张培基英译中国现代散文选 之《匆匆》

匆 匆 
 ——朱自清 
   燕子去了，有再来的时候；杨柳枯了，在再青的时候；桃花谢了，有再开的时候（1）。但是，聪明的，你告诉我，我们的日子为什么一去不复返呢？—— 是有人偷了他们罢：那是谁？又藏在何处呢？是他们自己逃走了罢：现在又到了那里呢（2）？ 
   我不知道他们给了我多少日子（3）；但我的手确乎是渐渐空虚了（4）。在默默里算着，八千多日子已经从我手中溜去（5）；像针尖上一滴水滴在大海里，我的日子滴在时间的流里，没有声音，也没有影子。我不禁头涔涔而泪潸潸了（6）。 
   去的尽管去了，来的尽管来着；去来的中间，又怎样地匆匆呢？早上我起来的时候，小屋里射进两三方（7）斜斜的太阳。太阳他也有脚啊，轻轻悄悄地挪移（8）了；我也茫茫然跟着旋转。于是——洗手的时候，日子从水盆里过去；吃饭的时候，日子从饭碗里过去；默默时，便从凝然的双眼前过去。我觉察他去的匆匆了，伸出手遮挽时，他又从遮挽着的手边过去，天黑时，我躺在床上，他便伶伶俐俐在从我身上跨过，从我脚边飞去了。等我睁开眼和太阳再见，这算又溜走了一日。我掩着面叹息。但是新来的日子的影儿又开始在叹息里闪过了。 
    在逃去如飞的日子里，在千门万户的世界里的我能做些什么呢？只有徘徊罢了，只有匆匆罢了；在八千多日的匆匆里，除徘徊外，又剩些什么呢？过去的日子如轻烟，被微风吹散了，如薄雾， 被初阳蒸融了；我留着些什么痕迹呢？我何曾留着像游丝样的痕迹呢？我赤裸裸来到这世界，转眼间也将赤裸裸的回去罢？但不能平的（9），为什么偏要白白走这一遭啊？ 
    你聪明的，告诉我，我们的日子为什么一去不复返呢？

注释： 
本文是朱自清的早期散文，写于1922年7月28日。文章充满诗意，对时光的消失深表感叹和无奈，流露出当时青年知识分子的苦闷和忧伤情绪。 
(1) 原文开头三个句子结构类似，译文采用三个相应的句式，力求形似。同时，每句均以if从句为首，使人想起英国诗人雪莱(Shelley)的名句If Winter comes, can Spring be far away，有助于烘托原文的韵味。 
(2) “现在又到了那里呢”译为But where could they be at the present moment，其中at the present moment等于now，也可用at the moment或at the moment in time等表达。 
(3) “我不知道他们给了我多少日子”译为I don’t know how many days I am entitled to altogether，其中entitled to相当于qualified for，作“能有……”或“有权得到……”解。此句也可译为I don’t know how many days been given to live。 
(4) “但我的手确乎是渐渐空虚了”不宜逐字直译，现以意译法处理：but my quota of them is undoubtedly wearing away，其中quota of them的意思是“一定数额的日子”，也即“寿命的预期数额”。也可用my allotted span 代替my quota of them。 
(5) “八千多日子已经从我手中溜去”译为more than 8000 days have already slipped away through my fingers，其中to slip away through one’s fingers是英语习语。 
(6) “我不禁头涔涔而泪潸潸了”的译文中添加了At the thought of this（一想到这儿），承上启下，原文虽无其字而有其意。 
(7) “两三方”译为two and three squarish patches，其中squarish的意思是“似方形的”比square模糊些，似较可取。 
(8) “挪移”在此有“慢慢离开”的含义，现以英语短语动词(phrasal verb) to edge away表达。注意原文第三段中若干表示动作的词语在译文中均挑选恰当的英语短语动词表达，效果较好。如：“从……（双眼前）过去”译为to pass away before…；“伸出手遮挽……”译为to reach out for…；“从……（手边）过去”译为to brush past…；“从……（身上）跨过”译为to stride over…；“从……（脚边）飞去了”译为to flit past…；“闪过去了”译为to flash past。 
(9) “不能平的”意即“为之耿耿于怀”或“为之想不开”，现译为Iam taking it very much to heart，其中to take…to heart是英语成语，作“为……烦恼”或“为……想不开”解。

Transient Days 
            ——Zhu ziqing 
     If swallows go away, they will come back again. If willows wither, they will turn green again. If peach blossoms fade, they will flower again. But, tell me, you the wise, why should our days go by never to return? Perhaps they have been stolen by someone. But who could it be and where could he hide them? Perhaps they have just run away by themselves. But where could they be at the present moment? 
     I don’t know how many days I am entitled to altogether, but my quota of then is undoubtedly wearing away. Counting up silently, I find that more than 8000 days have already slipped away through my fingers. Like a drop of water falling off a needle point into the ocean, my days are quietly dripping into the stream of time without leaving a trace. At the thought of this, sweat oozes from my forehead and tears trickle down my cheeks. 
     What is gone is gone, what is to come keeps coming. How swift is the transition in between!   When I get up in the morning, the slanting sun casts two or three squarish patches of light into my small room. The sun has feet too, edging away softly and stealthily. And, without knowing it, I am already caught in its revolution. Thus the day flows away through the sink when I wash my hands; vanishes in the rice bowl when I have my meal; passes away quietly before the fixed gaze of my eyes when I am lost in reverie. Aware of its fleeting presence, I reach out for it only to find it brushing past my outstretched hands. In the evening, when I lie on my bed, it nimbly strides over my body and flits past my feet. By the time when I open my eyes to meet the sun again, another day is already gone. I heave a sigh, my head buried in my hands. But, in the midst of my sighs, a new day is flashing past. 
      Living in this world with its fleeting days and teeming millions, what can I do but waver and wander and live a transient life? What have I been doing during the 8000 fleeting days except wavering and wandering? The bygone days, like wisps of smoke, have been dispersed by gentle winds, and, like thin mists, have been evaporated by the rising sun. What traces have I left behind? No, nothing, not even gossamer-like traces. I have come to this world stark naked, and in the twinkling of an eye, I am to go back as stark naked as ever. However, I am taking it very much to heart: why should I be made to pass through this world for nothing at all? 
      O you the wise, would you tell me please: why should our days go by never to return?