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1、致切斯特菲尔德伯爵书-译文To Lord Chesterfield致切斯特菲尔德伯爵书By Samuel Joh nson英约翰逊February 7, 1755.755年2月7日My Lord ,尊敬的阁下：I have bee n lately in formed, by日前蒙世界杂志业主相告，the proprietor of the World,that两篇向公众推荐我所编纂的词典two papers, in which my的文章是出自阁下之手。受此推Dictionaryis recommended to崇，甚感荣幸；我素来不太习惯the public, were written b
2、y your贵人之惠，故不知如何承接阁下Lordship. To be so distinguished,之恩，不知以何言辞向阁下致谢。is an honour, which, being verylittle accustomed to favours fromthe great, I know not well how toreceive, or in what terms toack no wledge.Whe n, upon some slight当初，受他人所励，我初次encouragement, I first visited your拜访阁下，如芸芸众人所感，为Lordship,
3、 I was overpowered, like阁下言辞之魅力所折服；不禁自the rest of mankind, by the诩为“世界征服者的征服者，虽en cha ntme nt of your address; and亲眼目睹世人为得见阁下尊容而could not forbear to wish that I相争，我也期望能得阁下之关切；might boast myself Le vainqueur不料拜谒之际，并为得到丝毫鼓du vain queur de la terre; that I 励，自惭自尊之感顿生，断无胆might obtain that regard for 气再睹
4、阁下之容。尊敬的阁下，自当日候于府上 外室，被拒于阁下门前而不得入， 七年已逝。在此期间，我为事业 颠沛潦倒，艰难竭蹶，困苦之时 仍无牢骚满腹，终拨云见日，呕 心之作得以出版。然于困顿始终,which I saw the world contending; but I found my attendance so little en couraged, that n either pride nor modesty would suffer me to continue it When I had once addressed your Lordship in public, I had ex
5、hausted all the art of pleasing which a retired and uncourtly scholar can process. I had done all that I could; and no man is well pleased to have his all n eglected, be it ever so little.Seven years, my Lord, have now past, since I waited in your outward rooms, or was repulsed from your door; durin
6、g which time I have been pushing on my work through difficulties, of whichit is useless to compla in, and have brought it, at last, to the verge of 未得丝毫援手，未闻半句鼓励之 词，未见半丝赞赏之笑。受此对 publication, without one act of assista nee, one word of encouragement, or one smile of favour. Such treatment I did not e
7、xpect, for I never had a Patron before.The shepherd in Virgil grew at last acqua in ted with unconcern on a man struggle for life in the water, and when he has reached gro und,en cumbers him withhelp? The notice which you have been pleased to take of my labours, had it been early, had been kind; but
8、 it has delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it. I hope it is no very cyni cal asperity not to con fess obligati ons where no ben efit has been received, or to be unwilling 待，我始料未及；追溯缘由，即 先前不得赞助之故。维吉尔笔下，牧羊人终与爱
9、神相识，才知昔日所钟不过是荒 野草莽。若一人对有人落水袖手 旁观，落水之人上岸时才施以援 手，如此之人可谓恩人？阁下当 下施恩关注我的辛劳之作，倘若 早能如此，岂非成人之美？阁下 此番美意，为时已晚，我无心于 此，也无福消受；我已孑然一身， 无人分享；如今业已成名，无须 劳烦阁下关怀。未曾承恩于阁下， 自当无须感怀于心。蒙上帝庇佑， 我独立完成心血之作，自不愿公 众为“赞助人”颂德邀功，愿心 之所想，不担刻薄无义之名。that the public should con sider me as owing that to a Patron, which Provide nee (4) has
10、en abled me todo for myself.Having carried on my work thus far with so little obligati on to any favourer of learning, I shall not be disappo in ted though I should conclude it; if less be possible, with less; for I have bee n long wake ned from that dream of hope, in which I once boasted myself wit
11、h so much exultati on,未受学术博者之恩，我亦得此 成就。著作即将完工，我自不会 因未受恩典而沮丧半分；承恩越 少，心越平；如今，我已然从希 望之幻梦中清醒过来，在那梦中， 我曾洋洋自得，自诩为您一My Lord,尊敬的阁下Your Lordship s most humtle,您最谦卑Most obedie nt serva nt,最顺从的仆人Sam. Joh nson苏缪尔约翰逊注释I. The world: a popular periodical (1753-1756) in London edited byEduard Moore. Chesterfield wa
12、s among the con tributors.2. my Dictionary: The Dictionary of the English Ianguage (1755),editedby Samuel Joh nson himself.3. Le Vainq ueur du Vainq ueur de La Terre: Fren ch, meaning theconq ueror of the worlds conq ueror.4. Provide nee: God.【翻译提示】萨缪尔？约翰逊先生的致切斯特菲尔德伯爵书是一封很有分量的文人书信。在西方有庇护制度的传统下，一个没有得到任何庇护 的文人在极为艰苦的条件下，通过自己的独立奋斗而获得了巨大的成 功。这时，他写信回复一位有地位的人对他本没有任何赞助的回报”语言文字间所流露的复杂的感情和傲岸的文人气节，真可谓表现得淋 漓尽致。翻译要注意三点：一是其中的拉丁文，可以翻译，也可以保留，须在注释中加以说明；二是书信体特有的礼貌语言和语气，与当下文人复杂的感觉和感情相互促进，形成一种微妙而极富个性的风格， 要 注意传达；三是在译入语言的使用上，注意融合古汉语的有力词句和 现代汉语的时代精神。当然，古今甚至中西之间的关系，也可以有自 己的尺度和把握。用纯粹的文言来翻译也是可以的，或者用文雅的当代语体，也无不妥。
