好詩難譯－－Sister Lou

Sister Lou　　
by Sterling Brown

Honey
When de man
Calls out de 'las train
You're gonna ride,
Tell him howdy.

Gather up yo' basket
And yo' knittin' and yo' things,
An' go on up an' visit
Wid frien' Jesus fo' a spell.

Show Marfa
How to make yo' greengrape jellies,
An' give po' Lazarus
A passel of them Golden Biscuits.

Scald some meal
Fo' some rightdown good spoonbread
Fo' li'l box-plunkin' David.

An' sit aroun'
An' tell them Hebrew Chillen
All yo' stories . . . .

Honey
Don't be feared of them pearly gates,
Don't go 'around to de back,
No mo' dataway
Not evah no mo'.

Let Michael tote yo' burden
An yo' pocketbook an' evah thing
'Cept yo' Bible,
While Gabriel blows somp'n
Solemn but loudsome
On dat horn of his'n.

Honey
Go straight on to de Big House,
An' speak to yo' God
Widout no fear an' tremblin'.

Then sit down
An' pass de time of day awhile.

Give a good talkin' to
To yo' favorite 'postle Peter,
An' rub the po' head
Of mixed-up Judas,
An' joke awhile wid Jonah.

Then, when you gits de chance,
Always rememberin' yo' raisin',
Let 'em know youse tired
Jest a mite tired.

Jesus will find yo' bed fo' you
Won't no servant evah bother wid yo' room.
Jesus will lead you
To a room wid windows
Openin' on cherry trees an' plum trees
Bloomin' everlastin'.

An' dat will be yours
Fo' keeps.

Den take yo' time . . .
Honey, take yo' bressed time.

義可意，音難擬－－難譯。

「希望」是那帶翅的小東西

舊文一篇
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幾年前初識ED，被她迷住，對她不解，只覺得這首詩像一首歌，是要用悠揚遙遠的嗓音唱起，既清脆又帶著淡淡的哀傷．．．

"Hope" is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops -- at all –
And sweetest -- in the Gale -- is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb -- of Me.

「希望」是那帶翅 (/有羽?) 的小東西 -
是那棲足在靈魂之內的 -
又唱著無字之調的 -
且永不停歇的 -- 永．遠．都．不 -
最是那甜蜜的 -- 在疾風 (/薰風?) 之中 -- 聽聞 -
啊那狂暴風雨最是愁人 -
令小小鳥兒倉惶不安
使多少人感到溫暖的小小鳥 -
我曾在最寒冷的地上聽見過它 -
並在那最陌生的海上 -
然而哪，既使在最艱難時，它也從未，
從未開口，要一點麵包屑屑 -- 向我。

後記：譯這首詩，耳邊好像聽見歌聲，譯文在筆下自然流出，覺得好像要唱將起來。也曾想試著抓住韻腳與格律，但情願保持這分清新直覺的反應，而不要被自己拙劣造作的字韻破壞了自然的感覺。

How happy is the little Stone

How happy is the little Stone
That rambles in the Road alone,
And doesn't care about Careers
And Exigencies never fears --
Whose Coat of elemental Brown
A passing Universe put on,
And independent as the Sun
Associates or glows alone,
Fulfilling absolute Decree
In casual simplicity --

小小石子快樂無邊
獨自閒逛漫步路邊
事業前途何需掛心
危急存亡從不擔心
風霜染褐它的外皮
歲月去來為它披衣
獨立自主一如朝陽
隨遇而安自放光芒
天命嚴嚴絕不可違
單純小石自在無違

The Persian Version by Robert Graves

The Persian Version by Robert Graves
波斯版本
波斯之思？波斯本事？波斯若是？
波斯且釋？波斯見識？波斯破飾？
波斯如是說？

Truth-loving Persians do not dwell upon
波斯人重真相才不惦記
The trivial skirmish fought near Marathon.
馬拉松附近的小小戰役
As for the Greek theatrical tradition
希臘人戲劇性向來好勝
Which represents that summer's expedition
竟稱去夏那場所謂遠征
Not as a mere reconnaisance in force
並非波斯派兵刺探敵情
By three brigades of foot and one of horse
步軍三旅外加馬騎一行
(Their left flank covered by some obsolete
(左翼幾艘破船擔任掩護
Light craft detached from the main Persian fleet)
則是主艦派出輕艇任務)
But as a grandiose, ill-starred attempt
卻說成波斯國大舉進犯
To conquer Greece - they treat it with contempt;
又說它出師就註定完蛋　
And only incidentally refute
波斯人聽了只嗤之以鼻
Major Greek claims, by stressing what repute
並順便駁兩句自家道理
The Persian monarch and the Persian nation
它指出經過這有力展現
Won by this salutary demonstration:
波斯王與國都聲名大顯
Despite a strong defence and adverse weather
儘管守軍強悍天候不利
All arms combined magnificently together.
我軍集結耀武好不神氣

Statistics by T.S. Eliot

艾略特的小詩。
「現代」人一味迷戀科技，卻失落了歷史與人文；大師頗表不滿。
姑且譯義，揣其神情語氣，至於格律、韻腳，力不能及也．．．

Lady, you think too much of speeds,
大小姐，您太看重速度，

Pulleys and cranes swing in your mind;
滿腦子滑輪吊車晃動，

The Woolworth Tower* has made you blind
伍家摩天樓迷花你眼

To Egypt and the pyramids.
埃及、金字塔你通通不見。

Too much impressed by motor-cars
儘向那自動車咋咋稱奇，

You have a false historic sense.
你把那歷史通通搞錯。

But I, perplexed at God's expense
可我，則對著上帝的手筆納悶

Of electricity on stars,
竟能叫星兒都來放電，

From Brighton* pier shall weigh the seas,
這樣的我要到布鎮堤畔量度大海，

And count the sands along the shore
沿著那岸邊點數繁沙

Despise all moderns, thinking more
管它多少現代，心心念念、且想我

Of Shakespeare and Praxiteles*.
莎翁、普老

Woolworth Tower：建於1913年，六十層高，1931年前都是全球最高的「紐約101」。
Brighton：倫敦南邊英格蘭海濱勝地，舊日尤為時尚人等必去之處，也是奧斯汀小說人物身影流連所在。
Praxiteles：紀元前四世紀希臘雕刻家

靈魂與身體的對話

A Dialogue Between the Soul and the Body
by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678)

Soul.
O, WHO shall from this dungeon raise
A soul enslaved so many ways?
With bolts of bones, that fettered stands
In feet, and manacled in hands;
Here blinded with an eye, and there
Deaf with the drumming of an ear;
A soul hung up, as 'twere, in chains
Of nerves, and arteries, and veins;
Tortured, besides each other part,
In a vain head, and double heart?

靈魂發話：
噢，誰能從這幽牢救出
一介靈魂，受盡如此多般束縛？
骨來綑綁，足來羈駐，
還有那手來禁錮；
這方為眼所矇，那廂
因耳鼓鳴鳴欲聵；
靈魂啊靈魂，高吊著，就如同，繫上了
神經、大小管脈的鎖鏈；
彼此折磨，苦上加苦，更被那
空空如也的腦袋，三心二意的心腸？

Body.
O, who shall me deliver whole,
From bonds of this tyrannic soul?
Which, stretched upright, impales me so
That mine own precipice I go ;
And warms and moves this needless frame,
(A fever could but do the same),
And, wanting where its spite to try,
Has made me live to let me die
A body that could never rest,
Since this ill spirit it possessed.

身體發話：
噢，誰能將我全然釋放，
脫離這專橫靈魂的囚禁？
那傢伙，挺直不曲，制得我
險境絕壁也得邁進；
激我、撼我，整我這身不必要的軀架，
(熱病豈不具同樣功效) ，
刁難試煉，無處可施，
要我活著以便死去，
令此身永無寧日，
只因這難以取悅的魂靈附了體。

Soul.
What magic could me thus confine
Within another's grief to pine ?
Where, whatsoever it complain,
I feel, that cannot feel, the pain ;
And all my care itself employs,
That to preserve which me destroys ;
Constrained not only to endure
Diseases, but, what's worse, the cure ;
And, ready oft the port to gain,
Am shipwrecked into health again.

靈魂回道：
怎樣的魔法啊，禁我錮我，以至於斯
為這與我無干的苦難，悲哀憔悴？
深陷其中，痛其所痛，
這原本無痛無感的我？
全付心力，盡遭它拿去自用，
保全了它，卻毀掉了我；
梏我制我，不僅飽受
病痛來磨，更可怖者──還要忍耐痊癒所苦；
害得我，常已就緒將登彼岸，
卻再逢船難，被那健康凌遲。

Body.
But Physic yet could never reach
The maladies thou me dost teach ;
Whom first the cramp of hope does tear,
And then the palsy shakes of fear ;
The pestilence of love does heat,
Or hatred's hidden ulcer eat ;
Joy's cheerful madness does perplex,
Or sorrow's other madness vex ;
Which knowledge forces me to know,
And memory will not forego ;
What but a soul could have the wit
To build me up for sin so fit ?
So architects do square and hew
Green trees that in the forest grew.

肉體應道：
可是啊，再高明的醫術，也難癒及
你教我嚐到的苦楚病痛；
先用希望之攣撕裂我，
繼以恐懼之痺顫撼我；
愛的瘟疫熱我，
恨的暗瘍蝕我；
喜極而癲使我不知所以，
悲極而狂令我不知所措；
知識迫我知，
記憶不放手；
除了靈魂啊，誰還有那本事
造我如此合身入罪？
如那建造之手劈之直之
霍霍向那生長於林間的綠木。

That Invisible Hand

中國時報人間登出波斯詩人 Omar Khayyam 魯拜集英譯之中文新譯：

71
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, 　
Moves on: nor all your Piety no Wit 　
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, 　
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.

纖指能書妙執持， 　
翻欲勾消入夢痴， 　
逞盡慈慧與淚泉， 　
半行莫洗涸天池。

此首另有黃克孫譯（書林版）：

冥冥有手寫天書，
彩筆無情揮不已，
流盡人間淚幾千，
不能洗去半行字。

此詩嘆命運難挽，時間不回，人生寄旅，冥冥之手操縱乎？上天命定乎？人類自己寫就乎？Moving finger 一經寫下，即已寫「死」，已寫就的過去不能再改；或警示必然之未來，三更之事不會留越五更。波斯原文意象不知為何，但英譯明顯呼應舊約但以理書的 writing on the wall。

丁丁手癢，也想一試，卻不諳舊詩體例，也不想把「英譯版的波斯詩哲」譯成中國文人情調、中式古典意象隱喻、儒釋道人生觀，或甚至廟祝籤句。而方塊字一字一音，譯洋詩看起來也過於整齊，缺乏長短有緻之趣。更因字數限制，以致有時左支右絀難以曲盡原文全意。或許古樂府或詞牌的長短句式，更適合用以譯詩吧。

在此只能取巧，以白話入詩，勉強在形式上守個原英譯的十音節五步格與1,2,4著韻（但不巧連第三行也韻了，無法可施），以及原詩換行轉折。

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, 　
移動之指在寫，一經寫定，

Moves on: nor all your Piety no Wit 　
繼續寫去：任你虔求、智盡，

Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, 　
也難喚它回頭刪去一行

Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it.
任你淚盡，半字亦難洗淨。

這種譯法，當然只是「實驗」，作繭自縛得厲害，如何增進詩味與可頌度，是下階段要努力的目標。

出版－－不啻出賣心靈

艾蜜莉的．狄金遜的詩，多數隱晦難解，因為她往往將具象與抽象互易，推到極限，發揮得淋灕盡致。而且還常常特意偏離「正常」文法，使得我們一般非英語原生族原本就很難看懂的英詩，更形難上加難。

艾蜜莉寫了近1800首詩，可是終其一生卻出版了大約七首。下面這首詩可以一窺她對出版一事的看法。

Emily Dickinson
#709

Publication -- is the Auction
Of the Mind of Man --
Poverty -- be justifying
For so foul a thing

Possibly -- but We -- would rather
From Our Garret go
White -- Unto
the White Creator --
Than invest -- Our Snow --

Thought belong to Him who gave it --
Then -- to Him Who bear
Its Corporeal illustration -- Sell
The Royal Air --

In the Parcel -- Be the Merchant
Of the Heavenly Grace --
But reduce no Human Spirit
To Disgrace of Price --

這一首詩，先不論其意象之豐之難，乍看也是文法上的難詩，不過透過重組成「白話散文」，似乎可以看出幾分端倪，也顯示起碼在這首詩中，艾蜜莉基本上還算恪遵了文法規則：

Publication is the auction of the mind of man,
poverty possibly be justifying for so foul a thing.

But we would rather go white from our garret
unto the white creator than invest our snow.

(May) Thought belong to Him who gave it,
then belong to Him who bear its corporeal illustration.

Sell the royal air in the parcel;
Be the merchant of the heavenly grace.
But reduce no human spirit to disgrace of price.

以下試就原詩「直」譯成中文，韻腳就先不管了：

出版 -- 不啻拍賣
人的心靈所有 --
貧困 -- 才合去做
如此不堪之事

或許吧 -- 然而我們 -- 寧自
我們的閣樓，以雪
之白 -- 向那白色的造主
卻不投注 -- 我們的雪花 --

讓思維歸於那賜下思維者 --
然後 -- 再歸於那具現
思維肉身形貌者 -- 去販售
那尊貴的氣息吧 --

整批包裝地販售 -- 去做買賣人吧
買賣那神聖的恩賜 --
但請不要，貶損人的靈性
蒙受標價污辱 --

哲學非哲

濟慈長詩 Lamia 有此一句：

Do not all charms fly
At the mere touch of cold philosophy?

濟慈在怪罪冰冷的哲學？非也．．．
哲學頂多太「玄」，怎麼擔得起詩中所言的罪名：冰冷無趣，害得一切迷人魅力想像全都遠走高飛？且看全詩如下：

Do not all charms fly
At the mere touch of cold philosophy?
There was an awful rainbow once in heaven;
We know her woof, her texture; she is given
In the dull catalogue of common things.
Philosophy will clip an Angel's wings,
Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,
Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine --
Unweave a rainbow.

解這首詩，關鍵字在「philosophy」，在濟慈那個時代，philosophy 一詞的字義包括 natural philosophy（自然哲學），何謂自然哲學？其實就是今謂「（自然／物理）科學」的舊稱，因此只要把 science 代入這詩裡的 philosophy，詩旨就很明白，豁然開朗了。

詩中的 touch 意象， 頗有逆向操作之趣，神話裡的 magical wand 魔棒一揮一點，或如 midas 觸物點石成金，平凡事物幻化成奇，多少瑰麗想像，如天使之翼自由無拘。可是科學這枝解魔棒、破法指，一觸卻解了迷穴，uncharm，化奇成凡。天上那道曾經是神與人立約、是妖精藏寶、是天使橋樑、是女蝸五色石光耀的浪漫彩虹，立遭翦翼，被科學手術刀分門別類，解剖成毫無神奇意味的自然物質與成分。神話芳名錄，成了自然元素表與現象：「彩虹是氣象中的一種光學現象。當陽光照射到半空中的水珠，光線被折射及反射，在天空上形成拱形的七彩的光譜」（中文維基)。無趣、無味、無奇。

當年老美登月，老中多少年的嫦娥仙跡頓滅，不就是被科學破除了美感浪漫與幻想嗎？再美的人事物，都「經不起」科學的分析、透視，都成了乾巴巴沒「營養」的尋常與無趣。

濟慈，果然是浪漫主義大師！