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《读禅阅世》拜伦诗选自序

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去秋,柏林大学教授法兰居士游秣陵,会衲于祇桓精舍,谭及英人近译大乘起信论,以为破碎过甚,衲喟然叹曰:“译事固难,况译以英文,首尾负竭,不称其意,滋无论矣。又其卷端,谓马呜此论,同符景教。吃呜呼,是乌足以语大乘者哉!”

居士各衲为购法苑珠林,版久蠹蚀,无以应其求也。衲语居士:“震旦万事蘦坠,岂复如昔时所称天国(celestial empire),亦将为印度比伦埃及希腊之继耳!”

此语思之,常有馀恫。比自秣陵遄归将母,病起匈膈,檽笔译拜伦去国之尤,寄之吟咏,谋人这国,功成不居,虽与日月争光,可民!尝谓计歌之美,在乎气体;然其情思幼眇,抑亦十方同感,如衲旧译颖颖赤墙靡,去燕,冬日,答美人赠东发带诗数章,可为证已。古诗“思君令人老”,英译作“to think of you makes me old”,辞气相副,正难再得,若小雅“昔我往矣,杨柳依依;令我来思,雨雪霏霏。行道迟迟,载渴载饥,我心伤悲,莫知我哀。”

译如:

“at first, when we got out,

the willows were fresh and green;

now, when we shall be returning,

the snow will be falling in clouds,

long and tedious will be our marching;

we shall hunger; we shall thirst.

our hearts are wounded with grief,

and no one knows our sadness.”

又陈陶陇西行,“誓扫匈奴不顾身,五千貂锦丧胡麝;可怜无定河边骨,犹是春闺梦里人!”

“they swore the huns should perish:

they would die if needs they must,

and now five thousand, sable-clad,

have bit the tartar dust.

along the river bank their bones lie

scattered where they may,

but still their forms in dreams arise

to fair ones far away.”

顾视元文,犹不相及。自余译者,浇淳散朴,损益任情,宁足以胜鞮寄之任!今译是篇,按文切理,语无增饰;陈义悱测,事辞相称。世有作者,亦将有感乎斯文?光绪三十二年,佛从“多罗夜登陵奢”天下还日,曼殊序于太平洋舟中。