap. Septuagenarians and octogenarians are on the last lap of their lives after experiencing the twists and turns of life’s journey, meeting human beings of all descriptions and going through one obstacle after another.
要點：
1，“七老八十的人”譯爲Septuagenarians and octogenarians。
2，“艱難的世途”譯爲the twists and turns of life’s journey，twists and turns 通常做“曲折變化”“艱難”講，是翻譯中的常用詞。
3，“芸芸衆生”即“衆人，各種各樣的人”譯爲human beings of all descriptions。
4，“重重障礙”即one obstacle after another。

這一圈路程有長有短，跑得有快有慢。有的人穩健有力，從容不迫；有的人歪歪扭扭，步子不正；有的人拖拖沓沓，蹣跚不前。也有跑入歪道的人，或跑不快還要擋道的人，或不按競賽規則亂跑的人，都是註定要失敗的。誰能跑好這最後一圈，誰就是勝利者。
The last lap may be long or short; the runners may be fast or slow. Some may run with firm and steady steps and self-possession; some may run very unsteadily and out of step; some may be sluggish with faltering steps. What is worse, some may resort to dishonest practices; some, being slow themselves, may purposely stand in the way of others; some may run without adhering to the rules of the competition. Such people are doomed to ver acquits himself well on the last lap is a winner.
要點：
1，“從容不迫”= self-possession（沉着冷靜）
out of step意即“步子不協調”
2，“有的人拖拖沓沓，蹣跚不前”即“有的人步伐不穩拖拖拉拉”譯爲some may be sluggish with faltering steps
3，“跑入歪道的人”即“從事不法或不道德的事情的”譯爲resort to dishonest practices
4，acquits oneself well 意爲“表現好”如Indeed, Celtic have shown more than once they are able to acquit themselves very well, just as their fans who always help them a lot.當然，凱爾特人隊已經不止一次展示了他們自己的實力，就像他們的球迷那天，幫助他們很多。

綜述：這兩段主要就是四字詞的理解和翻譯，注意有些四字詞雖然中文形式上並列，但其意思並不是並列的，翻譯時要照顧意思，小詞的使用也值得注意，對於這類情感真摯，突出細節的文章，小詞的使用是必不可少的。
(1) Xiao Qian (1910-1999), famous writer, journalist and translator of literary works.
(2) Marathon, Village of ancient Greece, on the east coast of Attica, some 25 miles northeast of Athens.