偶看新闻小满时节诗词:张培基散文英译（一）
来源：百度文库 编辑：偶看新闻 时间：2024/04/28 06:57:17
艰难的国运与雄健的国民
李大钊
历史的道路，不会是坦平的，有时走到艰难险阻的境界。这是全靠雄健的精神才
能冲过去的(1)。
一条浩浩荡荡的长江大河，有时流到很宽阔的境界(2)，平原无际，一泻万里(3)。
有时流到很逼狭的境界，两岸丛山迭岭，绝壁断崖，江河流于期间，回环曲折，极其
险峻(4)。民族生命的进展，其经历亦复如是。
人类在历史上的生活正如旅行一样。旅途上的征人(5)所经过的地方，有时是坦荡
平原，有时是崎岖险路(6)。志于旅途的人，走到平坦的地方，因是高高兴兴地向前走，
走到崎岖的境界，俞是奇趣横生(7)，觉得在此奇绝壮绝(8)的境界，俞能感到一种冒险
的美趣(9)。
中华民族现在所逢的史路，是一段崎岖险阻的道路。在这段道路上，实在亦有一
种奇绝壮绝的境至，使我们经过此段道路的人，感得一种壮美的趣味，是非有雄健的
精神的，不能够感觉到的。
我们的扬子江、黄河，可以代表我们的民族精神，扬子江及黄河遇见沙漠、遇见
山峡都是浩浩荡荡的往前流过去，以成其浊流滚滚，一泻万里的魄势(10)。目前的艰
难境界，那能阻抑我们民族生命的前进。我们应该拿出雄健的精神，高唱着进行的曲
调，在这悲壮歌声中，走过这崎岖险阻的道路。要知(11)在艰难的国运中建造国家，
亦是人生最有趣味的事……。
National Crisis vs Heroic Nation
Li Dazhao
The course of history is never smooth. It is sometimes beset with difficulties and
obstacles and nothing short of a heroic spirit can help surmount them.
A mighty long river sometimes flows through a broad section with plains lying
boundless on either side, its waters rolling on non-stop for thousands upon thousands of
miles. Sometimes it comes up against a narrow section flanked by high mountains and
steep cliffs, winding through a course with many a perilous twist and turn. A nation, in the
course of its development, fares likewise.
The historical course of man’s life is just like a journey. A traveler on a long journey
passes through now a broad, level plain, now a rugged, hazardous road. While a
determined traveler cheerfully continues his journey upon reaching a safe and smooth
place, he finds it still more fascinating to come to a rugged place, the enormously
magnificent spectacle of which, he feels, is better able to generate in him a wonderful
sensation of adventure.
The Chinese nation is now confronted with a rugged and dangerous section of its
historical course. Nevertheless, there is also in this section a spectacle of enormous
magnificence that inspires in us passers-by a delightful sensation of splendor. And this
delightful sensation, however, can only be shared by those with a heroic spirit.
The
two mighty rivers negotiate deserts and gorges until their turbid torrents surge forward
with irresistible force. The present national crisis can never obstruct the advance of our
national life. Let us brace up our spirits and march through this rugged, dangerous road to
the tune of our solemn, stirring songs. The greatest joy of life, mind you, is to build up our
country during its most difficult days.
注释:
李大钊此文载于1923年12月20日《新国民》第一卷第2号上，短小隽永，堪称一首诗意
盎然的抒情散文诗。作者用象征，比喻等手法，说明历史发展的必然规律以及中国革命面临的艰难险阻。
(1) “这是全靠雄健的精神才能冲过去的”译为nothing short of a heroic spirit can help surmount them，其中nothing short of 相当于nothing less than 或only。
(2)“宽阔的境界”须按上下文译为a broad section。“境界”在这里不宜译为realm、place、
area等。
(3)“一泻万里”译为rolling on non-stop for thousands upon thousands of miles，但也可译为
rolling on vigorously for tens of thousands of miles或rolling on for thousands of miles at a stretch。
(4)“回环曲折，极其险峻”译为winding through a course with many a perilous twist and turn，
其中twist and turn来自成语twists and turns。此句亦可译为following a dangerous tortuous course。
(5)“征人”即“远行之人”，故译“旅途上的征人”为a traveler on a long journey。
(6)“有时……，有时……”译为now……now……（＝sometimes……and sometimes……）。 (7)“奇趣横生”意即“极度吸引人”，故译为fascinating。
(8)“奇绝壮绝”意即“无限壮观”，故译为the enormously magnificent spectacle。
(9)“感到一种冒险的美趣”意即“一种敢于冒险的美妙感觉”，原译为a wonderful sensation
of adventure。
(10)“遇见沙漠，遇见山峡都是浩浩荡荡的往前流过去，以成其浊流滚滚，一泻万里的魄势”
译为negotiate deserts and gorges until their turbid torrents surge forward with irresistible force, 其中动词to negotiate 的意思是“顺利通过”（to succeed in getting past something difficult）。又，注意until在这里的用法。它在此不作“直到……为止”解，而是so that finally（“以至于……”或“最后”）的意思。
(11)“要知”译为mind you，插入句中。成语mind you的意思是mind what I say 或however,
相当于汉语的“请注意”或“说真的”。
螃 蟹
鲁迅
老螃蟹觉得不安了，觉得全身太硬了(1)，自己知道要蜕壳(2)了。
他跑来跑去的寻。他想寻一个窟穴，躲了身子，将石子堵了穴口，隐隐的蜕壳。
他知道外面蜕壳(3)是危险的。身子还软(4)，要被别的螃蟹吃去的。这并非空害怕，他
实在亲眼见过。
他慌慌张张的走。
旁边的螃蟹(5)问他说：“老兄，你何以这般慌？”
他说：“我要蜕壳了。”
“就在这里蜕不是很好么？我还要帮你呢。”
“那可太怕人了。”
“你不怕窟穴里的别的东西，却怕我们同种么？”
“我不是怕同种。”
“那是怕什么呢？”
“就怕你要吃掉我(6)。”
The Crab
Lu Xun
An old crab grew restless. Finding himself stiff all over, he knew it was time for him
to moult his shell.
He dashed here and there in search of a cave to hide. He was going to block up the
mouth of cave so that he could moult in secret. He knew it would be very dangerous to
shed his shell in the open because, with his new shell still being soft, he might be eaten up
by other crabs. This fear was not groundless for he himself had really seen it happen to
other moulting crabs.
The old crab kept moving about in a hurry.
A nearby crab asked, “Hey, brother, what’s the rush?”
“I am going to moult,” answered the old crab. “Wouldn’t it be all right to moult right here? I could help you out with it.”
“How horrible that would be!”
“You mean while you’ll not scared of other things in the cave you’re scared of your
own kind?”
“No, I’m not scared of my own kind.”
“Then what are you scared of?”
“Nothing but being eaten up by you.”
注释:
《螃蟹》是近年发现的鲁迅佚文。文章发表于1919年8月间，时值五四运动方兴未艾，作
者通过寓言故事，提醒人们新生事物往往有被旧事物消灭于萌芽状态的危险。
(1)“觉得全身太硬了”译为Finding himself stiff al over，其中all over意即“全身”或“浑
身”，作状语短语用。如逐字译为finding his whole body stiff并无不可，但语言稍欠地道。
(2)“蜕壳”译为to moult his shell，其中to moult 为专用语，意同to cast off。
(3)“外面蜕壳”中的“外面”意即“在露天”，故译为（to moult）in the open，以代替to moult
outside the cave。
(4)“身子还软”意即“蜕去旧壳后新壳还软”，故译为with his new shell still being soft。如
按字面直译为with his body still being soft则欠确切，因“身子”在此指“新壳”，不泛指“躯体”。
(5)“旁边的螃蟹”译为A nearby crab比Ａcrab beside him灵活。
(6)“就怕你要吃掉我”译为Nothing but being eaten up by you, 乃I’m scared of nothing but
being eaten up by you之略。
落花生
许地山
我们屋后有半亩隙地。母亲说：“让它荒芜着怪可惜，既然你们那么爱吃花生，
就辟来做花生园罢(1)。”我们几个姊弟(2)和几个小丫头都很喜欢——买种的买种，动
土的动土，灌园的灌园；过了不几个月，居然收获了！
妈妈说：“今晚我们可以做一个收获节(3)，也请你们的爹爹来尝尝我们底新花生，
如何？”我们都答应了。母亲把花生做成好几样食品(4)，还吩咐这节期要在园里底茅
亭举行。
那晚上底天色不大好(5)，可是爹爹也来到，实在很难得！爹爹说：“你们爱吃花
生吗？”
我们都争着答应：“爱！”
“谁能把花生底好处说出来？”
姊姊说：“花生底气味很美。”
哥哥说：“花生可以榨油。”
我说：“无论何等人都江堰市可以用贱价买它来吃；都喜欢吃它。这是它的好
处。”
爹爹说：“花生底用处固然很多；但有一样是很可贵的。这小小的豆(6)不像那好
看的苹果、桃子、石榴，把它们底果实悬在枝上，鲜红嫩绿的颜色(7)，令人一望而发
生羡慕的心。它只把果子埋在地底，等到成熟，才容人把它挖出来。你们偶然看见一
棵花生瑟缩(8)地长在地上，不能立刻辨出它有没有果实，非得等到你接触它才能知
道。”
我们都说：“是的。”母亲也点点头。爹爹接下去说：“所以你们要像花生(9)，
因为它是有用的，不是伟大、好看的东西。”我说：“那么，人要做有用的，不要做
伟大、体面的人了。”爹爹说：“这是我对于你们的希望。”
我们谈到夜阑才散，所有花生食品虽然没有了，然而父亲底话现在还印在我心
版上。
Peanuts
Xu Dishan
Behind our house there lay half a mou of vacant land. Mother said, “it’s a pity to let it
lie waste. Since you all like to eat peanuts so very much, why not plant some here?” that
exhilarated us children and our servant girls as well, and soon we started buying seeds,
ploughing the land and watering the plants. We gathered in a good harvest just after a
couple of months!
Mother said, “How about giving a party this evening to celebrate the harvest and
inviting your Daddy to have a taste of our newly-harvested peanuts?” We all agreed.
Mother made quite a few varieties of goodies out of the peanuts, and told us that the party
would be held in the thatched pavilion on the peanut plot.
It looked like rain that evening, yet, to our great joy, father came nevertheless. “Do
you like peanuts?” asked father.
“Yes, we do!” we vied in giving the answer.
“Which of you could name the good things in peanuts?”
“Peanuts taste good,” said my elder sister.
“Peanuts produce edible oil,” said my elder brother.
“Peanuts are so cheap,” said I, “that anyone can afford to eat them. Peanuts are
everyone’s favourite. That’s why we call peanuts good.”
“It’s true that peanuts have many uses,” said father, “but they’re most beloved in one
respect. Unlike nice-looking apples, peaches and pomegranates, which hang their fruit on
branches and win people’s admiration with their brilliant colours, tiny little peanuts bury
themselves underground and remain unearthed until they’re ripe. When you come upon a
peanut plant lying curled up on the ground, you can never immediately tell whether or not
it bear any nuts until you touch them.”
“That’s true,” we said in unison. Mother also nodded. “So you must take after
peanuts,” father continued, “because they’re useful though not great and nice- looking.”
“Then you mean one should be useful rather than great and nice-looking,” I said.
“That’s what I except of you,” father concluded.
We kept chatting until the party broke up late at night. Today, though nothing is left
of the goodies made of peanuts, father’s words remain engraved in my mind.
注释:
本文是许地山（1892-1941）的名篇。作者回忆自己童年时代一个小小片断，以朴实无华、
清新自然的笔调，从花生的平凡而有用，谈到做人的道理，富于哲理，反映他身处旧社会的污泥
浊流而洁身自好、不慕虚名的思想境界。
(1)原句也可译为why not have them planted here或why not make a peanut plot of it，但现译更
直截了当，且避免在同一句中重复peanuts一词。
(2)“几姊弟”在下文将涉及，为防累赘，译为children。
(3)“做一个收获节”不宜直译为hold a harvest festival，现取意译。
(4)“食品”也可译为food，但不如goodies 贴切；goodies指“好吃的东西”，常用于口语。
(5)“那晚上底天色不大好”译为It looked like rain that evening, 符合原意和英语习惯。
(6)“这小小的豆”译为tiny little peanuts。英语中常把tiny和little用在一起，有“小得可怜
（爱）”等含意。
(7)“鲜红嫩绿”不宜直译，译brilliant colours即可。
(8)“瑟缩”意即“蜷曲而不舒展”，故有现译。
(9)“你们要像花生”译为you must take after peanuts，其中take after 是成语，意即take……as an example（学习……的榜样）。
差不多先生传
胡适
你知道中国最有名的人是谁？
提起此人，人人皆晓，处处闻名。他姓差，名不多(1)，是各省各县各村人氏。你
一定见过他，一定听说过别人谈起他。差不多先生的名字天天挂在大家的口头，因为
他是中国全国人的代表。
差不多先生的相貌和你和我都差不多。他有一双眼睛，但看的不很清楚；他有
两只耳朵，但听的不很分明；有鼻子和嘴，但他对于气味和口味都不很讲究。他的脑
子也不小，但他的记性却不很精明，他的思想也不很细密(2)。
他常常说：“凡事只要差不多，就好了。何必太精明呢？”
他小的时候，他妈叫他去买红糖，他买了白糖回来。他妈骂他，他摇摇头说：
“红糖白糖不是差不多吗？”
他在学堂的时候，先生问他：“直隶省(3)的西边是哪一省？”他说是陕西。先生
说：“错了。是山西，不是陕西。”他说：“陕西同山西，不是差不多吗？”
后来他在一个钱铺(4)里做伙计，他也会写，也会算，只是总不会精细。十字常常
写成千字，千字常常写成十字。掌柜的生气了，常常骂他。他只是笑嘻嘻地赔小心道：
“千字比十字只多一小撇，不是差不多吗？”
有一天他为了一件要紧的事，要搭火车到上海去。他从从容容地走到火车站，
迟了两分钟，火车已经开走了。他白瞪着眼，望着远远的火车上煤烟，摇摇头道：“只
好明天再走了，今天走同明天走，也差不多。可是火车公司未免太认真了。8点30
分开，同8点32分开，不是差不多吗？“他一面说，一面慢慢地走回家，心里总不
明白为什么火车不肯等他两分钟。
有一天，他忽然得了急病，赶快叫家人去请东街的汪医生。那家人急急忙忙地
跑去，一时寻不着东街的汪大夫，却把西街牛医王大夫请来了。差不多先生病在床上，
知道寻错了人；但病急了，身上痛苦，心里焦急，等不得了，心里想道：“好在王大
夫同汪大夫也差不多，让他试试看罢。”于是这位牛医王大夫走近床前，用医牛的法
子给差不多先生治病。不上一点钟，差不多先生就一命呜呼了。
差不多先生差不多要死的时候，一口气断断续续地说道：“活人同死人也……
差……差不多，……凡事只要……差……差……不多……就……好了，……何……
何……必……太……太认真呢？”他说完了这句格言(5)，方才绝气了。
他死后，大家都很称赞差不多先生样样事情看得破，想得通(6)；大家都说他一生
不肯认真，不肯算账，不肯计较，真是一位有德行的人。于是大家给他取个死后的法
号，叫他做圆通大师。
他的名誉越传越远，越久越大。无数无数的人都学他的榜样。于是人人都成了
一个差不多先生。——然而中国从此就成为一个懒人国了。
Mr. About-the Same
Hu Shih
Do you know who is the most well-known person in
The name of this person is a household word all over the country. His name is Cha
and his given name, Buduo, which altogether mean “About the Same”. He is a native of
every province, every country and every village in this country. You must have seen or
heard about this person. His name is always on the lips of everybody because he is
representative of the whole Chinese nation.
Mr. Cha Buduo has the same physiognomy as you and I. He has a pair of eyes, but
doesn’t see clearly. He has a pair of ears, but doesn’t hear well. He has a nose and a mouth,
but lacks a keen sense of smell and taste. His brain is none too small, but he is weak in
memory and sloppy in thinking.
He often says: “whatever we do, it’s OK to be just about right. What’s the use of
being precise and accurate:”
One day, when he was a child, his mother sent him out to buy her some brown sugar,
but he returned with some white sugar instead. As his mother scolded him about it, he
shook his head and said, “Brown sugar or white sugar, aren’t they about the same?”
One day in school, the teacher asked him, “Which province borders
west?” He answered, “
Not
Later Mr. Cha Buduo served as an assistant at a money shop. He could write and
calculate all right, but his mathematics were/was often faulty. He would mistake the
Chinese character十（meaning 10）for 千（meaning 1000）or vice versa. The shop owner
was infuriated and often took him to task. But he would only explain apologetically with a
grin, “The character千differs from 十in merely having one additional short stroke. Aren’t
they about the same?”
One day, he wanted to go to
the railway station unhurriedly only to find the train already gone, because he was two
minutes late. He stood staring helplessly at the smoke belching from the diminishing train,
and shook his head, “Well, all I can do is leave tomorrow. After all, today and tomorrow
are about the same. But isn’t the railway taking it too seriously? What’s the difference
between departing at 8:30 and 8:32?” He walked home slowly while talking to himself
and kept puzzling over why the train hadn’t waited for him for two minutes more.
One day he suddenly fell ill and immediately told one of his family to fetch Dr. Wang
of
he fetched instead Veterinarian Wang of West Street. Mr. Cha Buduo, lying on his sickbed,
knew that a wrong person had been brought home. But, what with pain and worry, he
could ill afford to wait any longer. So he said to himself, “Luckily, Vet Wang is about the
same as Dr. Wang. Why not let Vet Wang have a try?” there- upon, the veterinarian
walked up to his bed to work on him as if he were a cow. Consequently, Mr. Cha Buduo
kicked the bucket before an hour was out.
When Mr. Cha Buduo was about to breathe his last, he uttered intermittently in one
breath, “Live or die, it’s about…about…the same…Whatever we do…it’s OK…to
be …just…just about right... Why…why…take it…so seriously?” as soon as he finished
this pet phrase of his, he stopped breathing.
After Mr. Cha Buduo death, people all praised him for his way of seeing things and
his philosophical approach to life. They say that he refused to take things seriously all his
life and that he was never calculating or particular about personal gains or losses. So they
called him a virtuous man and honored him with the posthumous reverent title Master of
Easy-Going.
His name has spread far and wide and become more and more celebrated with the
passing of time. Innumerable people have come to follow his example, so that everybody
has become a Mr. Cha Buduo. But lo,
注释：
胡适（1891-1962）的《差不多先生传》是一篇针砭社会陋习的讽刺小品，1924年6月28
日发表在《申报·平民周刊》的创刊号上，曾不胫而走，传诵一时。此文至今读来，犹感有极深刻的现实意义。
(1)“他姓差，名不多”如仅仅译为His name is Cha and his given name, Buduo，外国读者只
知其音，不知其意，故在后面加补充说明which altogether mean “About the Same”。
(2)“他的思想也不很细密”译为He is…sloppy in thinking, 其中sloppy作“无条理”、“凌
乱”解。
(3)“直隶”为旧省名，即今之“河北”，故译为Ｈebei。
(4)“钱铺”又称“钱庄”，大多仅从事兑换业务，后为银行所代替。“钱铺”可译为private
bank或banking house，但均不如money (exchange) shop确切。
(5)“格言”在这里意同“口头语”，现参照上下文译为pet phrase。
(6)“想得通”意即“达观”或“随遇而安”，故译为philosophical approach to life。
不要抛弃学问(1)
胡适
诸位毕业同学，你们现在要离开母校了，我没有什么礼物送给你们，只好送你
们一句话罢。
这一句话是：“不要抛弃学问。”以前的功课也许有一大部分是为这张文凭，
不得已而做的，从今而后，你们可以依自己的心愿去自由研究了(2)。趁现在年富力强
的时候，努力做一种学问。少年是一去不复返的，等到精力衰时，努力做学问(3)也来
不及了。即为吃饭计，学问决不会辜负人的(4)。吃饭而不求学问，三年五年后，你们
都江堰市要被后来少年淘汰掉的。到那时再想做点学问来补救，恐怕已太晚了。
有人说：“出去做事之后，生活问题急需解决，哪有工夫去读书？即使要做学
问，既没有图书馆，又没有实验室，哪能做学问？”
我要对你们说：凡是要等到有了图书馆才读书的，有了图书馆也不肯读书。凡
是要等到有了实验室才做研究的，有了实验室也不肯做研究。你有了决心要研究一个
问题，自然会撙衣节食(5)去买书，自然会想出来法子来设置仪器。
至于时间，更不成问题(6)。达尔文一生多病，不能多作工，每天只能做一点钟的
工作。你们看他的成绩！每天花一点钟看10页有用的书，每年可看3600多页书，30
年可读11万页书。
诸位，11万页书可以使你成一个学者了，可是，每天看三种小报也得费你一点
钟的工夫，四圈麻将也得费你一点半钟的光阴。看小报呢，还打麻将呢？还是努力做
一个学者呢？全靠你们自己的选择(7)！
易卜生说：“你的最大责任是把你这块材料铸造成器。”
学问便是铸器的工具。抛弃了学问便是毁了你们自己。
再会了！你们的母校眼睁睁地要看(8)你们十年之后成什么器。
Never Give Up the Pursuit of Learning
Hu Shih
Dear students of the Graduating Class,
As you are leaving your alma mater, I have nothing to offer you as a gift except a
word of advice.
My advice is, “Never give up the pursuit of learning.” You have perhaps finished
your college courses mostly for obtaining the diploma, or, in other words, out of sheer necessity. However, from now you are free to follow your own bent in the choice of
studies. While you are in the prime of life, why not devote yourselves to a special field of
study? Youth will soon be gone never to return. And it will be too late for you to go into
scholarship when in your declining years. Knowledge will do you a good turn even as a
means of subsistence. If you give up studies while holding a job, you will in a couple of
years have had yourselves replaced by younger people. It will then be too late to remedy
the situation by picking up studies again.
Some people say, “Once you have a job, you’ll come up against the urgent problem
of making a living. How can you manage to find time to study? Even if you want to, will it
be possible with no library or no laboratory available?”
Now let me tell you this. Those who refuse to study for lack of a library will most
probably continue to do so even though there is a library. And those who refuse to do
research for lack of a laboratory will most probably continue to do so even though a
laboratory is available. As long as you set your mind on studies, you will naturally cut
down on food and clothing to buy books or do everything possible to acquire necessary
instruments.
Time is no object. Charles Darwin could only work one hour a day due to ill health.
Yet what a remarkable man he was! If you spend one hour a day reading 10 pages of a
book, you can finish more than 3600 pages a year, and 110000 pages in 30 years.
Dear students, 110000 pages will be quite enough to make a learned man of man. It
will take you one hour to read three tabloids a day, and one and half hours to finish four
rounds of mah-jong a day. Reading tabloids, playing mah-jong or striving to be a learned
man, the choice lies with you.
Henrik Ibsen says, “it is your supreme duty to cast yourself into a useful implement.”
Learning is the casting mould. Forsake learning, and you will ruin yourself.
Farewell! Your alma mater is watching eagerly to see what will become of you ten
years from now.
注释：
本文是胡适1928-1930年在上海任中国公学校长时为毕业生所作赠言，至今仍有参考价值。
(1)“不要抛弃学问”在这里的意思是“不要放弃对学问的追求”，因此不能直译为Never Give
up Learning，必须加字：Never Give up the Pursuit of Learning。
(2)“你们可以依自己的心愿去自由研究了”译为you are free to follow your personal bent in the
choice of studies，其中to follow one’s bent 是成语，和to follow one’s inclination同义，作“做自己感兴趣或爱做的事”解。
(3)“做学问”译为to go into scholarship, 等于to engage in learning。
(4)“学问决不会辜负人的”译为Knowledge will do you a good turn，其中to do one a good turn
是成语，作“做对某人有益的事”解.
(5) “撙衣节食”即“省吃省穿”，现译为 cut down on food and clothing, 其中 to
cut down on 是成语，与 to economize on 同义，作“节约”解。又，上语也可译为 to
live frugally。
(6)“至于时间，更不成问题”译为Time is no object,其中no object是成语，等于no problem，作“不成问题”或“不在话下”解。
(7)“全靠你们自己的选择”译为the choice lies with you或it is up to you to make the choice。
(8)“你们的母校眼睁睁地要看……”中的“眼睁睁地”通常的意思是“无可奈何地”，现
在这里作“热切地”解，故译为eagerly。
我之于书(1)
夏丐尊
二十年来，我的生活费中至少十分之一二是消耗在书上的(2)。我的房子里(3)比较
贵重的东西就是书。
我一向没有对于任何问题作高深研究的野心，因之所以买的书范围较广，宗教、
艺术、文学、社会、哲学、历史、生物，各方面差不多都有一点。最多的是各国文学
名著的译本，与本国古来的诗文集，别的门类只是些概论等类的入门书而已。
我不喜欢向别人或图书馆借书。借来的书，在我好像过不来瘾似的(4)，必要是自
己买的才满足。这也可谓是一种占有的欲望。买到了几册新书，一册一册在加盖藏书
印(5)记，我最感到快悦的是这时候。
书籍到了我的手里，我的习惯是先看序文，次看目录。页数不多的往往立刻通读
(6)，篇幅大的，只把正文任择一二章节略加翻阅，就插在书架上。除小说外，我少有
全体读完的大部的书，只凭了购入当时的记忆，知道某册书是何种性质，其中大概有
些什么可取的材料而已。什么书在什么时候再去读再去翻，连我自己也无把握，完全
要看一个时期一个时期的兴趣。关于这事，我常自比为古时的皇帝，而把插在架上的
书籍诸列屋而居的宫女(7)。
我虽爱买书，而对于书却不甚爱惜。读书的时候，常在书上把我认为要紧的处所
标出。线装书竟用红铅笔划粗粗的线。经我看过的书，统计统体干净的很少。
据说，任何爱吃糖果的人，只要叫他到糖果铺中去做事，见了糖果就会生厌。自
我入书店以后，对于书的贪念也已消除了不少了，可不免要故态复萌(8)，想买这种，
想买那种。这大概因为糖果要用嘴去吃，摆存毫无意义，而书则可以买了不看，任其
只管插在架上的缘故吧。
Books and I
Xia Mianzun
For twenty years past, books have eaten into at least 10-20 percent of my pocket. Now
the only things of some value under my roof, if any, are my books.
Since I have never entertained ambition for making a profound study of any subject,
the books I have acquired cover almost everything--religion, art, literature, sociology,
philosophy, history, biology, etc. Most of them are Chinese translations of literary works
by famous foreign writers and anthologies of Chinese poetry and prose through the ages.
The rest, often called an outline or introduction, are merely on rudiments of various
subjects.
I never care to borrow books from other people or a library. It seems that books
bought can better satisfy my bibliomania than books borrowed. You may also attribute this
to some sort of desire for personal possession. Whenever I have some new acquisitions, it
always gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to stamp my ex-libris on them one by one.
As soon as a new book comes to hand, I always read the preface first and then the
table of contents. If it happens to be a thin one, I often finish reading it at one sitting.
Otherwise, I often browse through one or two chapters or sections before putting it onto
my bookshelf. I seldom read a thick book from cover to cover unless it is a novel. By dint
of the first impression it made on me at the time of buying, I have a rough idea of what a
book is about and what useful materials in it are available to me. But I have little idea
which book is to be read or looked over again at what time. It is completely subject to the
whims of the moment. This often prompts me to liken myself and the books on my shelves
respectively to an ancient emperor and his concubines housed separately in a row of
adjoining rooms.
Much as I love books, I take little care of them. In doing my reading, I often mark out
what I regard as important in a book. If it is a thread-bound Chinese book, I use a writing
brush to draw small circles as markings. Otherwise, I use a red pencil to draw heavy
underlines. Consequently, the books I have read are rarely clean.
It is said that those who have a great liking for candies will sicken to see them when
later they happen to work in a candy store. Likewise, ever since I began to work in a
bookstore, my obsession with books has been very much on the decline. Nevertheless, I
still can not help slipping back into the same old rut, eager to buy this and that book. This
is probably because candies are to be eaten with the mouth and not worth keeping as
knick-knacks while books can be bought without being read and just left on a shelf.
注释：
夏丐尊（1886-1946）浙江上虞人，著名文学家、教育家、出版家。他的文学创作以散文为主，多随笔、杂感，内容积极，风格平淡朴素。此文于1933年11月发表在《中学生》杂志上。
(1)“我之于书”译为 Books and I ，比 I and Books 符合英语习惯，读音也较顺口。
(2)“我的生活费中至少十分之一二是消耗在书上的”译为books have eaten into at least 10-20 percent of my pocket，其中成语 to eat into 作“耗尽”或“花费”解，意同 to use up 或 to spend gradually；pocket 作“腰包”解。
(3)“我的房子里”译为 under my roof ,意同 in my house。
(4)“好像过不来瘾似的”中的“瘾”指“藏书癖”，故译为bibliomania，意即 desire or passion for collecting books。
(5)“藏书印”译为 ex-libris，为专用语。
(6)“往往立刻通读”译为 I often finish reading it at one sitting，其中at one sitting（亦作at a sitting）为成语，作“坐着一口气”或“一下子”解。
(7)“宫女”本可译为court ladies或palace maids，但原文实际上指的是“妃子”，故译为concubines。
(8)“故态复萌”译为slipping back into the same old rut，或relapsing into my old habit。
中年人的寂寞
夏丐尊
我已是一个中年的人。一到中年，就有许多不愉快的现象，眼睛昏花了，记忆
力减退了，头发开始秃脱(1)而且变白了，意兴，体力，什么都不如年青的时候，常不
禁会感觉到难以名言的(2)寂寞的情味。尤其觉得难堪的是知友的逐渐减少(3)和疏远，
缺乏交际上的温暖的慰藉。
不消说，相识的人数是随了年龄增加的，一个人年龄越大，走过的地方当过的
职务越多，相识的人理该越增加了。可是相识的人并不就是朋友。我们和许多人相识，
或是因了事务关系，或是因了偶然的机缘(4)——如在别人请客的时候同席吃过饭之
类。见面时点头或握手，有事时走访或通信，口头上彼此也“朋友”，笔头上有时或
称“仁兄”，诸如此类，其实只是一种社交上的客套，和“顿首”“百拜”同是仪式
的虚伪(5)。这种交际可以说是社交，和真正的友谊相差似乎很远。
真正的朋友，恐怕要算“总角之交”或“竹马之交”了(6)。在小学和中学的时代
容易结成真实的友谊，那时彼此尚不感到生活的压迫，入世未深，打算计较的念头也
少，朋友的结成全由于志趣相近或性情适合，差不多可以说是“无所为”的(7)，性质
比较纯粹。二十岁以后结成的友谊，大概已不免搀有各种各样的颜色分子在内；至于
三十岁四十岁以后的朋友中间，颜色分子愈多，友谊的真实成分也就不免因而愈少了。
这并不一定是“人心不古”(8)，实可以说是人生的悲剧。人到了成年以后，彼此都有
生活的重担须负，入世既深，顾忌的方面也自然加多起来，在交际上不许你不计较，
不许你不打算，结果彼此都“勾心斗角”(9)，像七巧板似地只选定了某一方面和对方
接合(10)。这样的接合当然是很不坚固的，尤其是现代这样什么都到了尖锐化的时代。
在我自己的交游中，最值得系念的老是一此少年时代以来的朋友。这些朋友本
来数目就不多，有些住在远地，连相会的机会也不可多得。他们有的年龄大过了我，
有的小我几岁，都江堰市是中年以上的人了，平日各人所走的方向不同。思想趣味境
遇也都不免互异，大家晤谈起来，也常会遇到说不出的隔膜的情形。如大家话旧，旧
事是彼此共喻的，而且大半都江堰市是少年时代的事，“旧游如梦”，把梦也似的过
去的少年时代重提，因谈话的进行，同时会联想起许多当时的事情，许多当时的人的
面影，这时好象自己仍回归到少年时代去了(11)。我常在这种时候感到一种快乐，同
时也感到一种伤感，那情形好比老妇人突然在抽屉里或箱子里发见了她盛年时的影
片。
逢到和旧友谈话，就不知不觉地把话题转到旧事上去，这是我的习惯。我在这
上面无意识地会感到一种温暖地慰藉。可是这些旧友一年比一年减少了，本来只是屈
指可数的几个，少去一个是无法弥补的。我每当听到一个旧友死去的消息，总要惆怅
多时。
学校教育给我们的好处不但只是灌输知识，最大的好处恐怕还在给与我们求友
的机会上。这好处我到了离学校以后才知道，这几年来更确切地体会到，深悔当时毫
不自觉，马马虎虎地过去了。近来每日早晚在路上见到两两三三的携了手或挽了肩膀
走着的青年学生，我总艳羡他们有朋友之乐，暗暗地要在心中替他们祝福。
Mid-life Loneliness
Xia Mianzun
I am already a middle-aged man. At middle age, I feel sad to find my eyesight and
memory failing, my hair thinning and graying, and myself no longer mentally and
physically as fit as when I was young. I often suffer from a nameless loneliness. The most
intolerable of all is the lack of friendly warmth and comfort due to the gradual passing
away and estrangement of more and more old pals.
Needless to say, the number of acquaintances increases with one’s age. The older one
gets, the more widely traveled one is and the more work experience one has, the more
acquaintances one is supposed to have. But not all acquaintances are friends. We come to
know many people either in the way of business or by mere chance –say, having been at
the same table at a dinner party. We may be on nodding or hand-shaking terms, call each
other “friend”, sometimes write to each other with the salutation of “Dear So-and-So”, etc.,
etc. All these are, in fact, nothing but civilities of social life, as hypocritical as the polite
formula dunshou (kowtow) or baibai (a hundred greetings) used after the signature in
old-fashioned Chinese letter-writing. We may call them social intercourse, but they seem
to have very little in common with genuine friendship.
Real friendship between two persons originates perhaps from the time of life when
they were children playing innocently together. Real friendship is easily formed in primary
or middle school days when, being socially inexperienced and free from the burden of life,
you give little thought to personal gains or losses, and make friends entirely as a result of
similar tastes and interests or congenial disposition. It is sort of “friendship for friendship’s
sake” and is relatively pure in nature. Friendship among people in their 20's, however, is
more or less coloured by personal motives. And friendship among those aged over 30
becomes correspondingly still less pure as it gets even more coloured. Though this is not
necessarily due to "degeneration of public morality", I do have good reasons to call it the
tragedy of life. People at middle age, with the heavy burden of life and much experience in
the ways of the world, have more scruples about this and that, and can not choose but
become more calculating in social dealings till they start scheming against each
other. They always keep a wary eye, as it were, on each other in their association. Such
association is of course fragile, especially in this modern age of prevailing sharp conflicts.
Of all my friends, those I have known since child-hood are most worthy of
remembrance. They are few in number. Some of them live far away and we seldom have
an opportunity to see each other. Some of them are older than I am, and some a few years
younger. But all of us are in late mid-life. Since we have each followed a different course
in life, our ways of thinking, interests and circumstances are bound to differ, and often we
lack mutual understanding somehow or other in our conversation. Nevertheless, when we
talk over old times, we will always agree on things in the past--mostly about things in our
childhood days. While we retell the dream-like childhood days in the course of our
conversation, numerous scenes and persons of bygone days will unfold again before our
eyes, and we will feel like reliving the old days. Often at this moment, I'll feel at once
happy and sad--like an old lady suddenly fishing out from her drawer or chest a photo of
her taken in the bloom of her youth.
When chatting away with my old friends, I am in the habit of unwittingly channeling
the topic of conversation toward things of former days. From that I unknowingly derive
some sort of warm solace. But old friends are dwindling away year by year. They are
originally few in number, so the disappearance of any of them is an irreparable loss to me.
The news of any old pal's death will invariably make me sad in my heart for a long, long
time.
The imparting of knowledge is not the sole advantage of school education. Its greatest
advantage is perhaps the opportunity it affords us for making friends. It was not until I had
already left school that I began to realize this advantage. And in recent years I have come
to understand it even more deeply. I much regret having carelessly frittered away my
school days without making many friends. Recently, every morning or evening, whenever
I see school kids with satchels walking in twos and threes, hand in hand or shoulder to
shoulder, I always envy them for enjoying happy friendship, and inwardly offer them my
best wishes.
注释：
本文发表在1934年11月的《中学生》杂志上，文章用平淡的语言诉说了中年人的苦恼，感叹“真实的友谊”不可多得，字里行间流泄出对当时现状的不满。
(1)“头发开始秃脱”指头发开始变稀，也可译为 my head balding。 今译 my hair thinning ，以 hair 取代head，是为了照顾下面的graying一字。
(2)“难以名言的”译为nameless，意同indescribable，但nameless常用来指不好的事物，如：a nameless fear、nameless atrocities。
(3)“逐渐减少”在原文指逐渐作古，如直译为 the gradual dwindling away 则未能明确表达“死去”的意思。故译为gradual passing away.
(4)“我们和许多人相识，或是因为事务关系，或是因了偶然的机缘……”译为We come to know
many people either in the way of business or by mere chance…，其中in the way of 是成语，作“为了”解。成语in the way of可有若干不同的意思，如“关于”、“以……的方法”，“为了”等，须由上下文来决定。
(5)“和‘顿首’‘百拜’同是仪式的虚伪”译为as hypocritical as the polite formula dunshou (kowtow) or baibai (a hundred greetings) used after the signature in old-fashioned Chinese letter-writing。其中 kowtow, a hundred greetings 以及 used after the signature in old fashioned Chinese letter-writing 均为译者的补充说明，属一种释义译法。
(6)“真正的朋友，恐怕要算‘总角之交’或‘竹马之交’了”译为 Real friendship between two persons originates perhaps from the time of life when they were children playing innocently together，其中“总角之交”和“竹马之交”合而为一，用意译法处理。
(7)“差不多可以说是‘无所为’的”译为It is sort of “friendship for friendship’s sake”，其中sort of （有几分）用来表达“差不多可以说”。又“无所为”意即“无其它目的”或“无条件的”，故译为friendship for friendship’s sake（为友谊而友谊的）。
(8)“这并一定是‘人心不古’”译为Though this is not necessarily due to “degeneration of public
morality”。也可考虑采用另一译法：Though this should not be ascribed exclusively to “degeneration of public morality”。
(9)“结果彼此都‘勾心斗角’”译为till they start scheming against each other。注意其中till的一种特殊用法。它在这里指“结果”，意即so that、finally或and at last，不作“直到……为止”解。
(10)“像七巧板似地只选定了某一方面和对方接合”不宜直译。现按“人们在交往中互相提防，互存戒心”的内涵，用意译法处理：They always keep a wary eye, as it were, on each other in their association，其中插入语as it were作“似乎”、“可以说”等解。
(11)“这时好像自己仍回归到少年时代去了”译为and we feel like reliving the old days，其中to relive作“（凭想象）重新过……的生活”(to experience…again, especially in imagination)解。
我坐了木船
叶圣陶
从重庆到汉口，我坐了木船。
木船危险，当然知道。一路上数不清的滩，礁石随处都是，要出事，随时可以出。
还有盗匪(1)——实在是最可怜的同胞，他们种地没得吃，有力气没处出卖，当了兵经
常饿肚皮，无可奈何只好出此下策(2)。——假如遇见了，把铺盖或者身上衣服带下去，
也是异常难处的事儿(3)。
但是，回转来想，从前没有轮船，没有飞机，历来走川江(4)的人都坐木船。就是
如今，上上下下的还有许多人在那里坐木船，如果统计起来，人数该比坐轮船坐飞机
的多。人家可以坐，我就不能坐吗？我又不比人家高贵。至于危险，不考虑也罢。轮
船飞机就不危险吗？安步当车似乎最稳妥了，可是人家屋檐边也可以掉下一张瓦片
来。要绝对避免危险就莫要做人(5)。
要坐轮船坐飞机，自然也有办法(6)。只要往各方去请托，找关系，或者干脆买张
黑票。先说黑票，且不谈付出超过定额的钱，力有不及，心有不甘(7)，单单一个“黑”
字，就叫你不愿领教。“黑”字表示作弊，表示越出常轨。你买黑票，无异同作弊，
赞助越出常轨(8)。一个人既不能独立转移风气，也该在消极方面有所自守，邦同作弊，
赞助越出常轨的事儿，总可以免了吧，——这自然是书生之见(9)，不免通达的人一笑。
再说请托找关系，听人家说他们的经验，简直与谋差使一样的麻烦。在传达室恭
候，在会客室恭候(10)，幸而见了那要见的人，他听说你要设法买船票，或是飞机票，
爱理不理的答复你说，“困难呢……下个星期再来打听吧……”于是你觉得好像有一
线希望，又好像毫无把握，只得挨到下星期再去。跑了不知多少趟，总算有眉目了(11)，
又得往这一处签字，那一处盖章，看种种的脸色，候种种的传唤，为的是得一份充分
的证据，可以去换张票子。票子到手，身分可以改变了，什么机关的部属，什么长的
秘书，什么人的本人或是父亲，或者姓名仍旧，或者必须改名换姓，总之要与你自己
暂时脱离关系。最有味的是冒充什么部的士兵(12)，非但改名换姓，还得穿上灰布棉
军服，腰间束条皮带。我听了这些，就死了请托找关系的念头。即使饿得要死，也不
定要去奉承颜色谋差使，为了一张票子去求教人家，不说我自己犯不着，人家也太费
心。重庆的路又那么难走，公共汽车站排队往往等上一个半钟头，天天为了票子去跑，
实在吃不消。再说与自己暂时脱离关系，换上他人的身分，虽然人家不大爱惜名气，
我可不愿滥用那些那些名气。我不是部属，不是秘书，不是某人，不是某人的父亲，
我是我。我毫无成就，样样不长进，我可不愿与任何人易地而处，无论长期的或是暂
时的。为了走一趟路，必须易地而处，在我总觉着像被剥夺了什么似的。至于穿灰布
棉衣更为难了，为了走一趟路才穿上那套衣服，岂不亵渎了那套衣服(13)？亵渎的人
固然不少，我可总不忍——这一套又是书生之见。
抱着书生之见，我决定坐木船。木船比不上轮船，更比不上飞机，千真万确。可
是绝对不用找关系，也无所谓黑票。你要船，找运输行，或者自己到码头上去找，找
着了，言明价钱，多少钱坐到汉口，每块钱花得明明白白(14)。在这一点上，我觉得
木船好极了(15)，我可以不说一句讨情的话，不看一副难看的嘴脸，堂堂正正的凭我
的身分东西归。这是大多数坐轮船坐飞机的朋友办不到的，我可有这种骄傲。
决定了之后，有两位朋友特来劝阻，一位从李家沱，一位从柏滨，不怕水程跋涉，
为的是关爱我，瞧得起我。他们说了种种理由，预想了种种可能的障害，结末说，还
是再考虑一下的好。我真感谢他们，当然不敢说不必再行考虑，只好带玩笑的说，“吉
人天相，“安慰他们激动的心情。现在，他们接到我平安到达的消息了，他们也真的
安慰了。
I Took a Wooden Boat
Ye Shengtao
I took a wooden boat from
Of course I know it is risky to travel by wooden boat. With countless shoals and reefs
to negotiate, accidents may happen any time. To complicate matters, there are bandits
lurking around－those pitiful fellow countrymen who, unable to ward off starvation by
farming or soldiering or whatnot, have been reduced to the disreputable business as a last
resort. I’ll be in a real fix if they should rob me of, say, my bedding or clothes.
Now, on reflection, I realize that in the days before steamers and aircraft came into use,
people used to travel by wooden boat up and down the
River. Even today, many continue to do so, and statistic will invariably show a higher
percentage of people travelling by wooden boat than by steamer or aircraft. Why shouldn’t
I do the same? Why should I think it beneath myself to travel by wooden boat? As for
safety, is it less dangerous to travel by steamer or aircraft? Going on foot seems to be the
best choice, but a tile falling off the eaves of somebody’s house might prove equally
disastrous to foot passengers. Enjoying absolute safety is humanly impossible.
It stands to reason that I can go by steamer or aircraft if I care to. I can simply go
around fishing for help or personal connections, or just buy a “black” ticket. But I’ll have
to pay more than the regular price for a “black” ticket, which I can ill afford and which I
disdain to do. And the very word “black” generates in me a feeling of repulsion. “Black”
signified fraud or illegal practice. Buying a “black” ticket is as good as getting involved in
a fraud or an illegal practice. If it is beyond one’s capacity to single-handedly stem the
prevailing social evils, one should at least be self-disciplined so as not to make matters
worse. All this is undoubtedly the pedantic view of bookish person—a view which must
sound ridiculous to all sensible gentlemen.
Some people have told me from their own experience that soliciting help or speaking
personal connections is something as difficult as hunting for a job. You may be kept
cooling your heels in a janitor’s office or a reception room before an interview is granted.
Hearing that you are trying to get a steamer or air ticket, the much sought-after interview
may reply in a cold and indifferent manner, “Ah, that’s difficult…Come see me next
week…” Thereupon you seem to see a ray of hope, and you may also feel totally uncertain
of success. All you can do is wait until then. After making you don’t know how many
visits, there eventually appear signs of positive outcome. Then you have to go here and
there to get a signature or a seal, meet with all sorts of cold reception and wait for all sorts
of summonses—all for the purpose of obtaining a useful certificate to buy a ticket with.
Once with a ticket in hand, your status automatically changes. You can now call yourself
the employee of certain government office or certain official’s secretary. You can call
yourself so-and-so or so-and-so’s father. You can either keep your original name or have it
changed. In short, you must temporarily break off relations with your old self. The funniest
thing is when you try to pass for a soldier of a certain army unit, you must not only have
your name changed, but also wear a grey-cloth cotton-padded army uniform with a leather
belt around your waist. All that kills my idea of soliciting help or seeking personal
connections. I disdain to go humbly begging for a job even when I am starving, let alone to
go asking for other people’s help in getting me a mere ticket. Neither is it necessary for me
to go to all that trouble, nor should I bother other people for that matter. Going around is
hard in the city of
on a bus. It would really be too much for me to go about for the ticket every day. As to the
temporary divorce from my old self and the concealing of my identity, I hate to usurp all
those designations though other people may think otherwise. I’m neither a government
employee, nor a secretary, nor so-and-so, nor so-and-so’s father. I am myself. I am just an
ordinary man with no urge to do better, so I hate to change places with anybody else,
whether for a while or for good. To change places just for the sake of a trip would make
me feel like being deprived. Wouldn’t it be sinful for me to wear the grey-cloth
cotton-padded army uniform for nothing more than making a single trip? Though many
other people violate the taboo, I for my part cannot bear to do the same. This again is the
impractical view of a bookish person.
It was with this impractical view that I decided to take a wooden boat. It is absolutely
true that a wooden boat cannot compare with a steamer, much less an airplane. But there is
no need for soliciting help or seeking personal connections, nor the need for the so-called
“black” ticket. All you need to do is contact the transport company, or go direct to the
wharf to look for a wooden boat. Once you have located it, you will know what the fare is
from
less. I find the wooden boat super in this respect. I am saved the humiliation of begging for
help or the need of confronting the nasty look on somebody’s face. I can travel with my
true identity. This is something quite beyond the majority of those travelling by steamer or
aircraft. I am proud of it.
After I had made up my mind, two friends of mine, in spite of the difficult boat journey
all the way from Li Jia Tuo and Bai Bin respectively, came to dissuade me from taking
the wooden boat out of concern and respect for me. They enumerated various reasons
against my decision as well as various possible mishaps, advising me in the end to
re-consider the matter. I felt very grateful to them, and of course refrained from showing
any reluctance to re-consider the matter. By way of allaying their anxiety, I said jokingly,
“A good guy always enjoys Heaven’s protection.” Now, the subsequence news of my
safe arrival in Hankou must have set their mind at rest.
注释:
叶圣陶（1894-1988）原名叶绍钧，江苏苏州人，现代文学家，教育家。《我坐了木船》一文
以平淡的口吻叙述他在抗战胜利后乘木船从重庆到汉口的一番经历，对当时的黑暗社会作了无情的鞭挞。
(1)“还有盗匪”译为To complicate matters, there are bandits lurking around，其中To complicate
matters是为承上启下而添加的成分。又，lurking around作“潜伏”解，也是添加成分，原文虽无其字，而有其意。
(2)“无奈何只好出此下策”译为have been reduced to the disreputable business as a last resort，
其中disreputable business（不体面的行当）指“下策”。又，reduced to 意即“被逼从事……”；
as a last resort意即“作为最后一着”。
(3)“异常难处的事儿”译为I’ll be in a real fix, 其中in a fix是成语，作“陷入困境”或“尴尬”解。
(4)“川江”即“四川段的长江”，故译为the Sichuan section of the Yangtse River。
(5)“要绝对避免危险就莫做人”译为“Enjoying absolute safety is humanly impossible，其中
humanly意即“从从做人的角度看”。
(6)“要坐轮船坐飞机，自然也有办法”译为It stands to reason that I can go by steamer or aircraft
if I care to，其中It stands to reason是成语，意即“当然”。
(7)“付出超过定额的钱，力有不及，心有不甘”译为to pay more than the regular price for a “black” ticket, which I can ill afford and which I disdain to do。“心有不甘”意即“不屑一干”，故译disdain to do。
(8)“你买黑票，无异同作敝，赞助越出常轨”译为Buying a “black” ticket is as good as getting
involved in a fraud or an illegal practice, 其中as good as 是成语，作“实际上等于”或“与……几乎一样”解。
(9)“书生之见”译为the pedantic view of a bookish person，其中pedantic view意同impractical
view，作“不现实的观点”解。
(10) “在传达室恭候，在会客室恭候”译为You may be kept cooling your heels in a janitor’s office or a reception room before an interview is granted，其中cooling your heels是成语，作“长等”、“空等”解。
(11) “跑了不知多少趟，总算有眉目了”译为After making you don’t knowhow many visits, there eventually appear signs of positive outcome，其中you don’t know how是是插入语，修饰many。
(12)“最有味的是冒充什么部的士兵”译为The funniest thing is when you try to pass for a soldier of certain army unit，其中to pass for作“冒充”解。
(13)“为了走一趟路才穿上那套衣服，岂不亵渎了那套衣服？”译为Wouldn’t it be sinful for me to wear the grey-cloth cotton-padded army uniform for nothing more than making a single trip?“亵渎”原作“轻慢”、“冒失”解，用在此处略带讽刺口气，意为“做了不该做的事”，故译为sinful。
(14)“每块钱花得明明白白”意即“该花多少就花多少”或“每块钱都花得值得”，故译为
every dollar is paid for what it is worth。
(15)“我觉得木船好极了”译为I find the wooden boat super in this respect，其中super相当于
fantastic或wonderful。
背 影
朱自清
我与父亲不相见已二年余了，我最不能忘记的是他的背影。那年冬天，祖母死了，
父亲的差使也交卸了，正是祸不单行的日子，我从北京到徐州，打算跟着父亲奔丧回
家。到了徐州见着父亲，看见满院狼藉的东西，又想起祖母，不禁簌簌地流下眼泪。
父亲说：“事已如此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路！”
回家○1变卖典质，父亲还了亏空；又借了钱办了丧事。这些日子，家中光景很是
惨淡，一半为了丧事，一半为了父亲的赋闲○2
。丧事完毕，父亲要到南京谋事，我也
要回到北京念书，我们便同行。
到南京时，有朋友约去游逛，勾留了一日；第二日上午便须渡江到浦口，下午上
车北去。父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房○3陪我同去。他
再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。但他终于不放心，怕茶房不妥贴，颇踌躇了一会。其实那
年我已二十岁，北京来往过两三次，是没有甚么要紧的了。他踌躇了一会，终于决定
还是自己送我去。我两三回劝他不必去○4；他只说，“不要紧，他们去不好○5！”
我们过了江，进了车站。我买票，他忙着照看行李。行李太多了，得向脚夫行些
小费○6，才可过去。他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。我那时真是太聪明过分○7，总觉得他
说话不大漂亮○8，非得自己插嘴不可。但他终于讲定了价钱；就送我上车。他给我拣
定了靠车门的一张椅子；我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺好坐位。他嘱我路上小心，夜里
要警醒些，不要受凉。又嘱托茶房好好照应我。我心里暗笑他的迂○9；他们只认得钱，
托他们直是白托！而且我这样大年纪的人，难道还不能料理自己吗？唉，我现在想想，
那时真是太聪明了10！
我说道，“爸爸，你走吧。”他望车外看了看，说，“我买几个橘子去。你就在
此地，不要走动。”我看那边月台的栅栏外有几个卖东西的的等着顾客。走到那边月
台，须穿过铁道，须跳下去又爬上去。父亲是一个胖子，走过去自然要费些事。我本
来要去的，他不肯，只好让他去。我看见他戴着黑布小帽。穿着黑布大马褂11，深青
布棉袍，蹒跚在走到铁道边，慢慢探身下去，尚不大难。可是他穿过铁道，要爬上那
边月台，就不容易了。他用两手攀着上面，两脚再向上缩；他肥胖的身子向左微倾，
显出努力的样子。这时我看见他的的背影，我眼泪很快地流下来了。我赶紧拭干了泪，
怕他看见，也怕别人看见。我再向外看时，他已抱了朱红的橘子往回走了。过铁道时，
他先将橘子散放在地上，自己慢慢爬下，再抱起橘子走。到这边时，我赶紧去搀他。
他和我走到车上，将橘子一股脑儿放在我的皮大衣上。于是扑扑衣上泥土，心里很轻
松似的，过了一会说，“我走了；到那边来信！”我望着他走出去。他走了几步，回
过头看见我，说，“进去吧，里边没人12。”等他的背影混入来来往往的人里，再找
不着了，我便进来坐下，我的眼泪又来了。
近几年来，父亲和我都是东奔西走13，家中的光景是一日不如一日。他少年出外
谋生，独力支持，做了许多大事。那知老境却如此颓唐！他触目伤怀，自然不能自己
14。情郁于中，自然要发之于外；家庭琐屑便往往触他之怒。他待我渐渐不同往日15。
但最近两年的不见，他终于忘却我的不好，只是惦记着我，惦记着我的儿子。我北来
后，他写了一信给我，信中说道，“我身体平安，惟膀子疼痛利害，举箸提笔，诸多
不便，大约大去16之期不远矣。”我读到此处，在晶莹的泪光中，又看见那肥胖的，
青布马褂的背影。唉！我不知何时再能与他相见！
The Sight of Father’s Back
Zhu Ziqing
It is more than two years since I last saw father, and what I can never forget is the
sight of his back. Misfortunes never come singly. In the winter of more than two years
ago, grandma died and father lost his job. I left
hastening home to attend grandma’s funeral. When I met father in
disorderly mess in his courtyard and the though of grandma started tears trickling down my
cheeks. Father said, “Now that things’ve come to such a pass, it’s no use crying.
Fortunately, Heaven always leaves one a way out.”
After arriving home in
He also borrowed money to meet the funeral expenses. Between grandma’s funeral and
father’s unemployment, our family was then in reduced circumstances. After the funeral
was over, father was to go to
study, so we started out together.
I spent the first day in
and was ferrying across the
train for
see me off at the railway station, but would ask a hotel waiter that he knew to accompany
me there instead. He urged the waiter again and again to take good care of me, but still did
not quite trust him. He hesitated for quite a while about what to do. As a matter of fact,
nothing would matter at all because I was then twenty and had already travelled on
Beijing-Pukou Railway a couple of times. After some wavering, he finally decided that he
himself would accompany me to the station. I repeatedly tried to talk him out of it, but he
only said, “Never mind! It won’t do to trust guys like those hotel boys!”
We entered the railway station after crossing the River. While I was at the booking
office buying a ticket, father saw to my luggage. There was quite a bit of luggage and he
had to bargain with the porter over the fee. I was then such a smart aleck that I frowned
upon the way father was haggling and was on the verge of chipping in a few words when
the bargain was finally clinched. Getting on the train with me, he picked me a seat close to
the carriage door. I spread on the seat the brownish fur-lined overcoat he had got tailor
made for me. He told me to be watchful on the way and be careful not to catch cold at
night. he also asked the train attendants to take good care of me. I sniggered at father for
being so impractical, for it was utterly useless to entrust me to those attendants, who cared
for nothing but money. Besides, it was certainly no problem for a person of my age to look
after himself. Oh, when I come to think of it, I can see how smarty I was in those days!
I said, “Dad, you might leave now.” But he looked out of window and said, “I’m
going to buy you some tangerines. You just stay here. Don’t move around.” I caught sight
of several vendors waiting for customers outside the railings beyond a platform. But to
reach that platform would require crossing the railway track and doing some climbing up
and down. That would be a strenuous job for father, who was fat. I wanted to do all that
myself, but he stopped me, so I could do nothing but let him go. I watched him hobble
towards the railway track in his black skullcap, black cloth mandarin jacket and dark blue
cotton-padded cloth long gown. He had little trouble climbing down the railway track, but
it was a lot more difficult for him to climb up that platform after crossing the railway track.
His hands held onto the upper part of the platform, his legs huddled up and his corpulent
body tipped slightly towards the left, obviously making an enormous exertion. While I was
watching him from behind, tears gushed from my eyes. I quickly wiped them away lest he
or others should catch me crying. The next moment when I looked out of the window again,
father was already on the way back, holding bright red tangerines in both hands. In
crossing the railway track, he first put the tangerines on the ground, climbed down slowly
and then picked them up again. When he came near the train, I hurried out to help him by
the hand. After boarding the train with me, he laid all the tangerines on my overcoat, and
patting the dirt off his clothes, he looked somewhat relieved and said after a while, “I must
be going now. Don’t forget to write me from
of the carriage. After a few steps, he looked back at me and said, “go back to your seat.
Don’t leave your things alone.” I, however, did not go back to my seat until his figure was
lost among crowds of people hurrying to and fro and no longer visible. My eyes were again
wet with tears.
In recent years, both father and I have been living an unsettled life, and the
circumstances of our family going from bad to worse. Father left home to seek a livelihood
when young and did achieve quite a few things all on his own. To think that he should now
be so downcast in old age! The discouraging state of affairs filled him with an
uncontrollable feeling of deep sorrow, and his pent-up emotion had to find a vent. That is
why even mere domestic trivialities would often make him angry, and meanwhile he
became less and less nice with me. However, the separation of the last two years has made
him more forgiving towards me. He keeps thinking about me and my son. After I arrived in
arm. I even have trouble using chopsticks or writing brushes. Perhaps it won’t be long now
before I depart this life.” Through the glistening tears which these words had brought to
my eyes I again saw the back of father’s corpulent form in the dark blue cotton-padded
cloth long gown and the black cloth mandarin jacket. Oh, how I long to see him again.
注释:
《背影》是朱自清（1898-1948）影响最大的抒情名篇之一，写于1925年10月。作者用的提炼的口语，文笔秀丽，细腻缜密，读来有一种亲切婉转、娓娓动听的感觉。但它的巨大艺术魅力主要来自它饱含的真挚感情。
(1)“回家”指作者和父亲一起从徐州回扬州奔丧。英译时有必要交代清楚扬州是他们的老家，所以采用加字法：After arriving home in Yangzhou。
(2)“一半为了丧事，一半为了父亲的赋闲”译为Between Grandma’s funeral and father’s
unemployment，其中Between…and…等于What with …and (what with)…，作“半因……，半因……”或“由于……的共同影响“解。
(3)“茶房”旧时指旅馆、餐馆、轮船等内的服务员，可译为waiter、attendant、boy等。
(4)“我两三回劝他不必去”译为I repeatedly tried to talk him out of it，比I repeatedly tried to
dissuade him from accompanying me to the station通俗简洁。
(5)“他们去不好”中的“他们”指“茶房”，全句意译为It won’t do to trust guys like those hotel
boys。如直译为It won’t do to let one of the hotel boys go with you，也无不可，但未能把“对茶房缺乏信任感”的意思表达出来。
(6)“小费”在这里不指按规定价格付费之外另给的“赏金”，不能用tip表达，现译为fee。
(7)“我那时真是聪明过分”中的“聪明”是反话，现全句译为I was then such a smart aleck，
其中smart aleck意即“自以为是的人”或“自以为样样懂的人”。
(8)“总觉得他说话不大漂亮”意即嫌父亲不会讲价钱，现全句译为I frowned upon the way
father was haggling，其中frowned upon作“表示不赞同”解。
(9)“迂”在这里作“不切实际”或“没有见识”解，现结合上下文译为impractical。
(10)“那时真是太聪明了”也是反语，现译为how smarty I was in those days，其中smarty和
smart aleck同义。
(11)“马褂”为旧时男子穿在长袍外的对襟短褂，通常译为mandarin jacket。
(12)“里边没人”不宜按字面直译，现译为Don’t leave your things alone。
(13)“父亲和我都是东奔西走”不宜按字面直译，现意译为both father and I have been living an
unsettled life。
(14)“他触目伤怀，自然情不能自己”意即“他看到家庭败落，情不自禁为之悲伤”，现译
为The discouraging state of affairs filled him with an uncontrollable feeling of deep sorrow。
(15)“他待我渐渐不同往日”意即“他待我渐渐不如过去那么好”，故译为he became less and
less nice with me。
(16)“大去”为旧时用语，意即“与世长辞”，现译为depart this life。
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？
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?
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。
木匠老陈(1)
巴金
生活的经验固然会叫人忘记许多事情(2)。但是有些记忆过了多少时间的磨洗(3)也
不会消灭。
故乡里那些房屋，那些街道至今还印在我的脑子里。我还记得我每天到学堂去总
要走过的木匠老陈的铺子。
木匠老陈那时不过四十岁光景，脸长的像驴子脸，左眼下面有块伤疤，嘴唇上略
有几根胡须。大家都说他的相貌丑，但是同时人人称赞他的脾气好。
他平日在店里。但是他也经常到相熟的公馆里去做活(4)，或者做包工，或者做零
工(5)。我们家里需要木匠的时候，总是去找他。我就在这时候认识他。他在我们家里
做活，我只要有空，就跑去看他工作。
我那时注意的，并不是他本人，倒是他的那些工具；什么有轮齿的锯子啦，有两
个耳朵的刨子啦，会旋转的钻子啦，像图画里板斧一般的斧子啦。这些奇怪的东西我
以前全没有看见过。一块粗糙的木头经过了斧子劈，锯子锯，刨子刨，就变成了一方
或者一条光滑整齐的木板，再经过钻子、凿子等等工具以后，又变成了各种各样的东
西(6)；像美丽的窗格，镂花的壁板等等细致的物件，都是这样制成的。
老陈和他的徒弟的工作使我的眼界宽了不少(7)。那时我还在家里读书，祖父聘请
了一位前清的老秀才来管教我们。老秀才不知道教授的方法，他只教我们认一些字，
呆板地读一些书。此外他就把我们关在书房里，端端正正地坐(8)在凳子上，让时间白
白地流过去。过惯了这种单调的生活以后，无怪乎我特别喜欢老陈了。
老陈常常弯着腰，拿了尺子和墨线盒在木板上面画什么东西。我便安静地站在旁
边专心地望着，连眼珠也不转一下。他画好墨线，便拿起锯子或者凿子来。我有时候
觉得有些地方很奇怪，不明白，就问他，他很和气地对我一一说明。他的态度比那个
老秀才的好得多(9)。
家里人看见我对老陈的工作感到这么大的兴趣，并不来干涉我，却嘲笑地唤我做
老陈的徒弟，父亲甚至开玩笑地说要把我送到老陈那里学做木匠。但这些嘲笑都是好
意的，父亲的确喜欢我。因此有一个时候我居然相信父亲真有这样的想法，而且我对
老陈说过要跟他学做木匠的话。
“你要学做木匠？真笑话！有钱的少爷应该读书，将来好做官！穷人的小孩才做
木匠，”老陈听见我的话，马上就笑起来。
“为什么不该学做木匠？做官有什么好？修房子，做家具，才有趣啊！我做木匠，
我要给自己修房子，爬到上面去，爬得高高的，”我看见他不相信我的话，把它只当
做小孩子的胡说(10)，我有些生气，就起劲地争论道。
“爬得高，会跌下来，”老陈随口说了这一句，他的笑容渐渐地收起来了。
“跌下来，你骗我！我就没有见过木匠跌下来。”
老陈看我一眼，依旧温和地说：“做木匠修房子，常常拿自己性命来拼。一个不当心在上面滑了脚，跌下来，不跌成肉酱，也会得一辈子的残疾。”他说到这里就埋
下头，用力在木板上推他的刨子，木板查查地响着，一卷一卷的刨花接连落在地上。
他过了半晌又加了一句：“我爹就是这样子跌死的。”
我不相信他的话。一个人会活活地跌死！我没有看见过，也没有听见人说过。既
然他父亲做木匠跌死了，为什么他现在还做木匠呢？我简直想不通。
“你骗我，我不信！那么你为什么还要做木匠？难道你就不怕死！”
“做木匠的人这样多，不见得个个都遭横死。我学的是这行手艺，不靠它吃饭又
靠什么？“他苦恼地说。然后他抬起头来看我，他的眼角上嵌着泪珠。他哭了！
我看见他流眼泪，不知道怎么办才好，就跑开了。
不久祖父生病死了，我也进了学堂，不再受那个老秀才的管束了。祖父死后木匠
老陈不曾到我们家里来过。但是我每天到学堂去都要经过他那个小小的铺子。
有时候他在店里招呼我；有时候他不在，只有一两个徒弟在那里钉凳子或者制造
别的对象。他的店起初还能维持下去，但是不久省城里发生了巷战，一连打了三天，
然后那两位军阀因为别人的调解又握手言欢了。老陈的店在这个时候遭到“丘八”的
光顾，他的一点点积蓄都给抢光了，只剩下一个空铺子(11)。这以后他虽然勉强开店，
生意却很萧条。我常常看见他哭丧着脸在店里做工。他的精神颓丧，但是他仍然不停
手地做活。我听说他晚上时常到小酒馆里喝酒。
又过了几个月他的店终于关了门。我也就看不见他的踪迹了。有人说他去吃粮当
了兵(12)，有人说他到外县谋生去了。然而有一天我在街上碰见了他。他手里提着一
个篮子，里面装了几件木匠用的工具。
“老陈，你还在省城！人家说你吃粮去了(13)！”我快活地大声叫起来。
“我只会做木匠，我就只会做木匠！一个人应该安分守己，”他摇摇头微微笑道，
他的笑容里带了一点悲哀。他没有什么大改变，只是人瘦了些，脸黑了些，衣服脏了
些。
“少爷，你好好读书，你将来做了官，我来给你修房子，”他继续笑说。
我抓住他的袖子，再也说不出一句话来。他告辞走了。他还告诉我他在他从前一
个徒弟的店里帮忙。这个徒弟如今发达了，他却在那里做一个匠人。
以后我就没有再看见老陈。我虽然喜欢他，但是过了不几天我又把他忘记了。等
到公馆里的轿夫告诉我一个消息的时候，我才记起他来。
那个轿夫报告的是什么消息呢？
他告诉我：老陈同别的木匠一起在南门一家大公馆里修楼房(14)，工程快要完了，
但是不晓得怎样，老陈竟然从楼上跌下来，跌死了。
在那么多的木匠里面，偏偏是他跟着他父亲落进了横死的命运圈里。这似乎是偶
然，似乎又不是偶然。总之，一个安分守己的人就这样地消灭了(15)。
Carpenter Lao Chen
Ba Jin
Lots of things are apt to fade from memory as one’s life experiences accumulate. But
some memories will withstand the wear and tear of time.
Those houses and streets in my home town still remain engraved on my mind. I still
can recall how every day on my way to school I would invariably walk past Carpenter Lao
Chen’s shop.
Carpenter Lao Chen was then only about forty years old, with a longish face like that
of a donkey, a scar under his left eye, and a wispy moustache on his upper lip. People said
he looked ugly, yet they praised him for his good temper.
He usually worked in his own shop. But from time to time he was employed by some
rich people he knew well to work at their residences, either as a hired hand on contract or
as an oddjobber. Whenever my family needed a carpenter, he was always the man we
wanted. That was how I got to know him. While he was in our home, I would come out to
watch him work in my spare time.
What attracted my attention, however, was not the man himself, but the tools he used,
such as the saw with toothed blade, the plane with two ear-like handles, the revolving drill
– things entirely strange to me. A piece of coarse wood, after being processed with the
hatchet, saw and plane, would become pieces of smooth and tidy wood, square or
rectangular in shape. After further treatment with the chisel, drill, etc., they would end up
as various kinds of exquisite articles, such as beautiful window lattices, ornamental
engravings on wooden partitions.
The work which Lao Chen and his apprentices did was a real eye-opener to me. I was
then studying at home under the tutorship of an old scholar of Qing Dynasty whom my
grandfather had engaged. The ild scholar knew nothing about teaching methods. All he did
was make me learn some Chinese characters and do some dull reading. Apart from that, he
had me cooped up in my study and sit bolt upright doing nothing while time was slipping
through my fingers. Because of this monotonous life, it was no wonder that I developed a
particular liking for Carpenter Lao Chen.
He was often bent over drawing something on a plank with a ruler and an ink marker.
And I would stand by and watch quietly and intently, my eyes riveted on him. After
making the line with the ink marker, he would pick up the saw or the chisel. Sometimes,
when something puzzled me, I would ask him questions out of curiosity, and he would
explain patiently everything in detail. He was much more agreeable than the old scholar.
My folks, however, showed no sign of disapproval when they found me so much
interested in Lao Chen’s work, but only teasingly called me an apprentice of his. Father
even said jokingly that he was going to apprentice me to Lao Chen. All that was the well-
meaning remarks of an affectionate father. Once I even believed that father had meant
what he said, and I even told Lao Chen that that was exactly what I had in mind.
“You want to learn carpentry?” said Lao Chen immediately with a smile. “No kidding!
A wealthy young master like you should study and grow up to be a government official!
Only poor people’s kids learn carpentry.”
Somewhat annoyed by the c=way he shrugged off my words as childish nonsense, I
argued heatedly, “Why not become a carpenter? What’s the good of being a government
official? It’s great fun to build houses and make furniture. If I’m a carpenter, I’ll climb
high up, very high up, to build a house for myself.”
“You may fall down if you climb high,” said he casually, the smile on his face fading
away.
“Fall down? You’re fooling me! I’ve never seen a carpenter fall down.”
Shooting a glance at me, he continued with undiminished patience.
“A carpenter often has to risk his own life in building a house. One careless slip, and
you fall down. You’ll be disabled for life, if not reduced to pulp.”
Thereupon, he bent his head and forcefully pushed his plane over a plank, the
shavings of which fell continuously onto the ground amidst the screeching sound. Then he
added after a moment’s silence.
“That’s how my father died.”
I just could not bring myself to believe it. How could a man die like that? I had never
seen it happen, nor had I ever heard of it. If his father had died of an accident as a carpenter,
why should Lao Chen himself still be carpenter now? I just couldn’t figure it out.
“You’re fooling me. I don’t believe you! How come you’re still a carpenter? Can you
be unafraid of death?”
“Lots of guys are in this trade,” he went on gloomily. “it doesn’t follow that
everybody meets with such a violent death. Carpentry is my trade. What else could I rely
on to make a living?”
He looked up at me, some teardrops visible from the corners of his eyes. He was
crying!
I was at a loss when I saw him in tears, so I went away quietly.
Not long afterwards. My grandpa fell ill and died, and I was enrolled in a school, on
longer under the control of the old scholar. Lao Chen never came again to work in our
household after grandpa’s death. But every day on my way to school, I would pass his
small shop.
Sometimes he beckoned me from his shop. Sometimes he was absent, leaving a
couple of his apprentices there hammering nails into a stool or making some other articles.
At first, he could somehow scrape along. Soon street fighting broke out in the provincial
capital, lasting three days until the dispute between two warlords was settled through the
mediation of third party. In the course of fighting, soldiers looted Lao Chen’s shop until it
was empty of everything. After that, nevertheless, he still managed to keep his shop open
though business was bad. I often saw him working in his shop with a saddened look on his
face. Dejected as he was, he worked on as usual. I heard that he often went drinking at a
small wine shop in the evening.
Several months later, his shop closed down for good and I lost all trace of him. Some
said he had gone soldiering, others said he had gone to another county to seek a livelihood.
One day, however, I ran into him in the street. He was carrying a basket filled with some
carpenter’s tools.
“Lao Chen,” I yelled out in joy, “you’re still here in the provincial capital! People say
you’re joined up!”
“I’m good at noting else but carpentry! One should be content with one’s lot,” he
shook his head, wearing a faint smile with a touch of sorrow. There was not much change
in him except that he was thinner, his face darker and his clothes more dirty.
“Young master,” he continued smilingly,” “you should study hard. Let me build a
house for you come day when you’re a government official.”
I took hold of his sleeve, unable to utter a word. He said goodbye to me and went
away. He had told me that he was now working at the shop of former apprentice of his.
The apprentice was doing quiet well while Lao Chen was now his hired hand.
Thenceforth I never saw Lao Chen again. Much as I liked him, I soon forgot him. It
was not until the sedan-chair bearer of a rich household passed on me the news that I
remembered him again.
What news did the sedan-chair bearer tell me?
He told me: tighter with other carpenters, was building a mansion for a rich household
at the southern city gate. When it was nearing completion, it suddenly came to pass that he
fell off building and died.
Why did Lao Chen, of all carpenters, die such a violent death like his father? All that
seems accidental, and also seems predestined. In short, an honest man has thus passed out
of existence.
注释：
巴金（1903- ）的《木匠老陈》写于1934年，后编入他的散文集《生之忏悔》。这是一篇
传记体的回忆性文章，充满浓郁的抒情色彩，对旧时淳朴的劳动大众的苦难深表同情。
(1)“木匠老陈”译为Carpenter Lao Chen，其中Carpenter为称号化名词，故在前面不加任何
冠词。这是现代英语中的常见用法。
(2)“生活的经验……叫人忘记许多事情”意即“随着生活经历的积累，许多往事，难免给忘了”，故译为Lots of things are apt to fade from memory as one’s life experiences accumulate。
(3)“时间的磨洗”意即“岁月的腐蚀”，现译为the wear and tear of time，其中wear and tear
是英语成语，作“磨损”（loss and damage resulting from use）。
(4)“他……到相熟的公馆里去做活”中的“公馆”指“大户”、“有钱人家”，故全句译为
he was employed by some rich people he knew well to work at their residences。
(5)“包工”指“按合同合同操作”，“零工”指“不按合同操作”，故两者按上下文分别译
为a hired hand on contract和an odd-jobber。
(6)“又变成各种各样（细致）的东西”译为would end up as various kinds of exquisite articles，
其中end up是成语，作“最终成为”解。这里使用它是为了避免重复前句中的become一词。
(7)“……使我的眼界宽了不少”译为……was a real eye-opener to me，其中eye-opener作“使
人大开眼界的事物”(something every surprising, from which one learners something unknown before)解，通常和revelation意相近。
(8)“端端正正地坐……”译为sit bolt upright…，其中bolt upright 是常用搭配，bolt可与to sit或to stand等连用，作“笔直”解。此句也可译为sit very straight…。
(9)“他的态度比那个老秀才的好多了”中的“好”的意思是“令人愉快”或“易于相处”，
故全句译为He was much more agreeable than the old scholar，其中agreeable意即“易于相处”
（pleasant或likable）。
(10)“……不相信我的话，把它当作小孩子的胡说”译为……shrugged off my words as childish
nonsense，其中shrugged off是英语成语，本作“耸肩对……表示不屑理睬”解，现指“不当一回事”，与to ignore意同。
(11)“老陈的店……遭到‘丘八’的光顾，他的一点点积蓄都给抢光了，只剩下一个空铺子”
中的“丘八”为旧时对士兵的轻蔑称呼，现全句译为soldiers looted Lao Chen’s shop until it was empty of everything，其中until一词的意思不是“直到……为止”，而是“以至于”（to the point that / so that finally / and at last）。
(12)“有人说他去吃粮当了兵”中的“吃粮”旧时和“当兵”同义，现全句译为Some said he
had gone soldering即可。
(13)“人家说你吃粮去了！”译为People say you’ve joined up，其中to join up为成语，意同
to join the army。
(14)“在……一家大公馆修楼房”译为was building a mansion for a rich household，其中mansion
的意思是“大楼”（a large house，usually belonging to a wealthy person）。如按字面把“楼房”
译为a large multi-storied house未尝不可，但欠简练。
(15)“总之，一个安分守己的人就这样地消灭了”一句带有“惋惜”、“同情”的口气，故
译为In short, an honest man has thus passed out of existence，其中has thus passed out of existence 似比has thus perished确切。
朋 友
巴金
这一次的旅行使我更了解一个名词的意义，这个名词就是：朋友。
七八天以前我曾对一个初次见面的朋友说：“在朋友们面前我只感到惭愧(1)。你
们待我太好了，我简直没法报答你们。”这并不是谦虚的客气话，这是真的事实。说
过这些话，我第二天就离开了那个朋友，并不知道以后还有没有机会再看见他。但是
他给我的那一点点温暖至今还使我的心颤动(2)。
我的生命大概不会很长久罢。然而在短促的过去的回顾中却有一盏明灯，照彻了
我的灵魂的黑暗，使我的生存有一点光彩。这盏灯就是就友情。我应该感谢它，因为
靠了它我才能够活到现在；而且把旧家庭给我留下的阴影扫除了的也正是它。
世间有不少的人为了家庭抛弃朋友，至少也会在家庭和朋友之间划一个界限，把
家庭看得比朋友重过若干倍。这似乎是很自然的事情。我也曾亲眼看见一些人结婚以
后就离开朋友，离开事业。……
朋友是暂时的，家庭是永久的。在好些人的行为里我发见了这个信条。这个信条
在我实在是不可理解的。对于我，要是没有朋友，我现在会变成怎样可怜的东西，我
自己也不知道(3)。
然而朋友们把我救了。他们给了我家庭所不能给的东西。他们的友爱，他们的帮
助，他们的鼓励，几次把我从深渊的边沿救回来。他们对我表示了无限的慷慨(4)。
我的生活曾经是悲苦的，黑暗的。然而朋友们把多量的同情，多量的爱，多量的
欢乐，多量的眼泪分了给我，这些东西都是生存所必需的。这些不要报答的慷慨的施
舍，使我的生活里也有了温暖，有了幸福(5)。我默默地接受了它们。我并不曾说一句
感激的话，我也没有做过一件报答的行为。但是朋友们却不把自私的形容词加到我的
身上。对于我，他们太慷慨了(6)。
这一次我走了许多新地方，看见了许多新朋友。我的生活是忙碌的：忙着看，忙
着听，忙着说，忙着走。但是我不曾遇到一点困难，朋友们给我准备好了一切，使我
不会缺少什么。我每走到一个新地方，我就像回到我那个在上海被日本兵毁掉的旧居
一样。 每一个朋友，不管他自己的生活是怎样苦，怎样简单，也要慷慨地分一些东西给
我，虽然明知道我不能够报答他。有些朋友，连他们的名字我以前也不知道，他们却
关心我的健康，处处打听我的“病况”，直到他们看见了我那被日光晒黑了的脸和膀
子，他们才放心地微笑了，这种情形的确值得人掉泪。
有人相信我不写文章就不能够生活。两个月以前，一个同情我的上海朋友寄稿到
《广州民国日报》的副刊，说了许多关于我的生活的话。他也说我一天不写文章第二
天就没有饭吃(7)。这是不确实的。这次旅行就给我证明；即使我不再写一个字，朋友
们也不肯让我冻馁。世间还有许多慷慨的人，他们并不把自己个人和家庭看得异常重
要，超过一切。靠了他们我才能够活到现在，而且靠了他们我还要活下去。
朋友们给我的东西是太多、太多了(8)。我将怎样报答他们呢？但是我知道他们是不需要报答的。
最近我在一个法国哲学家的书里读到了这样的话：“生命的一个条件就是消
费……世间有一种不能跟生存分开的慷慨，要是没有了它，我们就会死，就会从内部
干枯。我们必须开花。道德，无私心就是人生的花。”
在我的眼前开放着这么多的人生的花朵了。我的生命要到什么时候才会开花？难
道我已经是“内部干枯”了吗？
一个朋友说过：“我若是灯，我就要用我的光明来照彻黑暗。”
我不配做一盏明灯。那么就让我做一块木柴罢。我愿意把我从太阳那里受到的热
放散出来，我愿意把自己烧得粉身碎骨给人间添一点点温暖。
Friends
Ba Jin
On my recent travels, I came to realize still more fully the significance of the word
“friend”.
Seven or eight days ago, I said to a friend whom I had just come to know, “I can’t
help feeling embarrassed before my friends. You’re all so nice to me. I simply don’t know
how to repay your kindness.” I did not make this remark out of mere modesty and courtesy.
I truly meant what I said. The next day, I said goodbye to this friend, not knowing if I
could ever see him again. But the little warmth that he gave me has been keeping my heart
throbbing with gratitude.
The length of my days will not be unlimited. However, whenever I look back on my
brief past life, I find a beacon illuminating my soul and thereby lending a little brightness
to my being. That beacon is friendship. I should be grateful to it because it has helped me
keep alive up to now and clear away the shadow left on me by my old family.
Many people forsake their friends in favour of their own families, or at least draw a
line of demarcation between families and friends, considering the former to be many times
more important than the latter. That seems to be a matter of course. I have also seen with
my own eyes how some people abandon their friends as well as their own careers soon
after they get married…
Friends are transient whereas family are lasting—that is the tenet, as I know, guiding
the behaviour of many people. To me, that is utterly inconceivable. Without friends, I
would have been reduced to I don’t know what a miserable creature.
Friends are my saviours. They give me things which it is beyond my family to give
me. Thanks to their fraternal love, assistance and encouragement, I have time and again
been saved from falling into an abyss while on its verge. They have been enormously
generous towards me.
There was a time when my life was miserable and gloomy. My friends then gave me
in large quantities sympathy, love, joy and tears—things essential for existence. It is due to
their bountiful free gifts that I also have my share of warmth and happiness in my life. I
accepted their kindnesses quietly without ever saying a word of thanks and without ever
doing anything in return. In spite of that, my friends never used the epithet “self-centered”
when referred to me. They are only too generous towards me.
I visited many new places and met new friends on my recent trip. My time was mostly
taken up by looking around, listening, talking and walking. But I never ran into any trouble
because my friends had done their utmost to make sure that I would be short of nothing.
Whatever new places I called at, I always felt at home as if I were back in my old residence
in Shanghai which had been already been raged to the ground by Japanese troops.
No matter how hard up and frugal my friends themselves were, they would
unstintingly share with me whatever they had, although they knew I would not be able to
repay them for their kindness. Some, whom I did not even know by name, showed concern
over my health and went about inquiring after me. It was not until they saw my suntanned
face and arms that they began to smile a smile of relief. All that was enough to move one
to tears.
Some people believe that, without writing, I would lose my livelihood. One of my
sympathizers, in an article published two months ago in the Guangzhou Republic Daily
Supplement, gives a full account of the conditions of my life. He also says that I would
have nothing to live on once I should lay down my pen. That is not true at all. It has
already been proved by recent travels that my friends would never let me suffer from cold
and hunger even if I should go without writing a single word. There are a great many
kind-hearted people in the world who never attach undue importance to themselves and
their own families and who never place themselves and their families above anything else.
It is owing to them that I still survive and shall continue to survive for a long time to come.
I owe my friends many, many kindnesses. How can I repay them? But, I understand,
they don’t need me to do that.
Recently I came across the following words in a book by a French philosopher:
One condition of life is consumption… Survival in this world is
inseparable from generosity, without which we would perish and
become dried-up from within. We must put forth flowers. Moral
integrity and unselfishness are the flowers of life.
Now so many flowers of life are in full bloom before my eyes. When can my life put
forth flowers? Am I already dried-up from within?
A friend of mine says, “If I were a lamp, I would illuminate darkness with my light.”
I, however, don’t qualify for a bright lamp. Let me be a piece of firewood instead. I’ll
radiate the heat that I have absorbed from the sun. I’ll burn myself to ashes to provide this
human world with a little warmth.
注释：
本文是巴金1933年6月写于广州的一篇旅途随笔，赞颂了人间友情之可贵。
(1)“在朋友面前我只感到惭愧”中的“惭愧”的意思是“不好意思”，不作“羞愧”解，因
此不宜按字面译为ashamed等。可译为embarrassed 或ill at ease等。
(2)“使我的心颤动”译为Keeping my heart throbbing with gratitude，其中with gratitude是添
加成分，原文虽无其字而有其意。
(3)“我现在会变成怎样可怜的东西，我自己也不知道“译为I would have been reduced to I don’t know what a miserable creature，其中I don’t know作插入语用。
(4)“无限的慷慨”译为enormously generous，其中enormously作extremely或exceedingly解，属强化修饰词（intensifying adjective）。
(5)“这些不要报答的慷慨施舍，使我的生活里也有了温暖，有了幸福”译为It is due to their
bountiful free gifts that I also have my share of warmth and happiness in my life，其中bountiful的意思是“慷慨”或“大量”；my share of 作“我（也有）的一份”解，用以表达原文中“也”的内涵。
(6)“太慷慨”译为only too generous，其中only too是成语，作very或all too解。
(7)“一天不写文章第二天就没有饭吃”中的“一天……第二天就……”在译文中用连接词
once即可表达。又“没有饭吃”不宜按字面直译，现意译为have nothing to live on。
(8)“朋友给我的东西是太多、太多了”中的“东西”主要指“帮助”，侧重在精神方面，虽
然也可译为things，但在此不如kindnesses (= kind acts)更为贴切。
梦
巴金
据说“至人(1)无梦”。幸而我只是一个平庸的人。
我有我的梦中世界，在那里我常常见到你。
昨夜又见到你那慈祥的笑容了
还是在我们那个老家，在你的房间里，在我的房间里(2)，你亲切地对我讲话。你
笑，我也笑。
还是成都的那些旧街道，我跟着你一步一步地走过平坦的石板路，我望着你的背
影，心里安慰地想：父亲还很康健呢。一种幸福的感觉使我的全身发热了。
我那时不会知道我是在梦中，也忘记了二十五年来的艰苦日子。
在戏园里，我坐在你旁边，看台上的武戏(3)，你还详细地给我解释剧中情节。
我变成二十几年前的孩子了。我高兴，我没有挂虑地微笑(4)，我不假思索地随口
讲话。我想不道我在很短的时间以后就会失掉你，失掉这一切。
然而睁开眼睛，我只是一个人，四周就只有滴滴的雨声。房里是一片黑暗。
没有笑，没有话语。只有雨声：滴——滴——滴。
我用力把眼睛睁大，我撩开蚊帐，我在漆黑的空间中找寻你影子。
但是从两扇开着的小窗，慢慢地透进来灰白色的亮光，使我的眼睛看见了这个空
阔的房间。
没有你，没有你的微笑。有的是寂寞、单调。雨一直滴——滴地下着。
我唤你，没有回应。我侧耳倾听，没有脚声。我静下来，我的心怦怦地跳动。我
听见自己的心的声音。
我的心在走路，它慢慢地走过了二十五年，一直到这个夜晚。
我于是闭了嘴，我知道你不会再站到我的面前。二十五年前我失掉了你。我从无
父的孩子已经长成一个中年人了。
雨声继续着，长夜在滴滴声中进行(5)。我的心感到无比的寂寞。怎么，是屋漏么？
我的脸颊湿了。
小时候我有一个愿望：我愿在你的庇荫下(6)做一世的孩子。现在只有让梦来满足
这个愿望了。
至少在梦里，我可以见到你，我高兴，我没有挂虑地微笑，我不假思索地随口讲
话。 为了这个，我应该感谢梦。
Dream
Ba Jin
It is said that “a virtuous man seldom dream”. Fortunately, I am but an ordinary man.
I dream my own dream, in which I often meet you.
Last night I again saw your kindly smiling face.
It was the same old home of ours. You talked to me cordially now in your room, now
in my room. You smiled and I also smiled.
It was the same old streets of Chengdu. I followed you step by step on the smooth
flagstones. Looking at you from behind, I inwardly consoled myself with the thought that
father was still hale and hearty. A sensation of blissfulness warmed me up all over.
I was unaware that I was in a dream. I also forgot the hardships I had gone through
during the past 25 years.
While I sat beside you inside a theater watching the fighting scenes of Peking opera,
you explained its story to me in great detail.
I was again the small kid of 25 years before. I was joyful, I smiles, I chattered away
freely. I did not have the slightest inkling that you together with everything else would in a
moment vanish out of sight.
When I opened my eyes, I found that I was all by myself and nothing was heard
except the pit-a-pat of rain drops.
No more smile, no more chitchat. Only the drip drip drip of rain.
Forcing my eyes to open wider and drawing aside the mosquito net, I began to search
for you in the pitch darkness.
A greyish light, nevertheless, edged in through two small windows to enable me to
see the spacious room.
You and your smile were no more. Only loneliness and monotony remained. The rain
kept pitter-pattering.
I called to you, but no response. I listened attentively, but heard no footsteps. I quieted
down, my heart beating hard. I could hear its thumping.
My heart had been tramping along all the time. Up to now, it had been on its slow
journey for 25 years.
Thereupon I kept my mouth shut. I knew you would never appear standing before me.
I had lost you 25 years before. Since then, I had grown from a fatherless child into a
middle-aged man.
The rain continued to fall. The long night wore on amidst its dripping sound. I was
seized with acute loneliness. Well, was the roof leaking? Or was it my tears that had wetted
my cheeks?
When I was young, I wished I could remain a kid forever under your wing. Now I can
fulfil this wish only in my dreams.
There in a dream, I can at least come face to face with you. I can be happy, I can
smile naive smiles, I can chatter away freely.
For all this, I should be thankful to my dreams.
注释:
《梦》是巴金写于1941年8月3日的一篇优美散文，后编入他的散文集《龙·虎·狗》中。
(1)“至人”在古代反映思想道德达到最高境界的人，现译为a virtuous man。也可译为a man
of the highest virtue或a man of moral integrity等。
(2)“在你的房间里，在我的房间里”意即“一回儿在你的房间里，一回儿在我的房间里”，
故译为You talked to me now in your room, now in my room。
(3)“武戏”指京剧中的武打场面，英译时应在the fighting scents后面加上of a Peking opera。
(4)“没有挂虑地微笑”意即“天真的微笑”，故译为smiled na.ve smiles。
(5)“长夜在滴滴声中进行”有时间过得很慢，很沉闷的含义。现全句译为The long night wore
on amidst its dripping sound，其中to wear on是英语成语，用来指时间“缓缓消逝”或“慢慢地挨
过”。
(6)“在你的庇荫下”译为under your wing，是英语成语，意同under your protection and care。
《激流》总序(1)
巴金
几年前我流了眼泪读完托尔斯泰小说《复活》，曾经在扉页上写了一句话：“生
活本身就是一个悲剧。”
事实并不是这样。生活并不是一个悲剧。它是一个“搏斗”。我们生活来做什么？
或者说我们为什么要有这生命？罗曼·罗兰的回答是“为的是来征服它” (2)。我认为
他说得不错。
我有了生命以来，在这个世界上虽然仅仅经历了二十几个寒暑，但是这短短的时
期也并不是白白度过的。这其间我也曾看见了不少的东西，知道了不少的事情。我的
周围是无边的黑暗(3)，但是我并不孤独，并不绝望。我无论在什么地方总看见那一股
生活的激流在动荡，在创造它自己的道路，通过乱山碎石中间。
这激流永远动荡着，并不曾有一个时候停止过，而且它也不能够停止；没有什么
东西可以阻止它。在它的途中，它也曾发射出种种的水花，这里面有爱，有恨，有欢
乐，也有痛苦。这一切造成了奔腾的一股激流，具有排山之势(4)，向着唯一的海流去。
这唯一的海是什么，而且什么时候它才可以流到这海里，就没有人确定地知道了。
我跟所有其余的人一样，生活在这世界上，是为着来征服生活。我也曾参加在这
个“搏斗”里面。我有我的爱，有我的根，有我的欢乐，也有我的痛苦。但是我并没
有失去我的信仰：对于生活的信仰。我的生活还不会结束，我也不知道的在前面还有
什么时候东西等着我(5)。然而我对于将来的却也有一点概念。因为过去并不是一个沉
默的哑子，它会告诉我们一些事情。
在这里我所要展开给读者看的乃是过去十多年生活的一幅图画。自然这里只有生
活的一小部分，但已经可以看见那一股由爱与恨、欢乐与受苦所组织成的生活的激流
是如何地在动荡了。我不是一个说教者，所以我不能够明确地指出一条路来，但是读
者自己可以在里面去找它。
有人说过，路本没有，因为走的人多了，便成了一条路。又有人说路是有的，正
因为有了路才有许多人走。谁是谁非，我不想判断。我还年轻，我还要活下去，我还
要征服生活。我知道生活的激流是不会停止的，且看它把我载到什么地方去！
Preface to the Torrent Trilogy
Ba Jin
Several years ago, after I finished reading Leo Tolstoy’s Resurrection with tears in
my eyes, I wrote on its title page, “Life itself is a tragedy”.
However, that is not how things are, for life is not a tragedy, but a “struggle”. What
do we live for? Or why do we live this life at all? The answer given by Romain Rolland is
“to conquer life”. I think he is right.
Ever since I was born, I have passed no more than twenty odd summers in this world,
but this short period of time has not been spent for nothing at all. I have since seen a lot of
things and come to know a lot of things. Though it is all darkness around me, I have never
felt lonely, nor have I ever given up hope. Everywhere I go, I always see the torrent of life
tumbling along to open up its way through a confused mass of mountains and rocks.
This torrent is always surging ahead; it has never stopped for a single moment and
will never stop. Nothing whatever can hold it up. While on its way, it sometimes throws
clouds of spray into the air embodying love and hate, and happiness and sorrow. All that
makes up the tumultuous torrent rushing with terrific force towards the only sea. No one
knows for sure what that only sea is and when the torrent is going to empty into it.
Like everybody else, I live in this world for the purpose of conquering life. I have also
taken part in the “struggle”. I have my own love and hate, and happiness and sorrow. But I
have never lost my faith—a faith in life. There is still some way to go before my life runs
out, and I do not know what the future has in store for me. Nevertheless, I am not without
some idea of what the future is like because the past, being no silent mute, will give me
some hint.
What I unfold here in the Trilogy before my readers is a picture of life of the past ten
odd years. Of course it reflects only a small section of life, but enough, however, to afford
a glimpse of the turbulent torrent of life with its love and hate, happiness and sorrow. I am
no religious preacher, so I cannot point out a definite way out. Readers may here find a
way out for themselves.
Some say that there is at first no road at all and that a road is created simply by the
treading of passers-by. Others say that there is at first already a road available before more
and more people come to walk on it. I do not want to judge who are right or who are wrong.
I am still young, I want to live on, I want to conquer life. I know the torrent of life will
never stop. Let’s see where is it going to carry me!
注释：
这篇散文是作者为自己创作的小说《激流三部曲》（《家》、《春》、《秋》）所写的序。
(1) 标题译为Preface to the Torrent Trilogy，其中Trilogy是译者增添的词，用来说明文章是“三部曲”的“总”序。
(2) “为的是来征服它”引自罗曼·罗兰关于法国大革命的剧本《爱与死的搏斗》。
(3) “无边的黑暗”译为all darkness，其中all作complete解，是常见的搭配。
(4) “具有排山之势”不宜直译。现译意为with terrific force，其中terrific作very great解。
(5) “我也不知道在前面还有什么东西等到着我”译为and I do not know what the future has in
store for me，其中短语in store for作waiting或about to happen解。
做一个战士
巴金
一个年轻的朋友写信问我：“应该做一个什么样的人？”我回答他：“做一个战
士。”
另一个朋友问我：“怎样对付生活？(1)”我仍旧答道：“做一个战士。”
《战士颂》的作者曾经写过这样的话：
“我激荡在这绵绵不息、滂沱四方的生命洪流中，我就应该追逐这洪流，而且追
过它，自己去造更广、更深的洪流。”
“我如果是一盏灯，这灯的用处便是照彻那多量黑暗。我如果是海潮，便要鼓起
波涛(2)去洗涤海边一切陈腐的积物。”
这一段话很恰当地写出了战士的心情(3)。
在这个时代，战士是最需要的。但是这样的战士并不一定要持枪上战场。他的武
器还可以是知识、信仰和坚强的意志。他并不一定要流仇敌的血，却能更有把握地致
敌人的死命(4)。
战士是永远追求光明的。他并不躺在晴空下享受阳光(5)，却在暗认夜里燃起火炬，
给人们照亮道路，使他们走向黎明(6)。驱散黑暗，这是战士的任务。他不躲避黑暗，
却要面对黑暗，跟躲藏在阴影里的魑魅、魍魉搏斗。他要消灭它们而取得光明。战士
是不知道妥协的。他得不到光明便不会停止战斗。
战士是永远年轻的，他不犹豫，不休息。他深入人丛中，找寻苍蝇、毒蚊等等危
害人类的东西(7)。他不断地攻击它们，不肯与它们共同生存在一个天空下面。对于战
士，生活就是不停的战斗。他不是取得光明而生存，便是带着满身伤痕而死去。在战
斗中力量只有增长，信仰只有加强。在战斗中给战士指路的是“未来”，“未来”给
人以希望和鼓舞。战士永远不会失去青春的活力。
战士是不知道灰心与绝望的。他甚至在失败的废墟上，还要堆起破碎的砖石重建
九级宝塔。任何打击都不能击破战士的意志。只有在死的时候他才闭上眼睛。
战士是不知道畏缩的。他的脚步很坚定。他看定目标，便一直向前走去。他不怕
被绊脚石摔倒，没有一种障碍能使他改变心思。假象绝不能迷住战士的眼睛，支配战
士的行动的是信仰。他能够忍受一切艰难、痛苦，而达到他所选择的目标。除非他死，
人不能使他放弃工作。
这便是我们现在需要的战士。这样的战士并不一定具有超人的能力(8)。他是一个
平凡的人。每个人都可以做战士，只要他有决心。所以我用“做一个战士”的话来激
励那些在彷徨、苦闷中的年轻朋友。
Be a Fighter
Ba jin
A young friend of mine asked me in a letter, “What kind of man should I be? My
answer was, “Be a fighter.”
Another friend of mine inquired, “How should I live my life?” Again my answer was,
“Be a fighter.”
The author of In Praise of the Fighter says:
Riding on the ceaseless rushing torrent of life, I should pursue and overtake it so as to
create an even greater and deeper torrent of my own.
If I were a lamp, it would be my duty to light up thick darkness. If I were the sea tide, I
would marshal rolling waves to cleanse the beach of all accumulated filth.
This quotation reflects aptly the state of mind of a fighter.
Fighters are badly needed in our time. But such fighters do not necessarily go to the
battlefield gun in hand. Their weapons are not necessarily bullets. Their weapons may be
knowledge, faith and strong will. They can bring the enemy sure death without drawing his
blood.
A fighter is always in pursuit of light. Instead of basking in the sunshine under a clear
sky, he holds a burning torch in the darkness of night to illuminate people’s way so that
they can continue their journey till they see the dawn of a new day. It is the task of a
fighter to dispel darkness. Instead of shirking darkness, he braves it and fights the hidden
demons and monsters therein. He is determined to wipe them out and win light. He knows
no compromise. He will keep on fighting until he wins light.
A fighter is perennially young. He is never irresolute or inactive. He plunges deep into
teeming crowds in search of such vermin as flies and venomous mosquitoes. He will flight
them relentlessly and refuse to coexist with them under the same sky. To him, life means
nothing but continuous fighting. He either survives by winning light, or perishes with his
body covered all over with cuts and bruises. Fighting just serves to increase his stamina
and strengthen his faith. In the course of the struggle, it is the “future” that serves as the
beacon light to him; the “future” gives people hope and inspiration. He will never lose his
youthful vigour.
A fighter will never lose heart or despair. He will pile up broken pieces of brick and
stone to rebuilt a nine-story pagoda on the ruins of failure. No blows will ever break his
will. He will never close his eyes until he has breathed his last.
A fighter is always fearless. His steps are firm. Once he has settled on an objective, he
will press right ahead. He is never afraid of being tripped by a stumbling block. No
obstacles will ever make him change his mind. His eyes will never be hoodwinked by false
appearances. His actions are guided by faith. He can endure any hardships or sufferings
while striving to attain his chosen objective. He will never abandon work as long as he is
alive.
This is the kind of fighter we now need. He is not necessarily possessed of
superhuman capability. He is just an ordinary person. Anyone can be fighter so long as he
has the determination. Hence a few words of mine about “being a fighter” to encourage
those young people who wander about in a depressed state, not knowing which way to go.
注释：
《做一个战士》写于1938年，时值抗战初期，文章表达了作者自己的高昂思想情怀和对青
年们的殷切期望。
(1)“怎样对付生活？”意即“怎样生活？”，故译为How should I live my life?
(2)“鼓起波涛”中的“鼓起”意即“集结”或“动员”，因此“鼓起波涛”译为marshal rolling
waves。
(3)“战士的心情”译为the state of mind of a fighter或the frame of mind of a fighter均可。
(4)“并不一定要流仇敌的血，却能更有把握地致敌人的死命”译为can bring the enemy sure
death without drawing his blood，其中the enemy在指“敌军”、“敌国”、“敌对势力”时是集
合名词（collective noun），动词用复数或单数均可。“仇敌的血”可译为his blood、their blood
或its blood。
(5)“躺在晴空下享受阳光”译为basking in the sunshine under a clear sky，其中basking除作
“取暖”解外，并有“舒适”、“享受”的含义。
(6)“走向黎明”译为continue their journey till they see the dawn of new day, 其中see和of a new
day均为添加成份，用以烘托原意。
(7)“危害人类的东西”译为vermin，为复数，本指老鼠、虱子等害虫，意同pests。
(8)“具有超人的能力”译为is…possessed of superhuman capability，其中possessed of为惯用
搭配，与in possession of 或having同义。
笑
冰心
雨声渐渐的住了，窗帘后隐隐的透进清光来。推开窗户一看，呀！凉云散了，树
叶上的残滴，映着月儿，好似萤光千点(1)，闪闪烁烁的动着。——真没想到苦雨孤灯
之后，会有这么一幅清美的图画(2)！
凭窗站了一会儿，微微的觉得凉意侵入。转过身来，忽然眼花缭乱，屋子里的别
的东西，都隐在光云里；一片幽辉，只浸着墙上画中的安琪儿(3)。——这白衣安琪儿，
抱着花儿，扬着翅儿，向着我微微的笑。
“这笑容仿佛在那儿看见过似的，什么时候，我曾……”我不知不觉的便坐在窗
口下想，——默默的想。
严闭的心幕，慢慢的拉开了，涌出五年前的一个印象。——一条很长的古道。驴
脚下的泥，兀自滑滑的。田沟里的水，潺潺的流着。近村的绿树，都笼在湿烟里。弓
儿似的新月，挂在树梢(4)。一边走着，似乎道旁有一个孩子，抱着一堆灿白的东西。
驴儿过去了，无意中回头一看。——他抱着花儿，赤着脚儿，向着我微微的笑。
“这笑容又仿佛是那儿看过似的！”我仍是想——默默的想(5)。
又现出一重心幕来，也慢慢的拉开了，涌出十年前的一个印象。——茅檐下的雨
水，一滴一滴的落到衣上来。土阶边的水泡儿(6)，泛来泛去的乱转。门前的麦垅和葡
萄架子，都濯得新黄嫩绿的非常鲜丽。——一会儿好容易雨情了，连忙走下坡去。迎
头看见月儿从海面上来了，猛然记得有件东西忘下了，站住了，回过头来。这茅屋里
的老妇人——她倚着门儿，抱着花儿，向着我微微的笑。
这同样微妙的神情，好似游丝一般，飘飘漾漾的合了拢来，绾在一起。
这时心下光明澄静，如登仙界(7)，如归故乡。眼前浮现的三个笑容，一时融化在
爱的调和里看不分明了。
Smile
Bing Xin
As the rain gradually ceased to patter, a glimmer of light began to filter into the room
through the window curtain. I opened the window and looked out. Ah, the rain clouds had
vanished and the remaining raindrops on the tree leaves glistened tremulously under the
moonlight like myriads of fireflies. To think that there should appear before my eyes such
a beautiful sight after the miserable rain on a lonely evening.
Standing at the window for a while, I felt a bit chilly. As I turned round, my eyes
suddenly dazzled before the bright light and could not see things distinctly. Everything in
the room was blurred by a haze of light except the angel in a picture on the wall. The angel
in white was smiling on me with a bunch of flowers in his arms, his wings flapping.
“I seem to have seen the same smile before. When was that? ...” Before I knew, I had
sunk into a chair under the window, lost in meditation.
A scene of five years ago slowly unveiled before my mind’s eye. It was a long ancient
country road. The ground under my donkey’s feet was slippery with mud. The water in the
field ditches was murmuring. The green trees in the neighbouring village were shrouded in
a mist. The crescent new moon looked as if hanging on the tips of the trees. As I passed
along, I somewhat sensed the presence of a child by the roadside carrying something snow
white in his arms. After the donkey had gone by, I happened to look back and saw the child.
Who was barefoot, looking at me smilingly with a bunch of flowers in his arms.
“I seem to have seen the same smile somewhere before!” I was still thinking to
myself.
Another scene, a scene of ten years ago, slowly unfolded before my mind’s eyes.
Rainwater was falling drop by drop onto my clothes from the eaves of a thatched cottage.
Beside the earthen doorstep, bubbles in puddles of rainwater were whirling about like mad.
Washed by the rain, the wheat fields and grape trellises in front of the cottage door
presented a picturesque scene of vivid yellow and tender green. After a while, it cleared up
at long last and I hurried down the slope. Up ahead I saw the moon rising high above the
sea. Suddenly it occurred to me that I had left something behind. When I stopped and
turned round, my eyes fell on an old woman at her cottage door smiling at me, a bunch of
flowers in her arms.
The three subtle smiles, drifting in the air towards each other like gossamer, became
interwoven.
At this moment all was bright, clear and clam in my heart. I felt as if I were ascending
to heaven or on the way back to my hometown. In my mind’s eye, the three smiling faces
now merged into a harmonious whole of love and became indistinguishable.
注释：
本文是冰心（1900-1999）的早期成名之作，于1921年1月发表在《小说月报》第一期上。
冰心的散文以秀丽典雅、纯真无邪著称。她早期信奉“爱的哲学”，泛泛宇宙中的一切，尤其是对母亲、儿童和自然美的爱。《笑》正体现了她的这种思想。她讴歌超现实的“爱”，也就是对当时社会的黑暗和污浊的不满和失望。
(1)“萤光千点”译为myriads of fireflies，比thousands of fireflies更切近美文（belles letters）。
(2)“真没想到……！”译为To think that…!是英语惯用语句型，以感叹的语气表达某种想不
到的事。
(3)“安琪儿”即“天使”，是 angel一词的音译。天使为西方教堂所崇奉，其形象常为带翅
膀的男性小孩。
(4)“弓儿似的新月，挂在树梢”译为The crescent new moon looked as if hanging on the tips of the trees，其中looked as if是增加的成分，变隐喻为明喻。
(5)“我仍是想——默默的想”译为I was still thinking to myself。To think to oneself 是英语习
惯用语，作“一个人暗自在想”解。
(6)“水泡儿”指雨水坑中的水泡儿，故译为bubbles in puddles of rainwater，其中in puddles of
rainwater原文中虽无其词，但却有其意
(7)“仙界”指“极乐世界”，也可译为the land of the divine。现译为heaven，较简洁。
雨雪时候的星辰(1)
冰心
寒暑表降到冰点下十八度的时候，我们也是在廊下睡觉。每夜最熟识的就是天上
的星辰了。也不过只是点点闪烁的光明，而相看惯了，偶然不见，也有些想望与无聊
(2)。 连夜雨雪，一点星光都看不见(3)。荷和我(4)拥衾对坐，在廊子的两角，遥遥谈话。
荷指着说(5)：“你看维纳斯（Venus）升起来了！”我抬头望时(6)，却是山路转
折处(7)的路灯。我怡然一笑，也指着对山的一星灯火说：“那边是丘比特（Jupiter）
呢！”
愈指愈多。松林中射来零乱的风灯，都成了满天星宿。真的，雪花隙里，看不出
天空和森林的界限，将繁灯当作繁星，简直是抵得过(8)。
一念至诚的将假作真，灯光似乎都从地上飘起。这幻成的星光，都不移动，不必
半夜梦醒时，再去追寻它们的位置。
于是雨雪寂寞之夜，也有了慰安了。
Stars on a Snowy Night
Bing Xin
The thermometer had dropped to 18 degrees below zero, but we still chose to sleep in
the porch as usual. In the evening, the most familiar sight to me would be stars in the sky.
Though they were a mere sprinkle of twinkling dots, yet I had become so accustomed to
them that their occasional absence would bring me loneliness and ennui.
It had been snowing all night, not a single star in sight. My roommate and I , each
wrapped in a quilt, were seated far apart in a different corner of the porch, facing each
other and chatting away.
She exclaimed pointing to something afar, “Look, Venus is rising!” I looked up and
saw nothing but a lamp round the bend in a mountain path. I beamed and said pointing to a
tiny lamplight on the opposite mountain, “It’s Jupiter over there!”
More and more lights came into sight as we kept pointing here and there. Lights from
hurricane lamps flickering about in the pine forest created the scene of a star-studded sky.
With the distinction between sky and forest obscured by snowflakes, the numerous
lamp-lights now easily passed for as many stars.
Completely lost in make-believe world, I seemed to see all the lamplights drifting
from the ground. With the illusory stars hanging still overhead, I was spared the effort of
tracing their positions when I woke up from my dreams in the dead of night.
Thus I found consolation even on a lonely snowy night.
注释：
《雨雪时候的星辰》是冰心的早期抒情散文，文章赞美自然，想象精细，文笔清新，充满诗
情画意。
(1)题目《雨雪时候的星辰》译为Stars on a Snowy Night。“雨雪”作“下雪”解，“雨”在
此是动词，读音为yù。
(2)“无聊”译为ennui，是英语常用文学语言，意即a feeling of boredom caused by a lack of
excitement or activity。
(3)“一点儿星光都看不见”译为not a single star in sight，是句中独立主格，和not a single star
being in sight同。又译文用s押头韵，night和sight押脚韵，有音韵美。
(4)“荷和我……”译为My roommate and I …，其中用My roommate（同寝之友）代替专门
名词He（荷），以免外国读者把He误解为男性第三人称的代词。
(5)“荷指着说……”不宜死译为She said pointing her finger at…，因为英语to point one’s finger
at…有“指责”的含义。
(6)“我抬头望时”不宜逐字死译为I raised my head to take a look。译为I looked up即可。
(7)“山路转折处”译为round the bend in a mountain path。注意bend后面跟介词in，属于习
惯用法。
(8)“将繁灯当作繁星，简直是抵得过”译为the numerous lamplights now easily passed for as
many stars，其中短语to pass for的意思是“被看作”、“被当作”等。
我的父母之乡
冰心
清晓的江头(1)，
白雾茫茫；
是江南天气(2)，
雨儿来了——
我只知道有蔚蓝的海，
却原来还有碧绿的江，
这是我父母之乡！
繁星156(3)
福建福州永远是我的故乡，虽然我不在那里生长，但它是我的父母之乡！
到今日为止，我这一生中只回去过两次。第一次是一九一一年，是在冬季。从严
冷枯黄的北方归来(4)，看到展现在我眼前的青山碧水(5)，红花绿叶，使我惊讶而欢喜！
我觉得我的生命的风帆，已从蔚蓝的海，驶进了碧绿的江。这天我们在闽江口从大船
下到小船，驶到大桥头，来接我们的伯父堂兄们把我们包围了起来，他们用乡音和我
的父母热烈地交谈。我的五岁的大弟弟悄悄地用山东话问我说：“他们怎么都会说福
州话？”因为从来在我们姐弟心里，福州话是最难懂难说的！
这以后的一年多时间里，我们就过起了福州城市的生活。新年、元宵、端午、中
秋……岁时节日，吃的玩的都是十分丰富而有趣。特别是灯节，那时我们家住在南后
街，那里是灯市的街，元宵前后，“花市灯如昼”，灯影下人流潮涌，那光明绚丽的
情景就说不尽了(6)。
第二次回去，是在一九五六年，也是在冬季。那时还没有鹰厦铁路，我们人大代
表团是从江西坐汽车进去的。一路上红土公路，道滑如拭(7)，我还没有看见过土铺的
公路，维修得这样平整的！这次我不但到了福州，还到了漳州、泉州、厦门、鼓浪屿……
那是祖国的南疆了。在厦门前线(8)，我还从望远镜里看见了金门岛上的行人和牛，看
得很清楚……
回忆中的情景很多，在此就不一一描写了。总之，我很喜欢我的父母之乡。那边
是南国风光，山是青的，水是绿的，小溪流更是清可见底！院里四季都有花开。水果
是从枇杷、荔枝、龙眼，一直吃到福桔！对一个孩子来说，还有什么比这个更惬意的
呢？
我在故乡走的地方不多，但古迹、侨乡，到处可见，福建华侨，遍于天下(9)。我
所到过的亚、非、欧、美各国都见到辛苦创业(10)的福建侨民，握手之余，情溢言表。
在他们家里、店里，吃着福州菜，喝着茉莉花茶，使我觉得作为一个福建人是四海都有家的。 我的父母之乡是可爱的。有人从故乡来(11)，或是有朋友新近到福建去过，我都
向他们问起福建的近况。他们说：福建比起二十多年前来，进步得不可辨认了。最近
呢，农业科学化了，又在植树造林(12)，山岭田地更加郁郁葱葱了。他们都动员我回
去看看，我又何尝不想呢(13)？不但我想，在全世界的天涯海角，更不知有多少人在
想！我愿和故乡的人，以及普天下的福建侨民，一同在精神和物质文明方面，把故乡
建设得更美好(14)！
The Land of My Ancestors
Bing Xin
The River mouth at dawn,
Behind a white haze of mist,
‘Tis southern climes,
Behold, the rain is coming.
I have seen the blue sea all along,
Little aware of this green River,
O the land of my ancestors!
--Sparkling Stars, 156
Fuzhou of Fujian Province will always be my old home. Though I was brought up
elsewhere, Fuzhou is nevertheless the land of my ancestors!
As yet, I have been back to Fuzhou no more than twice in my lifetime. I made the first
tripe in the winter of 1911. Returned from the bitter cold North with its drab and dried up
vegetation, I was amazed and delighted when greeted by the charming scenery of sapphire
mountains and emerald rivers as well as red flowers and green leaves. I felt the sailing boat
of my life steering its way into the green River after leaving the blue sea behind. At the
Minjiang River, we changed from the big ship to a small boat, which took us to Daqiaotou
(Big Bridge), where we were met by Uncle and cousins. They gathered round us and talked
warmly with my parents in the local dialect. Thereupon, my 5-year-old younger brother
whispered in my ear with a Shandong accent, “How come they can all speak the Fuzhou
dialect?” We had both thought that the Fuzhou dialect was indeed most difficult for anyone
to learn.
From then on, we lived an urban life for more than a year in Fuzhou. During such
festivals as Lunar New Year, Lantern, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn, we all celebrated the
festivities with plenty of food and fun. Particular mention, however, should be made of the
Lantern Festival when Nanhoujie, the street known for its lantern fair and also the street
where we lived, became as bright as broad daylight at night with myriads of lanterns and
streams of spectators. The splendor and magnificence of the scene is beyond all
description.
I made the second visit in 1956, also in winter. As the Yingtan_Xiamen Railway had
not yet been built, the NPC delegation, with myself as a member, had to go from Jiangxi
Province by car. The highway from Jiangxi to Fuzhou, paved with red soil, was as smooth
as a mirror. It was the most level soil-paved highway I had ever seen. This time I visited
not only Fuzhou, but also Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen and Gulangyu—the southern
frontiers of our country. At the Xiamen seaside, I could see clearly through a telescope
pedestrians and cows on the Quemoy Islands.
My experiences of this trip, however, are too numerous to be recounted one by one
here. Anyway, I deeply love Fuzhou, my ancestral home. Over there we have the typical
southern scenery with blue mountains, green waters, limpid books…! There in the
courtyard we can always see some kind of flowers in full bloom throughout the year.
Fruits ranging from loquats, lichees, longans to tangerines are in plenty. Is there anything
more palatable to a little child than these fruits?
I did not visit all the local attractions in Fuzhou. Everywhere we could find historical
relics as well as villages and towns inhabited by relatives of overseas Chinese. Fujianese
expatriates are found all over the world. They have mostly started from scratch by the
sweat of their brow. When I met some of them on my visits to Asian, African European
and American countries, they all expressed warm feeling towards me while shaking my
hands. As I ate Fuzhou food and sipped jasmine tea in their homes or shops, I felt that
being a Fujianese, I could make myself at home wherever I travelled in the world.
My ancestral home is so endearing. Whenever I meet somebody hailing from Fuzhou
or a friend who has recently been there, I always inquire of them about the present
conditions of Fujian. They all tell me that compared with two decades ago, Fujian has
made so much progress that it is now almost beyond recognition. Recently I have learned
that people there have gone in for scientific farming and afforestation so that green and
luxuriant vegetation has appeared on all mountains and fields. People have been advising
me to pay another visit to my old home. Yes, I am more than eager to do so. And so are my
numerous fellow townsmen in all corners of the world. I hope that together with all the
people in my home town as well as all overseas Chinese from Fujian, I can do my bit to
make a still better place of my ancestral home, both materially and culturally.
注释：
冰心出生后不久就远离故乡福州，以后只回去过两次。她这篇短文写于1982年3月29日，
以轻倩的笔调，抒写有关故乡和童年的回忆，并对当时故乡的建设表达了深切的关怀。
(1)“江头”指闽江入海处，故译the River mouth。
(2)“江南天气”译为southern climes，其中climes是英语诗歌用语，常用复数，意同climate。
(3)《繁星》是冰心1923年出版的第一诗集，收小诗凡164首。现将《繁星》译为Sparkling Stars。
(4)“从严冷枯黄的北方归来”译为Returned from the bitter cold North with its drab and dried up
vegetation，其中Returned是不及物动词return的过去分词，在此作形容词。又vegetation是译文中的添加成分，作“草木”、“植被”解。
(5)“青山碧水”译为sapphire mountains and emerald rivers，其中sapphire和emerald均为实
颜色词，原意分别为“蓝宝石”和“绿宝石”。译文用这两个实物词是为增加修辞效果。
(6)“就说不尽了”意即“就难以形容了”，故译为beyond description，为英语成语。
(7)“道滑如拭”意即“道路平坦”，译为The highway…was as smooth as a mirror，其中mirror
为英语常用有关比喻。
(8)“在厦门前线”译为At the Xianmen seaside，其中用seaside代替frontline，是为便于国外
读者理解。
(9)“福建华侨，遍于天下”译为Fujianese expatriates are found all over the world，其中expatriates
的意思是“移居国外者”、“离乡背井者”。此句也可译为Overseas Chinese from Fujian。
(10)“辛苦创业”译为have started from scratch by the sweat of their brow，其中to start from
scratch和by the sweat of one’s brow均为英语成语，分别作“白手起家”和“靠自己辛勤劳动”解。
(11)“有人从故乡来”也可译为somebody who has come from Fuzhou，但不如somebody hailing
from Fuzhou简洁，其中to hail作“来自”解。
(12)“农业科学化了，又在植树造林”译为people there have gone in for scientific farming and
afforestation，其中to go in for是成语，作“致力于”、“从事于”解，在译文中是添加成分，原文虽无其词，而有其意。
(13)“我何尝不想呢“译为Yes，I am more than eager to do so，其中more than作very或extremely解。
(14)“把故乡建设得更美好”译为do my bit to make a still better place of my ancestral home，
其中to do one’s bit为成语，作“尽自己一份力量”、“作一份贡献”解，在译文中是添加成分，原文虽无其词，而有其意。
祖父和灯火管制(1)
冰心
一九一一年秋，我们从山东烟台回到福州老家去。在还乡的路上，母亲和父亲一
再嘱咐我(2)，“回到福州住在大家庭里，不能再像野孩子(3)似的，一切都要小心。对
长辈们不能没大没小的。祖父是一家之主，尤其要尊敬……”
到了福州，在大家庭里住了下来，我觉得我在归途中的担心是多余的。祖父、伯
父母、叔父母(4)和堂姐妹兄弟(5)，都没有把我当作野孩子，大家也都很亲昵平等，并
没有什么“规矩”。我还觉得我们这个大家庭是几个小家庭的很松散的组合(6)。每个
小家庭都是各住各个的，各吃各的，各自有自己的亲戚朋友，比如说，我们就各自有
自己的“外婆家(7)”！
就在这一年，也许是第二年吧，福州有了电灯公司。我们这所大房子里也安上了
电灯，这在福州也是一件新鲜事，我们这班孩子跟着安装的工人们满房子跑，非常地
兴奋欢喜！我记得这电灯是从房顶上吊下来的，每间屋子都有一盏，厅堂上和客室里
的五十支光，卧房里的光小一些，厨房里的就更小了。我们这所大房子里至少也五六
十盏灯，第一夜亮起来时，真是灯火辉煌，我们孩子们都拍手欢呼！
但是总电门是安在祖父的屋里的。祖父起得很早也睡得很早(8)，每晚九点钟就上
床了。他上床之前，就把电闸关上，于是整个大家庭就是黑沉沉的一片！
我们刚回老家(9)，父母亲和他们的兄弟妯娌(10)都有许多别情要叙，我们一班弟兄
姐妹，也在一起玩得正起劲(11)，都很少在晚九点以前睡的。为了防备(12)这骤然的黑
暗，于是每晚在九点以前，每个小家庭都在一两间屋里，点上一盏捻得很暗的煤油灯。
一到九点，电灯一下子都灭了，这几盏煤油灯便都捻亮了，大家相视而笑，又都在灯
下谈笑玩耍。只有在这个时候，我才体会到我们这个大家庭是一个整体，而祖父是一
家之主！
Grandpa and Nightly Blackout
Bing Xin
In the autumn of 1911, we returned from Yantai of Shandong Province to our native
place Fuzhou. While on the way, my parents warned me again and again, “Since we’ll be
living in a big family in Fuzhou, remember always to behave properly and never act like a
naughty child. Show respect for your elders, particularly your grandpa, who is head of the
family…”
After settling down in the big family in Fuzhou, however, I found that my previous
worries on the way turned out to be unfounded. My grandpa, uncles, aunties and cousins
never thought me a naughty child. We treated each other lovingly and equally. There never
existed anything like “family rules of good behaviour”. I also found that the big family was
a loose community of several smaller ones, which lived and ate separately. They each had
their own relatives and friends, for example, their own in-laws.
That year, or the year after, Fuzhou began to have its own power company and
electric lights were to be installed in our big house too. That was something new in our
home town. We kids, wild with excitement and joy, ran here and there in the house at the
heels of the electricians. Each room, I remember, had an electric lamp hanging from the
ceiling. The drawing room had a 50-watt bulb; the bedrooms each a lower-wattage one; the
kitchens each an even-lower-wattage one. The whole big house at least had a total of some
60 electric lamps. The first evening when they were turn on, the whole house was suddenly
ablaze with lights, we kids clapped with joy.
The master switch was fixed in grandpa’s room. Grandpa, who kept early hours,
would switch off all the lights when he went to bed at 9 o’clock in the evening, thus
plunging the whole big house into deep darkness.
Having just set foot in our old home, we seldom slept before 9 o’clock in the evening.
For it was but natural that after the long separation, my parents enjoyed hearty chats about
the old days with their brothers and in-laws, and we kids of the younger generation played
about together to our heart’s content. Hence, in anticipation of the sudden blackout at 9
o’clock, each small family would get a dimly-lit kerosene lamp ready in a couple of their
rooms. No sooner had the big house been blacked out on the hour than we turned up the
wicks of all the kerosene lamps. And, looking and smiling at each other, we would
continue to chat and play merrily by the light of the kerosene lamps.
It was then that I realized what a complete whole our big family was, with grandpa as
its head.
注释：
本文写于1982年7月22日，是冰心回忆故乡和童年的一篇深情佳作。文章娓娓述来，形象
地再现了童年时代家乡生活片断。
(1)“灯火管制”本指战时防空停电，作者用它指每夜定时关灯，有些俏皮。译文结合文章内容增添Nightly一词。在英语中，blackout一词既可指“战时灯火管制”，也可一般的“停电”，
译文所指是后者。又blackout也可换用power cut或power failure等。
(2)“一再地嘱咐我”意即“一再地告诫我”，译为warned me again and again，比enjoined (或
exhorted) me again and again通俗。
(3)“野孩子”不宜按字面直译为wild child。现译为naughty child，其中naughty常用来指孩
子“不听话”。
(4)“伯父母、叔父母”在英语以uncles和aunties两词概括即可。
(5)“堂姐妹兄弟”在英语以cousins一词概括即可。
(6)“几个小家庭的很松散的组合”译为a loose community of several smaller ones，其中不妨
以community代替combination；community为近代英语所常用。
(7)“外婆家”指由婚姻而结成的亲戚，如岳父母、妻子的兄弟姐妹等等，现以in-laws一词
概括之。
(8)“起得很早也睡得很早”在英语有现成的表达：kept early hours。如逐字直译为got up early
and went to bed early似欠简洁。
(9)“刚回老家”译为Having set foot in our old home，其中set foot in是成语，作“进入”、
“踏上”解。
(10)“妯娌”指兄弟的妻子，以in-laws表达即可。
(11)“正起劲”意同“尽情地”，故译to our heart’s content。
(12)“防备”译为in anticipation of，意即“预计到……（而采取措施）”。
话说短文
冰心
也许是我的精、气、神都江堰市不足吧(1)，不但自己写不出长的东西，人读一本
刊物时，也总是先挑短的看，不论是小说、散文或是其他的文学形式，最后才看长的。
我总觉得，凡是为了非倾吐不可而写的作品，都是充满了真情实感的。反之，只
是为写作而写作，如(2)上之为应付编辑朋友(3)，一之为多拿稿费，这类文章大都是尽
量地往长里写，结果是即便的一点点的感情，也被冲洗到水分太多(4)、淡而无味的地
步。
当由一个人物，一桩事迹，一幅画面而发生的真情实感，向你袭来的时候，它就
像一根扎到你心尖上(5)的长针，一阵卷到你面前的怒潮，你只能用最真切、最简练的
文字，才能描画出你心尖上的那一阵剧痛和你面前的那一霎惊惶！
我们伟大的祖国，是有写短文的文学传统的(6)。那部包括上下数千年的《古文观
止》，“上起东周，下迄明末，共选辑文章220篇”有几篇是长的(7)？如杜牧的《阿
房宫赋》，韩愈的《祭十二郎文》(8)等等，哪一篇不是短而充满了真情实感？今人的
巴金的《随感录》，不也是一个实例吗(9)？
A Chat about Short Essays
Bing Xin
Perhaps due to my failing energies, not only have I refrained from writing anything
long, but also, in reading a magazine, for example, I usually finish its shorter pieces of
writing first, be they fiction, prose or any other forms of literature, before going on to the
longer ones.
I always believe that anything written with an irresistible inner urge to unbosom
oneself must be full of genuine feelings. On the contrary, if one writes simply for the sake
of writing—say, to humour one’s editor friends, or worse still, to earn more remuneration,
one will most probably make his writings unnecessarily long until they become, despite
what little feeling they may contain, inflated and wishy-washy.
When true emotions aroused by a person, an event or a scene come upon you like a
pin pricking your heart or an angry tide surging threateningly before you, all you can do is
use y=the most vivid and succinct language to describe the severe pain in your heart or the
momentary feeling of panic caused by the angry tide.
Our great motherland is known for its literary tradition of short essays. Do you find
anything unduely long in A Treasury of Best Ancient Chinese Prose with its 220 essays
selected from a period of several thousand years in ancient China from the Eastern Zhou
Dynasty down until the end of the Ming Dynasty? Aren’t the essays in it, like Du Mu’s
Rhapsody on Epang Palace and Han Yu’s An Elegiac Address to My Nephew Shi’erlang,
all short and yet full of true feelings? Isn’t A Collection of Random Thoughts by Ba Jin, our
contemporary, another like example of pithy writing?
注释：
《话说短文》是冰心写于1988年1月的随笔。作者一针见血地指出“为写作而写作”的不
正之风以及崇尚长文的时弊。
(1)“也许是我的精、气、神都不足吧”也可译为Perhaps due to deficiency in my mental and
physical energy，但不如Perhaps due to my failing energies简洁。“精、气、神”在文中显得俏皮，意即“精力”，故译为energies即可。
(2)“如”即‘比如说“，译为say。英语中举例时常用say这个字，和for词example同义。
(3)“为应付编辑朋友”的意思是“迁就编辑朋友之约或要求”，故译为top humour one’s
editor-friends。英语to humour作to gratify by compliance解。
(4)“也被冲洗到水份太多”意即“变得夸张空洞”，故译为“become inflated。
(5)“你心尖上”即“你的内心深处”或“你的心头”，译为your heart即可，不宜按字面译
为the tip of your heart。
(6)“我们伟大的祖国，是有写短文的文学传统的”也可译为Our great motherland has a literary
tradition of short essays，但不如Our motherland is known for its literary tradition of short essays灵活顺口。
(7)“……有几篇是长的？”译为Do you find anything unduely long…，其中unduely是添加成分，作“不适当地”或“过分地”解，原文虽无其词而有其意。
(8)“《祭十二郎文》”译为An elegiac Address to My Nephew Shi’erlang，其中My Nephew
是为交待“十二郎”何许人而添加的成分，有助于读者的理解，属释义性译文。
(9)“……不也是一个实例吗？”译为Isn’t …another like example of pithy writing?，其中like
和of pithy writing均为添加成分，原文虽无其词而有其意。
路畔的蔷薇
郭沫若
清晨往松林里去散步，我在林荫路畔发见了一束被遗弃了的蔷薇。蔷薇的花色还
是鲜艳的，一朵紫红，一朵嫩红，一朵是病黄的象牙色中带着几分血晕(1)。
我把蔷薇拾在手里了。
青翠的叶上已经凝集着细密的露珠，这显然是昨夜被除人遗弃了的。这是可怜的
少女受了薄幸的男子的欺绐？还是不幸的青年受了轻狂的的妇人的玩弄？
昨晚上甜蜜的私语，今朝的冷清的露珠……(2)
我把蔷薇拿到家里来了，我想找个花瓶来供养它。
花瓶我没有(3)，我在一只墙角上寻了一个断了颈子的盛酒的土瓶。
——蔷薇哟，我虽然不能供养你以春酒，但我要供养你以清洁的流泉，清洁的素
心。你在这破土瓶中虽然不免要凄凄寂寂地飘零(4)，但比遗弃在路旁被人践踏了的好
罢？
Wayside Roses
Guo Moruo
Rambling through a pine forest early in the morning, I came across a bunch of
forsaken roses lying by the shady wayside. They were still fresh in colour. One was
purplish-red, another pink, still another a sickly ivory-yellow slightly tinged with
blood-red.
I picked them up in my hand.
The numerous fine dewdrops on the fresh green leaves clearly showed that the roses
had just been cast away the previous night.
Were they pitiful maidens deflowered by fickle men? Or were they unlucky young
men fooled by frivolous women?
Last night’s whispers of love; this morning’s drops of cold dew…
I brought the roses home and tried to find a flower vase to keep them in.
Flower vase I had none, but I did find in a nook of my room an empty earthen wine
bottle with its neck broken.
--O dear roses, though unable to treat you to spring wine, I could offer you limpid
spring water and my sincere pure heart. Wouldn’t it be better for you to wither away in
solitude in this broken earthen wine bottle than to lie abandoned by the roadside and be
trodden down upon?
注释： 《路畔的蔷薇》是郭沫若（1892-1978）的早期小品，玲珑剔透，饶有诗意，堪称一首优美的散文诗。
(1)“一朵是病黄的象牙色中带着几分血晕”译为a sickly ivory-yellow slightly tinged with
blood-red，其中sickly作“病态的”解。又，ivory-yellow和blood-red的结构都是“实物颜色词＋基本颜色词”，为英语颜色词的常见形式。
(2)“昨晚上甜蜜的私语，今朝的冷清的露珠……”译为Last night’s whispers of love; this
morning’s drops of cold dew…，两个英语并列词组，在用词结构上前后完全对称，与原文形似，并与原文有同样的言外之意。又，“昨晚”在这里虽指过去的过去，但仍译为last night，不译为the previous night，以求语言生动，这是英语中常见的灵活用法。
(3)“花瓶我没有”译为Flower vase I have none，等于I have no flower vase，其中none作形
容词用，修饰前面Flower vase。这种用法常见于文学语体中，如：Time and money he had none。
(4)“飘零”意即“凋落”，故译作to wither away。
夕暮
郭沫若
我携着(1)三个孩子在屋后草场中嬉戏着的时候，夕阳正烧着海上的天壁(2)，眉痕
的新月已经出现在鲜红的云(3)缝里了。
草场中放牧着的几条黄牛，不时曳着悠长的鸣声(4)，好像在叫它们的主人快来牵
它们回去。
我们的两匹母鸡和几只鸡雏(5)，先先后后地从邻寺的墓地里跑回来了。
立在厨房门内的孩子们的母亲向门外的沙地上撒了一握米粒出来。
母鸡们咯咯咯地叫了起来了(6)，鸡雏们也啁啁地争食起来了。
——“今年的成绩真好呢，竟养大了十只(7)。”
欢愉的音波，在金色的暮霭中游泳。
Dusk
Guo Moruo
While my three kids accompanied by myself, were frolicking about on the meadow
behind my house, the sky above the distant edge of the sea was aglow with the setting sun
and the crescent new moon was already peeping out from behind the scarlet clouds.
A few cows grazing on the pasture let out a long drawn-out moo now and then as if
urging their master to lead them home as quickly as possible.
Our two mother hens and their baby chicks were scurrying homeward one after
another from the grave yard of the nearby monastery.
The kids’ mother, standing by the kitchen door, sprinkled a handful of rice onto the
sandy ground in the open.
At the clucking of the hens, the chicks scrambled for the feed, chirping.
“We’ve done quite well this year, with ten chicks growing fast,” beamed my wife.
The joyous sound wave drifted through the golden evening mist.
注释：
《夕暮》是郭沫若的早期小品，充满诗情画意，堪称一篇玲珑剔透的美文。文章记述的是真
情真事，字里行间流露出热爱生活的感情。
(1)“我携着”译为accompanied by myself，其中myself比me更确切，不但读来顺口，且能
加强语气，突出“亲自”的含义。
(2)“海上的天壁”指“海边的上空”，不宜直译，现以加字法处理：the sky above the distant
edge of the sea。
(3)“鲜红的云”译为the scarlet clouds。颜色词scarlet在此比red更确切，因scarlet的意思
是very bright red，与原文“鲜红”一致。
(4)“曳着悠长的鸣声”中的“曳”作“拖”或“拉”解，结合上下文译为let out，意同utter（发出），为英语常用成语。又“鸣声”译为moo，为英语拟声词，指牛的叫声，相当于汉语的“哞”。
(5)“我们的两匹母鸡和几只鸡雏”译为Our two mother hens and their baby chicks，其中mother
和baby是为加强译文效果而添加的定语，前者作“母”解，后者作“幼小”解。
(6)“母鸡们咯咯地叫起来了”译为At the clucking of the hens，其中介词At表示时间，即先
后两个动作很快相继发生，或后面一个动作是前面一个动作的反应。在此指母鸡一叫，小鸡立即争食。
(7)“‘今年的成绩真好呢，竟养大了十只’”译为 “We’ve done quite well this year, with ten
chicks growing fast, ” beamed my wife，其中beamed my wife（妻微笑地或欣喜的说）是添加成分，原文虽无其词却有其意。