臣密言：臣以险衅，夙遭闵凶。生孩六月，慈父见背。行年四岁，舅夺母志。
I am expressing my viewpoints to you, my honorable Majesty: my destiny is rough and I suffered a lot since I was a child. Six month after I was born, my father passed away. When I reached the age of 4, my uncle deprived my mother of her will to stay single and married her to another man.
祖母刘，愍臣孤弱，躬亲抚养。臣少多疾病，九岁不行，零丁孤苦，至於成立。
My grandmother brought me up with her own hands due to my physical weakness. I underwent countless diseases when I was young. When I reached the age of 9, I still failed to walk by myself. I was very lonely and poor until I grew up.
既无叔伯，终鲜兄弟。门衰祚薄，晚有儿息。外无期功强近之亲，内无应门五尺之童，茕茕孑立，形影相吊。而刘夙婴疾病，常在床蓐。臣侍汤药，未尝废离.
I have neither uncles on my father’s side nor brothers. My luck was so lean that I got my son when I was over 40. I do not have close relatives outside, nor do I have maids or servants at home. I am living alone all the way and I can only talk to my shadow every day. Now my grandmother tortured by disease and I stay by her bed frequently, serving her with meal and medicine contiually.
逮奉圣朝，沐浴清化。前太守臣逵，察臣孝廉。后刺史臣荣，举臣秀才。臣以供养无主，辞不赴命。诏书特下，拜臣郎中，寻蒙国恩，除臣洗马。猥以微贱，当侍东宫，非臣陨首所能上报。臣具以表闻，辞不就职。诏书切峻，责臣逋慢，郡县逼迫，催臣上道。州司临门，急於星火。臣欲奉诏奔驰，则以刘病日笃，欲
苟顺私情，则告诉不许。臣之进退，实为狼狈。
After the establishement of Jin Dynasty, I was positively affected by its enlightening politics. The previous county official Kui recommended me as a Xiaolian( an official title in the government then). Later Chishi(official title) Rong recommended me as a Xiucai(official title). But I did not accept it for I still had to tend my sick grandma. You, my dear Majesty released an order by yourself to appoint me as Langzhong( official title), and then later appointed me to Xianma(official title). It is really a great blessing for me, who is so humble, to serve your son who will take your place in the future. I should have gone all out to fulfill the job you assigned to me. I told you my reasons for not taking office by writing this article. But your order is considerably urgent and all county officials blamed me for my delay and pressed me to go to Beijing. None of them allowed me to stay at home for one more second. If I follow your order, my grandma’s situation will deteriorate day by day. But if I disobey your order and stay by my grandma, I will be punished. I have fallen into an awkward dilemma!
伏惟圣朝以孝治天下，凡在故老，犹蒙矜育，况臣孤苦，特为尤甚。且臣少事伪朝，历职郎署，本图宦达，不矜名节。今臣亡国贱俘，至微至陋，过蒙拔擢，宠命优渥，岂敢盘桓，有所希冀？但以刘日薄西山，气息奄奄，人命危浅，朝不虑夕。臣无祖母，无以至今日，祖母无臣，无以终馀年。母孙二人，更相为命，
是以区区不能废远。
It is well known that our dynasty worships filial piety. All old people receive a lot of favorable treatments. Now my situation is very pressing and I am looking forward to your help. What’s more, I have ever undertaken some posts when I was young and intended for a higher position in the court. Therefore, I will not pursue my fame at the cost of my career easily. Now I am only an old humble official of the past dynasty, but you gave me a lot of opportunities. How dare I disobey your order and expect more? But my grandma is pining away day by day and will pass away soon. Without her, I could not have got where I am now. Without me, she could not go to her end smoothly. We rely on each other and I really cannot leave her alone!
臣密今年四十有四，祖母刘今年九十有六，是臣尽节於陛下
之日长，报刘之日短也。乌鸟私情，愿乞终养。臣之辛苦，非独蜀之人士及二州牧伯所见明知，皇天后土，实所共鉴。愿陛下矜愍愚诚，听臣微志, 庶刘侥幸，卒保馀年，臣生当陨首，死当结草。臣不胜犬马怖惧之情，谨拜表以闻.
I am now alreadly 44 and my grandma 96. Therefore, I still can serve you for a long time but I can only serve my grandma contemporarily. I am pleading wholeheartedly for allowing me to tend my grandma until she goes away. All my pains and hardships can be witnessed not only by all the people and officials of Shu, but also by the God in the heaven! I really hope that you can understand my feelings and sincerity and help my grandma live smoothly during the rest of her life. I am willing to sacrifice everything including my life to repay you! I am horboring a panic heart to deliver this article to you, my dear Majesty!
翻译后记：
这两天翻译的两篇文言文是受一个朋友所托翻译出来的。之前的那一篇是韩愈的《师说》，这一篇是李密的《陈情表》。我平时比较少翻译文言文，所以译起来有点吃力。在翻译的过程中，我的感触非常大。
首先，我不得不佩服中国文华的博大精深。单是文言文方面，就足以让我慨叹良久，真可谓是字字珠玑，句句精华。寥寥数字，便可传神达意；句句环环相扣，朗朗上口，实现了神，意，韵三者的完美交融！每读一句文言文，我的心就震动一下，感觉神明气清。越来越体会到古人所说的“思接千古”的悠然与自得。当你读一篇古文时，你就在和生活在几百年甚至上千年前的作者在对话，你就在聆听他的言语，我想世间没有多少比这更有趣更让人惬意的事情了！
第二是对翻译的感受。翻译古文首先必须得理解原文每句话的意思，只有这样才能准确地译出来。而古文中有很多典故以及通假字，也有很多字的意思古今差异非常大，这就需要本身作者扎实的功底和不断探索的精神。当不确定某个字或者某个词什么意思时，一定要仔细查出来，否则译文就会与原文大相径庭。另外，可能我的英语水平达不到出神入化的境地，所以我总觉得英文永远也写不出中文那样深远的意境。在我看来，中文是世界上最博大精深的语言。过去我也读了不少英文散文和英文诗，可能是我的背景知识有限以及我的欣赏水平达不到原著的要求，那些散文诗歌虽然美，但是比起我们的唐诗宋词，可是逊色不少。单是李清照的一首《夏日绝句》，足以压倒半壁江山：“生当作人杰，死亦为鬼雄。至今思项羽，不肯过江东。”
第三是对这篇《陈情表》的感受。翻译这篇《陈情表》时，我感到非常的感动。我在试图想像一下一千多年前的李密在奄奄一息的祖母的病床前写下这篇表文时的情景。我想，望着日薄夕山的祖母，他的泪水肯定把整篇表文都浸湿了。而他也想不到，他的用来推后上任的表文，千百年后竟成了绝世的篇章，传诵千古。而他在祖母行将就木前写下这篇表文的情景，将历史在那一瞬间定格为永恒，成为后世文人们永远也无法释怀的感动与赞叹！
赖小琪
记于2010年4月13日 清晨7点30分。 |
