瑞雪兆丰年

句子：瑞雪兆丰年。

误译：An auspicious snow foretells a year of bumper harvest.

正译：1) An auspicious snow foretells a big harvest.

2) A seasonable snow predicts a good yield.

3) A timely snow promises a good harvest.

4) A seasonable snow promises to bless the crops in the coming year.

5) A fall of seasonable snow gives promise of a fruitful year.

6) Snow is the harbinger of an abundant year for harvest.

解释：bumper 的意思是 unusually large, producing an unusually large amount，即“特大的”。bumper harvest 指“特大丰收”，是罕见的。上世纪70年代，我国媒体将“我国连续3年获得丰收”，译为 We have had bumper harvest for three successive years in our country。对此，一位英国专家说，一年获得bumper harvest，已属不易。3年连续获得 bumper harvest，有些夸张。这句话不妨改为We have had good harvest for three successive years in our country。“丰年”实指“好收成”，译为good harvest就可以了。

“瑞雪”可以译为 timely/auspicious/seasonable snow。例如：

今天早晨，北京普降瑞雪。This morning, there was an extensive and timely snowfall in Beijing.

英语有下面几个谚语，与汉语“瑞雪兆丰年”的意境相近：

A snow year, a rich year. 瑞雪年，丰收年。

A good winter brings a good summer. 好冬能带来好夏。

作为动词，“兆”的意思是“预示”，英语可以译为to foretell, to predict, to promise, to give promise of, to be the harbinger of, to forebode, to augur, to portend。

作为名词，“兆”的意思是“预兆”或“兆头”。英语可以译为 omen, portent, sign, harbinger, augury。例如：

风湿痛预示着暴风雨的来临。Rheumatic pain foretells the coming of a storm.

打雷是即将来临的暴风雨的预兆。Thunder is a sign of an impending storm. ▲

（本栏目供稿：王逢鑫教授）