“举世同此累 吾安能去之”——白居易诗《弄龟罗》英译赏析

有侄始六岁，字之为阿龟。

有女生三年，其名曰罗儿。

一始学笑语，一能诵歌诗。

朝戏抱我足，夜眠枕我衣。

汝生何其晚，我年行已衰。

物情小可念，人意老多慈。

酒美竟须坏，月圆终有亏。

亦如恩爱缘，乃是忧恼资。

举世同此累，吾安能去之。

以下英文译文来自Arthur Waley阿瑟韦利的A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems

CHILDREN（Written circa 820）

My niece, who is six years old, is called “Miss Tortoise”;

有侄始六岁，字之为阿龟。这句译者理解有误，阿龟是男孩子，白龟：生于元和八年（公元813），是白居易胞弟白行简之小儿子，从小就一直跟着白居易。从《白氏世传家谱》中可知：行简有三个儿子。长味道，次晦之，三龟郎。应该是：My nephew, who is six years old, is called “Little Tortoise”(Trans. by Yan Weiji)

My daughter of three,—little “Summer Dress.”

有女生三年，其名曰罗儿。

One is beginning to learn to joke and talk;

The other can already recite poems and songs.

一始学笑语，一能诵歌诗。

At morning they play clinging about my feet;

At night they sleep pillowed against my dress.

朝戏抱我足，夜眠枕我衣。

Why, children, did you reach the world so late,

Coming to me just when my years are spent?

汝生何其晚，我年行已衰。

Young things draw our feelings to them;

Old people easily give their hearts.

物情小可念，人意老多慈。

The sweetest vintage at last turns sour;

The full moon in the end begins to wane.

酒美竟须坏，月圆终有亏。

And so with men the bonds of love and affection

Soon may change to a load of sorrow and care.

亦如恩爱缘，乃是忧恼资。

But all the world is bound by love’s ties;

Why did I think that I alone should escape?

举世同此累，吾安能去之。