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韩素音三十三届翻译大赛
THE DEEPEST HUMAN LIFE
《最深沉的人类生活》
青荷人译本
题诗
师生关系最芳香
师生第一进学解
人间良善是孔圣
人间慈良是外语
中西纷争说难解
我解语言是同一
平生因为农村志
古文通晓欲寄外
二0二一年四月
THE DEEPEST HUMAN LIFE
(最深沉的人类生活)
We had the sky, up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to
我们拥有那天空,高高在上,清澈如河缀满浮萍似的繁星,而我们习惯把
lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was
背贴在草地上肆意地张望他们仰视他们,和惬意地讨论他们是否是上帝所造或
made, or only just happened — Jim allowed they was made, but I allowed
者其他,或者只是恰巧先在那儿——吉姆允许或许诺它们被造,但我允许或期
they happened; I judged it would have took too long to make so many. Jim
许他们先在那儿,我机灵地判断高高在上的天空长期孕育星辰并且那么多。吉
said the moon could a laid them; well, that looked kind of reasonable,
姆大声说月亮最美它一直懒洋洋的,刚好,我一直猜想月亮与星星哪个是最美,
so I didn’t say nothing against it, because I’ve seen a frog lay most
我常常无言以对心灵里似已有了答案在,因为我有时仰卧在草地上想像星际有
as many, so of course it could be done. We used to watch the stars that
只青蛙,或者很多,我想当然上帝很活泼。我们确实早已习惯于满天星斗偶尔
fell too, and see them streak down. Jim allowed they’d got spoiled and
坠落天际,而且我看见斑纹一样的流星。吉姆允许他们被贪婪的人类欣赏已旧,
was hove out of the nest.
我渺茫中看见星辰旋转离巢。
An ever-growing number of people have their view of the sky obstructed
新时代工业兴起,不断增多的人群开始着迷于头顶的美丽天空,可惜它已
by the light pollution of our cities. Some go years without once gawking
经模糊,它已被我们城市的光着实污染了。一些年来,一些人一直在凝望、不
at the moon or the stars. It’s an apt metaphor of our whole humansituation.
只一次凝望月亮或是星辰呀。它正是我们一直寻求的整个人类社会的一个隐喻。
There’s a haunting line by Kabir, the mysterious fifteenth-century Indian
曾经有一位一见即萦绕头脑的诗人,他是十五世纪印度神秘主义伟大诗人名字
poet, a kind of mystical Mother Goose: “They squander their birth in
叫迦比尔,即似我们英语世界的鹅妈妈一样:“富有神经气质的人花费一生在
isms.” He’s thinking of the few major religious traditions of his day,
主义里”。诗人他一直在思考他那个时代固有的一些尖端宗教习惯和确切教义,
but the idea applies even more poignantly to our collection of religions,
但我很心酸地发现他的深刻理想,也适于解释我们当代过度的市场经济造成的
political affiliations, spiritualities, identities fabricated by
宗教迷信,政治从属,精神萎靡,身份认同困难,我们因此努力向历史上
marketers, and even theories constructed in philosophy departments. The
的诗人去求,甚至我们今天哲学系也努力建构硬使自己的新哲学与之共鸣。这
glow of these beliefs, at their best, can guide us through life. But they
些信仰微光或说是亮光,它们以其最好,也正能引导我们穿透生活呀。但他们
often amount to a kind of light pollution. The feeling of possessing
毕竟是前人的理想,过度迷信则如同光污染呀。一个人尤其是研究者只拥有其
knowledge can be the worst enemy of the truth. Beliefs and theories, and
知识而不升华成思想和理想,则会是真理的敌人呀。一个研究者的信仰和理论,
the identities associated with them, are as indispensable and fascinating
以及他的好名声与其内在品质相互关联,他们象有政声的政治家一样出之天然
as politics, but they are, from the perspective of true philosophy, at
和迷人眼帘呀,但过度迷恋自己创造的思想和理想,我从真正的哲学远景看,
worst impediments and at best starting and stopping points of a much
差不多是一块伤疤,但吸取教训也差不多是一个好的开始,或者也是一个断点,
larger journey, which involves going off into the darkness once in a while
一次更大远足的断点,它引诱我们对自己所思所想再次考量,如同进入黑夜呀,
and taking a good long look at what shines above us.
我们创新久了,我们又渴望回首古圣著作如同仰望天空呀呀。
The story I have to tell is about how, in the words of William James,
我们西方自罗马帝国以来精采故事很不少,我们一些人升华如威廉詹姆斯,
“the deepest human life is everywhere.” The coordinates of a meaningful
“最深沉的人类生活不外是日常生活或宇宙。”我们想过有意味的生活,宗教、
life — the stars, in my analogy — are there for any of us to see and
宇宙生活,我们西方爱说星辰,或者说连带类比的隐寓,我们大学的理论过度
puzzle out. The questions, stories, and injunctions of the great
我自己也迷惑。我们着迷于问题、故事或者伟大哲学家粗制滥造的格言警句,
philosophers aren’t the speeches of angels loafing in their celestial
我现在提前地说,我就是一个三流哲学家,我站在巨人的肩膀上,天神在上面
abodes. Even the most formidable thinkers speak to us out of lives pretty
俯视我。甚至最令人震惊的思想家也爱说大话,他们有时不顾常情,要从平凡
much like our own, with their daily routines, their little aches and pains
的生活发现真理呀,他们要化腐朽为神奇出人意表,他们感到锥心疼痛与惊呀,
and pleasures, and their occasional upheavals. Their feet have no more
或者一丝喜悦,我们平常读之感到思想家翻了天啦。他们的脚印深陷泥土不啻
wings than yours or mine.
有一双翅膀,给你或给我呀。
A little over a decade later, I was finishing a PhD in philosophy
十年艰难时光一晃就过去了过去了。我通过努力与学校师长的督促获得了
at Emory University. The obvious path before me was to drift into a
爱默里大学哲学博士学位。铺在我面前的光明大道,是设法利用家庭关系获得
full-time position at a decent institution, work my dissertation into
一所真正重视学术的全日制大学教职和学术职位,我把我博士学位论文加工成
a book, zero in on a specialty, publish some articles and reviews, and
一本书,进行一项两项独创性研究,出版一些科普文章集和应景的评论集,和
lick the necessary wingtips to get tenure. But some sense of destiny (I
完成几项国家重要战略基金项目获得最高职称,但这诱人前景我看靠天命促成,
would have never called it that then) kept me from ever taking such a
(在神童云集的大学里争第一要靠天命的)我是一位相信命运靠自己的唯物论
path seriously. Though I’d proven myself capable of publishing articles
者,我惧怕同情。尽管我已经在国家重要的学术刊物上发表了体现我能力的论
and giving papers in the world of philosophy, I rebelled against the
文,我甚到以这些论文获得了我哲学界应有早慧名声,但我因具有美国人民所
prospect of a microspecialty and the bureaucracy of tenure. Moreover,
特有的反抗精神,我不想浪费我的天分和让别人以权势压迫珍贵学术。而且,
I hadn’t gotten into philosophy in order to become a scholar of hilosophy,
我又受传统习俗的影响不愿过度卷入倒霉的哲学圈,我只想成为单纯的哲学家,
however wonderful and necessary the work of scholarship can be.
无论如何,哲学连结生活,对于我钟爱的苍白的哲学工作,我迷陷其中。
When my mother called me from Iowa saying that she’d read in the
当我母亲将我从伊阿华唤回来,郑重在对我说,说她一直关注我的就业问
local classifieds that Kirkwood Community College had a fulltime
题,她在当地的分类广告上读到克尔克木社区大学正需要一个全职的哲学教员,
philosophy position open, it seemed a reasonable way to get health
那是一个广纳人才的开放职位,它表示将以合理公道的方式为教职员工买健康
insurance. The saying “a job is a job” is particularly poignant for
保险以安心。这正如俗言俗语所说“为工作而工作”,这种市俗市侩的作风令
philosophers. Diogenes of Sinope, one of our profession’s early
哲学家特别辛酸。锡诺帕的第欧根尼,犬儒哲学的代表人,我们这行当里
practitioners, used to beg money from statues. When asked why, he replied,
珍稀的前辈从业者,习惯于从路过的各阶层讨钱。当人们好奇地问他为什么,
“In order to get used to being refused.” But he didn’t have a pregnant
他恬然答道,“我为了使自己习惯于被拒绝。”但他没一个怀孕在家的妻子呀,
wife. And neither my wife nor I really wanted to live in a barrel and
奇怪。但我是退化了,我和我的妻子真是不想生活在一个笨重的大桶里,而我
relieve ourselves outside, as were Diogenes’s customs.
只想在外面尽情放松自己身心,这本质上与第欧根尼习惯雷同。
Another decade later, my wife and two kids were sound asleep upstairs,
又一个十年过去过去了,我妻子与我的两个小孩在楼上睡熟了有些儿鼾声,
and I was alone in the selva oscura (the “dark wood,” a phrase from
而我习惯孤独地在但丁的黑暗森林里沉思。(这个陌生词的含义是“黑森林”,
Dante’s Comedy, which to someone with as little Italian as me initially
来源于但丁的喜剧,读他的喜剧令人愚蠢至极,甚至可怜,如意大利只有往事,
looks like the “obscure self”), staring at the fire in our stove’s
我是想表示自己未挣脱“模糊的自己”),我吓人地盯住我们火炉里的火苗不
belly, reflecting on the question of my destiny: exactly the activity
断撩人, 我心里也渐渐明白追问天命其实是一种悲剧:恰恰正如我不断地祈祷
I preach to my students, exactly the activity I’d been avoiding as
我的学生应该明确天命是啥,也恰恰如我一直下决心想避免象我的学生那样辛
assiduously as they do. You see, earlier that night, someone at a dinner
勤地工作只想不劳而活呀。你看,你明白,在今晚早些时候,就有某些爱说三
party had had the gall to ask me, “Are you fulfilling your destiny?”
道四的人在晚宴舞会对我冷嘲热讽,“老师您实现了上天为你注定的天命吗?”
The rude question was partially my fault. I’d brought up the subject
这个粗鲁的提问是充满偏见,使我悲痛欲绝呀。其实我心里怀揣这个天命的问
of destiny, inspired by my recent perusal of the Mahabharata, the
题很多年呀,我对这个问题的回答因阅读《摩呵婆罗多》而有所改观,它是古
gargantuan Sanskrit epic of ancient India (it’s about three times as
印度恢弘的梵文史诗,我们西方一直对它着迷呀(它的篇幅是我们《圣经》的
long as the Bible), which narrates the fratricidal war between the
三倍长,内涵差不多),它叙说一种撕心裂肺兄弟姊妹同胞之间的残杀,具体
Pandavas and the Kauravas. To talk abstractly about destiny may be boring
说是在般度族和俱卢族之间。我们过于抽象地谈论命运与天命可能令人十分生
or fascinating, but to be asked if you’re fulfilling your destiny has
厌或者令人迷惑,但我今天坦率地说,对每个人难以绕过去的命运与天命问题,
an archer’s precision in piercing to the heart of the matter. I’d hemmed
我想史诗的射箭手精准的射击会无情地穿透哲学家与普通人的心脏。我不想再
and hawed, wiggling out of an honest answer like only someone trained
这样嘀咕,我是想竭力摆脱这篇大作意图摇摆的尴尬局面,我们哲学家为什么
in philosophy can do. But now, before the fire, I had only myself to
要给人以刻板的形象呢。但现在,在火炉前,我沉思再沉思,我将独自来回答
confront.
个底朝天。
My initial morose thoughts were that I should be doing more with
我始初最忧郁的思想是如何想办法超越自己的天才,我一直这样做,一直
my talents. As much as I loved teaching at a community college, it was,
这样想着呀。我一直尽心尽力地工作,并直诚热爱在社区大学里教书,毕竟它
after all, a community college. Friends of mine at more prestigious
是一份好职业,我是社区的思想导师。我的朋友们,即在名声响亮的学院里搞
institutions, my family, even some of my students, had all prodded me,
哲学的朋友们,我的家庭,甚到我的一些儿学生们呀呀,他们想法子刺激我呀,
with various degrees of subtlety, to work on advancing my academic career:
他们词气微妙心怀歹毒歹意刺痛我,说什么你该在更高更好的职位上研究哲学:
a path my choices in life had essentially made vanish. My dark thoughts
其实是一条我的本性我的幸福我的激情我的天才消失的小道。我黑沉沉的思想
wandered — though maybe that’s the wrong verb — to a story from the
在拼命逡巡,——尽管那可能是一个不太好的词呀——我是说我想说一个故事,
Mahabharata, the very story that had provoked the bewildering question
在摩呵婆罗多,这是一个使大家同样感到迷惑的有关天命与命运与天才的问题,
of my destiny after I’d told it at the dinner party.
这个故事也就是我刚才在晚宴舞会上津津乐道的古老故事呀。
A certain Ekalavya, a member of the most despised outcaste tribe,
我说有一个叫厄克啦亚的人,一个最视为低贱最受鄙视的种姓部落的成员,
asks to study archery with the great guru Drona. Arjuna, the hero of the
他是神童,他要成为伟大导师多罗那的学生学习射箭。阿觉那,《博伽梵歌》
Bhagavad Gita (one short chapter of the Mahabharata), becomes through
中的民族英雄(印度伟大圣典《摩呵婆罗多》中简短的一章),在世界上最伟
Drona’s tutelage the greatest archer in the world. But Drona disdainfully
大射箭手多罗那的指导下也成为了一个伟大的射箭手。但多罗那只比划两招便
turns down Ekalavya, despite his considerable talents because the smelly
轻蔑地拒绝了厄克啦亚,他怕这位深不可测的天才神童学会会去造反,也因为
presence of an outcaste would upset the other students. So, Ekalavya goes
这位浑身散发出一股臭味的小子会使他的其他学生不好过呀。所以,厄克啦亚
off to a secluded place in the woods and carves a little sculpture of
离开多罗那去一个偏僻与世隔绝的森林里,用一块当地稀有的怪石头雕刻出多
Drona, which he sets up as an idol to oversee his solitary practice with
罗那像,他将他树立起来作为神像,以资取灵感与神传,于是开始用弓箭练习,
bow and arrow.
他要透过超越呀。
One day Arjuna is out hunting. His dog runs off into the woods and
一天阿觉那外出兴致勃勃勃地打猎。他的猎狗突然兴奋起来跑进森林里,
starts yipping at the outcaste archer, who gets irritated and sends off
开始对那位种姓部落种姓射箭手一阵狂吠,他不禁被激怒了性子,于是很技巧
a volley of arrows so expertly that without causing injury they
地射出一束连发箭珠,他是那样准,他知道狗是有主子的,甚至也知道是
instantaneously plug the dog’s mouth. The dog runs back to his master,
王子的,所以不伤一点地把箭射进猎狗的嘴。猎狗衔着满嘴箭跑回到主人那里,
who looks in awe at the gagged beast. Arjuna then sulks back to Drona
主人一言不发恼怒异常盯着这没用的畜生。阿觉那带着衔着箭的猎狗回到多罗
and whines, “You told me you’d make me the greatest archer in the world.”
那那里哀诉,“你说过你说过,你要使我成为这个世界上最伟大的射箭手呀。”
“And I have,” the teacher responds. Arjuna points dejectedly at his
‘我是有说过,”这位伟大的老师回答说。阿觉那绝望地指向他的心爱猎狗有
pet, obviously the work of someone greater.
哀嚎,显然,这狗嘴严酷地显示某人是更加伟大。
Drona and Arjuna head back to the woods to find out what’s going
多罗那和阿觉那昂首回到了他们来过的森林里,想重新找到那位神奇的射
on. They discover and watch in amazement the lone archer practicing with
箭手。他们悲哀地发现了他,于是急不耐也充满愉悦地观察那位孤独的射箭手,
his carved idol of the great teacher. Finally, Drona goes up to him and
他正在他雕刻的伟大的老师旁练习射箭呢。最后,多罗那迅速走上前去喝住他,
asks, “Am I your teacher?” The archer bows deeply, honored by the guru’
问道,“我真是你的老师吗?”这位射箭手深深一鞠躬,他为他伟大的导师的
s presence, and says, “Of course you are.” In India at the time it was
来临而骄傲,他紧接说,“当然是的,你是的。”在印度,在贫穷的印度,它
customary that teachers weren’t paid until after they’d successfully
的习俗是那样野蛮,一个老师只有在学生取得真正的职业和成功之后,尊贵的
taught their students; but after graduation they could ask for any fee
老师才取得昂贵的报酬,但一般的报酬,只要合适的报酬,学生只要能合理承
they saw fit. So, the teacher says, “Your abilities prove that you have
担老师也可取。所以,该位老师回答道,“你的能力证明你业已毕业,你刚才
graduated, and now I ask for my payment.” Even more deeply honored, the
的射法第一,那现在我可要向你索取报酬。”得到老师的亲自肯定,这位意外
student says, “Whatever you ask, teacher.” To which Drona responds,
学生回答说,“无论你想要什么,我都可以给。”这位残忍的老师就马上说,
“I ask for your right thumb.” Ekalavya takes out his knife,
“我要的是你射箭的那个右拇指。”厄克啦亚毫不犹豫地抽出了他的刀,
unhesitatingly chops off his right thumb, and gives it to the teacher,
毫不犹豫地大手一挥切下了他珍贵的右拇指呀,而且迅速地将它递给他的老师,
who then turns to Arjuna and says, “There, now you’re the greatest archer
老师迅速将它传了阿觉那王子且说,“有了,王子,你现在世界上最伟大的射
in the world.” What’s the story of Ekalavya about? A teacher who chooses
箭手了,真的。”厄克啦亚的悲惨故事是想说明什么呢?一个老师下贱地选择了
the elite over the common. A student who offers the teacher a fulfillment
高贵,残杀了低贱的普通人。一个学生达到了世界上最难达到的射箭境界,心
of his calling. The possibilities of participating in the highest economy
甘情愿应了召唤。这恐怕是世界上最昂贵的学费,也是世界上最勇敢地对老师
of education. The psychological blockages that prevent such
最最真的施舍。老师不易,教出杰出的行业第一的学生更是不易,过
participation. The brutal tragedy caused by the stupid divisions we draw.
多的仁慈不利呀。这个残酷的悲剧由我们愚蠢地区分高贵与卑贱地加以编造了。
The story, it seemed, fragmented into two clear images: the possible me
世界上只承认第一名喜悦,多少人为之奋斗长眠,它残酷而芳香:可能的假我
and the real me. I’d chosen to teach Ekalavya, but something in me was
与奋斗中的真我。我将最乐意去教第一名的厄克啦亚,但有时,在我内心中呢,
clinging to the prejudices of Drona.
我也想教能付得起学费的富家子弟多罗那。
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