数字“三”的英译（下）

文/陈德彰

数字“三”的英译（下）

文/陈德彰

下面举一些汉语典故和经典古文的引例和其英译，笔者加上了简单的点评，供大家参考。

1.道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。

The Tao begets the One, the One consists of Two opposites (the Yin and the Yang), the Two begets the Three, and the Three begets all things of the world.

【点评】这是道家经典《道德经》中的名言，讲述开天辟地。其中的“一”“二”“三”不是平常意义上的数字，故用大写。

2.凿井者，起于三寸之坎，以就万仞之深。

A deep well is dug starting with a shallow pit.

【点评】这里的“三寸”和后面的“万仞”相对，通过对比说明一个哲理，故没有具体译出。

3.夫战，勇气也。一鼓作气，再而衰，三而竭。

Fighting is a race of courageous spirit. With the first roll of drums, the spirit of the soldiers is inspired; with the second roll, it will decline; with the third roll,it will die out.

【点评】这里的“鼓”是动词，意为“击鼓”，而“一”“再”“三”都是副词，表示一个过程。但英语不像汉语那样多用动态，而是多用静态，故用序数词将“一鼓”译为the first roll of drums。

4.国之所以至治者三：一曰法，二曰信，三曰权。

Orderly government is brought about in a state of three things. The first is law, the second good faith, and the third right standards.

【点评】这里的“一”“二”“三”表示重要性的先后，故也用了序数词。其中第一个“三”后面没有具体内容，是文言中常用的，其后必须加上things一词。

5.君子有三畏：畏天命，畏大人，畏圣人之言。

There are three things of which the gentleman stands in awe: the ordinances of Heaven, great men, and the words of the sages.

【点评】此译前半句点明了“三畏”，后面不再重复“畏”，使句子显得简洁，而这一点是好的英语行文的要求，正如一则英谚所说：Simplicity is the best of style.

6.君子有三变：望之嫣然，即之也温，听其言也历。

The gentleman’s character/image seems to undergo three changes. Looked at from a distace, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his words are firm and decided.

【点评】注意这里的“三变”不是君子本身的变化，而是他的形象在他人心目中的变化，这一点要在译文中说清楚。

7.智仁勇三者，天下之达德也。

Wisdom, magnanimity, and courage, these three are the virtues universally acknowledged.

【点评】这样译基本保持了原文的词序，只做了小小的改动。句子结构也很清楚。

8.三人行，必有我师。

When I walk along with two others, one of them may serve as my teacher.

【点评】这只是一种译法，人们对其中“三人”是否包括说话人有不同看法，有人就译为 If there are three people walking together, I can surely learn something from one of them.

9.三军可夺帅也，匹夫不可夺志也。

The commander of a large army may be taken away, but the will of the common people can never be taken away.

【点评】“三军”现代指海军、陆军和空军（注意英文中并不把海陆空称为three armies，这三个兵种的英文分别是army、navy、air force。army只是“陆军”，也可指“陆军的一个军”），古代指左军、中军和右军。毛泽东《长征》一诗中“三军”译为the three armies，指的是红军的一、四方面军。引文中的“三军”并不强调三个军种，故译为a large army是可取的。同样，“三军易得，一将难求”可译为a general is harder to find than a large army，如果不是说军队而泛指，则可译为real talented and competent talents are hard to come by。

10.三人成虎。

The rumor that a tiger appeared in a downtown place would be believed when it were repeated by three persons.

【点评】这一说法有一个典故：某个镇上有人谎称“老虎来了”，但没有人相信，可是后来很多人纷纷跟着说，于是大家就都相信了。在非文艺作品里也可解释性地译为 repeated false reports will lead one astray。还有一则寓言《咕咚来了》，也有类似的内容，我国还出了一套特种邮票。

11.吾日三省吾身：为人谋而不忠乎？与朋友交而不信乎？传不习乎？

I reflect on three questions every day: Have I done anything unfaithful to others? Have I done anything insincere to my friends? Have I reviewed what I learned?

【点评】这是孔子教导人们自我修养的最重要的一点。由于“吾日三省吾身”常常被单独引用，不少人将其中的“三”译为three times；in three ways/respects，忽略了《论语》中原文后面的话而误译。这就告诉我们，翻译时必须先弄清上下文。

12.早起三光，晚起三荒。

Rising early makes things bright; rising late makes one in rush.

【点评】要译对此俗语，首先要弄清楚“光”和“荒”的意思，才能懂得“三光”和“三荒”的含义。而这里的“三”表示的是“全部”的意思。上面的译法是保持原文词序的正译，每个字都有着落。不过翻译时也可以意思为主，不必抠字眼，比如可以意译为：He who does not rise early never does a good day’s work. 意思明确，而且更符合英语的习惯用法，简直就像是一条英语谚语。

13.早起三朝当一天。

To get up early for three mornings is equal to gain one day of time.

【点评】这也是劝人早起的话，但较口语化。这里的“三朝”是“三个早晨”的意思。这两个例子告诉我们对“三”字的英译确实要下功夫才行。

14.一日不见，如三秋兮。

When I do not see her, one day seems long as three seasons.

【点评】译文用了倒装句，念起来颇有点英诗的味道，而“三秋”译为three seasons 也是亮点，因为三个秋天是不可能连在一起的。有人说，“三秋”一般指“三年”，此话不错，不过在本诗意境中，“三年”似乎太长了一点，做点改动也是可以的。

15.硕鼠硕鼠，无食我黍！三岁贯汝，莫我肯顾。

Large rat, large rat, eat no more millet we grow! Three years you have grown fat; no care for us you show.

【点评】这是《诗经·硕鼠》中的一句。译文尽量保持了原诗的节奏和韵律。人们常说“诗歌不可译，只能艺术再创造”，还有人说“只有诗人才能翻译诗歌”。不过，这一译文还是很值得大家学习的。

16.谁言寸草心，报得三春晖。

Never enough is the gratitude of grass for the grace of the spring sun.

【点评】“三春”指“春天的三个月”，也有人说指“（农历）三月”，因为此时正是和煦而美丽的春天。

17.烽火连三月，家书抵万金。

Flames of war are raging higher and higher; letters from home are worth their weight in gold.

【点评】为了再创造原诗的意境，此译没有紧扣原诗的具体用词，也值得人们欣赏。

18.举杯邀明月，对影成三人。

I raise my cup to invite the moon who blends. With the moon, my shadow and myself, there are now three friends.

【点评】李白的这首诗耳熟能详，译文也不错。尤其是最后的“三人”没有译成three persons而用了three friends，这是一个亮点。不过the moon who blends似可简化为the bright moon。

10 Fascinating Extinct Animals (VII)

7. Tecopa Pupfish提可巴鳉

The Tecopa pupfish was native to the Mojave desert in California and could survive in waters as warm as 108 degrees Fahrenheit.

Human development around the Tecopa Hot Springs in the mid-20th century and the channelling of two springs together left the habitat unsuitable for the small fish.

The Tecopa pupfish became extinct by 1970 or soon after.