《关雎》英译六种
关雎
作者：先秦·佚名
关关雎鸠，
在河之洲。
窈窕淑女，
君子好逑。
参差荇菜，
左右流之。
窈窕淑女，
寤寐求之。
求之不得，
寤寐思服。
悠哉悠哉，
辗转反侧。
参差荇菜，
左右采之。
窈窕淑女，
琴瑟友之。
参差荇菜，
左右芼之。
窈窕淑女，
钟鼓乐之。
英译一：
The Cooing
The waterfowl would coo
Upon an islet in the brooks.
A lad would like to woo
A lass with pretty looks.
There grows the water grass
The folk are fond to pick;
There lives the pretty lass
For whom the lad is sick.
Ignored by the pretty lass,
The lad would truly yearn.
The day is hard to pass;
All night he’ll toss and turn.
There grows the water grass
The folk are fond to choose;
There lives the pretty lass
Whom the lad pursues.
There grows the water grass
The folk are fond to gain;
There lives the pretty lass
The lad would entertain.
汪榕培、任秀桦.
英译二：
The Turtledoves Coo
The turtledoves coo,
Perched in pairs on shoal.
The best girl is pretty
For me to court.
Water plants grow long or short.
You can take what you like.
A girl who’s pretty, and good, too,
You can hunt in your dreams.
You can hunt, but not find her,
But how can you stop yourself from thinking?
I toss in my bed, restless,
Unable to sleep.
Water plants grow long or short.
You can have what you like.
My lute shows how I love
My girl who’s pretty, and who’s good, too.
Water plants grow long or short.
You can choose what you like.
She’s pretty, and she’s good, too,
And someday, to bells and drums, I’ll make her my wife.
丁祖馨.
英译三：
Cooing and Wooing
By riverside a pair
Of turtledoves are cooing;
There is a maiden fair
Whom a young man is wooing.
Water flows lest and right
Of cresses here and there;
The youth yearns day and night
For the maiden so fair.
His yearning grows so strong,
He cannot fall asleep,
But tosses all night long,
So deep in love, so deep!
Now gather left and right
Cress long or short and tender!
O lute, play music light
For the fiancée so slender!
Feast friends at left and right
On cresses cooked tender!
O bells and drums, delight
The bride so sweet and slender!
许渊冲.
英译四：
Kingfisher
Kingfisher sings “Guan guan” along the river bank.
A gentleman pursues a lovely young maiden.
Water fringe, long and short, sways left and right.
The gentleman drifts, dreaming of the young beauty.
Courts, but engages her not, thinks of her day and night,
Such a long, long night, tossing and turning.
Water fringe, long and short, gathering left and right.
The lovely young maiden’s and the suitor’s stars align
like
Water fringe, long and short, coupling left and right.
The radiant maiden marries; drums throb and bells peal.
Ecstasy!
贾福相.
英译五：
The Ospreys Cry
“Fair, fair,” cry the ospreys
On the island in the river.
Lovely is this noble lady,
Fit bride for our lord.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must seek it.
Shy was this noble lady;
Day and night he sought her.
Sought her and could not get her;
Day and night he grieved.
Long thoughts, oh, long unhappy thoughts,
Now on his back, now tossing on to his side.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must gather it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With great zither and little we hearten her.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must choose it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With bells and drums we will gladden her.
Arthur Waley. The Book of Songs[Z]. New York: Grove Press, 1996: 5-6.
英译六：
The Turtledove
Anonymous [pre-Qin days]
A turtledove is cooing
On the riverside.
A genial, virtuous girl
Is idol of a spoony boy.
Water grass long or short,
Picked at will by the girl.
A genial, virtuous girl
Is courted day and night.
Failure of the courting
Renders him sleepless.
His missing and yearning
Makes him toss and turn.
Water grass long or short,
Collected at will by the girl.
A genial, virtuous girl
Married with lute and psaltery.
Water grass long or short,
Gathered at will by the girl.
A genial, virtuous girl
Delighted by bell & drum.
（张智中