《兰亭集序》(林语堂两种英文翻译版本)

《兰亭集序》（林语堂两种英文翻译版本）永和九年，岁在癸丑，暮春之初，会于会稽山阴之兰亭，修禊事也。群贤毕至，少长咸集。此地有崇山峻岭，茂林修竹；又有清流激湍，映带左右，引以为流觞曲水，列坐其次。虽无丝竹管弦之盛，一觞一咏，亦足以畅叙幽情。是日也，天朗气清，惠风和畅，仰观宇宙之大，俯察品类之盛，所以游目骋怀，足以极视听之娱，信可乐也。夫人之相与，俯仰一世，或取诸怀抱，晤言一室之内；或因寄所托，放浪形骸之外。虽取舍万殊，静躁不同，当其欣于所遇，暂得于己，快然自足，不知老之将至。及其所之既倦，情随事迁，感慨系之矣。向之所欣，俯仰之间，已为陈迹，犹不能不以之兴怀。况修短随化，终期于尽。古人云：“死生亦大矣。”岂不痛哉！每览昔人兴感之由，若合一契，未尝不临文嗟悼，不能喻之于怀。固知一死生为虚诞，齐彭殇为妄作。后之视今，亦犹今之视昔。悲夫！故列叙时人，录其所述，虽世殊事异，所以兴怀，其致一也。后之览者，亦将有感于斯文。第一种翻译（个人觉得稍显生硬）：ThisistheninthyearofYungho(AD353)Kueichouincycle.WemetinlatespringattheOrchidPavilioninShanyintocelebratetheWaterFestival.Allthescholarfriendsaregathered,andthereisagoodlymixtureofoldandyoung.Inthebackgroundliehighpeaksanddeepforests,whileaclear,gurglingbrookcatchesthelighttotherightandtotheleft.Wethenarrangeourselves,sittingonitsbank,drinkinginsuccessionformthegobletasitfloatsdownthestream.Nomusicisprovided,butwithdrinkingandwithsong,ourheartsaregayandatease.Itisaclearspringdaywithamild,caressingbreeze,thevastuniverse,throbbingwithlife,liesspreadbeforeus,entertainingtheeyeandpleasingthespiritandallthesenses.Itisperfect.Nowwhenmencometogether,theylettheirthoughtstraveltothepresent.Someenjoyaquietconversationindoorsandothersplayaboutoutdoors,occupiedwithwhattheylove.Theformsofannulmentdifferaccordingtotemperaments,butwheneachhasfoundwhathewants,heishappyandneverfeelsold,thenastimepassesonandoneistiredofhispursuits,itseemsthatwhatfascinatedhimnotsolongagohasbecomeamerememory.Whatathought!Besides,whetherindividuallywelivealonglifeornot,weallreturntonothingness.Theancientregardeddeathasthegreatquestion.Isitnotsadtothinkofit?Ioftenthoughtthatthepeopleofthepastlivedandfeltexactlyasweoftoday.WheneverIreadtheirwriting,Ifeltthiswayandwasseizedwithitspathos.Itiscoolcomforttosaythatlifeanddeatharedifferentphasesofthesamethingandthatalongspanoflifeorashortonedoesnotmatter.Alas!Thepeopleofthefuturewilllookuponusaswelookuponthosewhohavegonebeforeus.HenceIhaverecordedherethosepresentandwhattheysaid.Agesmaypassandtimesmaychange,butthehumansentimentswillbethesame;Iknowthatfuturereaderswhosettheireyesuponthesewordswillbeaffectedinthesameway.12下面是第二种翻译（这个版本可能更好）：TheOrchidPavilionIntheninthyearofthereignYungho[A.D.353]inthebeginningoflatespringwemetattheOrchidPavilioninShanyinofKweich'ifortheWaterFestival,towashawaytheevilspirits.Herearegatheredalltheillustriouspersonsandassembledboththeoldandtheyoung.Herearetallmountainsandmajesticpeaks,treeswiththickfoliageandtallbamboos.Herearealsoclearstreamsandgurglingrapids,catchingone'seyefromtherightandleft.Wegroupourselvesinorder,sittingbythewaterside,anddrinkinginsuccessionfromacupfloatingdownthecurvingstream;andalthoughthereisnomusicfromstringandwood-windinstruments,yetwithalternatesinginganddrinking,wearewelldisposedtothoroughlyenjoyaquietintimateconversation.Todaytheskyisclear,theairisfreshandthekindbreezeismild.Trulyenjoyableitissittowatchtheimmenseuniverseaboveandthemyriadthingsbelow,travelingovertheentirelandscapewithoureyesandallowingoursentimentstoroamaboutatwill,thusexhaustingthepleasuresoftheeyeandtheear.Nowwhenpeoplegathertogethertosurmiselifeitself,somesitandtalkandunburdentheirthoughtsintheintimacyofaroom,andsome,overcomebyasentiment,soarforthintoaworldbeyondbodilyrealities.Althoughweselectourpleasuresaccordingtoourinclinations—somenoisyandrowdy,andothersquietandsedate—yetwhenwehavefoundthatwhichpleasesus,weareallhappyandcontented,totheextentofforgettingthatwearegrowingold.Andthen,whensatietyfollowssatisfaction,andwiththechangeofcircumstances,changealsoourwhimsanddesires,therethenarisesafeelingofpoignantregret.Inthetwinklingofaneye,theobjectsofourformerpleasureshavebecomethingsofthepast,stillcompellinginusmoodsofregretfulmemory.Furthermore,althoughourlivesmaybelongorshort,eventuallyweallendinnothingness.Greatindeedarelifeanddeath,saidtheancients.Ah!Whatsadness!Ioftenstudythejoysandregretsoftheancientpeople,andasIleanovertheirwritingsandseethattheyweremovedexactlyasourselves,Iamoftenovercomebyafeelingofsadnessandcompassion,andwouldliketomakethosethingscleartome.WellIknowitisalietosaythatlifeanddeatharethesamething,andthatlongevityandearlydeathmakenodifference!Alas!Asweofthepresentlookuponthoseofthepast,sowillposteritylookuponourpresentselves.Therefore,haveIputdownasketchofthesecontemporariesandtheirsayingsatthisfeast,andalthoughtimeandcircumstancesmaychange,thewaytheywillevokeourmoodsofhappinessandregretwillremainthesame.Whatwillfuturereadersfeelwhentheycasttheireyesuponthiswriting.