《兰亭集序》林语堂版英译文

《兰亭集序》林语堂版英译文ItistheninthyearofYonghe(A.C.353),alsoknownastheyearofGuichouintermsoftheChineselunarcalendar.Ononeofthoselatespringdays,wegatherattheOrchidPavilion,whichislocatedinShanyinCounty,KuaijiPrefecture,fordispellingbadluckandprayingforgoodfortune.Theattendeesofthegatheringareallvirtuousintellectuals,varyingfromyoungtoold.Endowedwithgreatmountainsandloftypeaks,OrchidPavilionhasflourishingbranchesandhighbamboobushesallaround,togetherwithaclearwindingbrookengirdled,whichcantherebyservetheguestsbyfloatingthewineglassesontopfortheirdrinking.Seatedbythebankofbrook,peoplewillstillregalethemselvesrightbypoetizingtheirmixedfeelingsandemotionswithwineandsongs,nevermindtheabsenceofmelodyfromstringandwindinstruments.永和九年，岁在癸(guǐ）丑。暮春之初，会于会(kuài)稽山阴之兰亭，修禊(xì)事也。群贤毕至，少长(zhǎng)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(shāng)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。Itissuchawonderfulday,withfreshairandmildbreeze.Facingupwardstothebluesky,webeholdthevastimmensityoftheuniverse;whenbowingourheadstowardstheground,weagainsatisfyourselveswiththediversityofspecies.Therebywecanrefreshourviewsandletfreeoursouls,withluxuriantsatisfactiondonetobothearsandeyes.Howinfinitethecheeris!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(chěng)怀，足以极视听之娱，信可乐也。Peoplekeepcomingandgoing,andlifesoonrushestoitsend.Somepeopleprefertosharetheirproudaspirationandloftygoalswithclosefriendsindoors,whilesomeotherschoosetofollowtheirinterestandfreetheirmindswhereverandwhenevertheylike.Maycharactersvaryfrompersontoperson,orsomewouldratherstaypeacefulwhileothersliketoliverestlessly,theywillallbecomedelightedandsatisfiedoncetheymeetsomethingpleasant,socheerfulthattheygetunawareoftheirimminentoldage.However,whentheygettiredoftheiroldfanciesthatthey’vealreadyexperienced,andsentimentcorrespondinglyaccompaniesthechangeofsituation,allsortsofcomplicatedfeelingswillwellupintheheart,too.Isn’titthought-provokingthatthehappinessweusedtoenjoypassesbywithoutleavingasingletrace,letalonethatthelengthoflifeissubjecttothefate,anddeathisinevitableforanybodyintheend?Justassomeancientmanonceputit,“Deathalsodeservesourattention,likewhatlifedoes.”,sohowcanwerestrainourselvesfromgrieving?夫(fú)人之相与，俯仰一世。或取诸怀抱，悟言一室之内；或因寄所托，放浪形骸之外。虽趣(qǔ)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！EverytimeIponderaboutthereasonswhyourpredecessorswouldproduceworkswithsuchinenarrableemotions,Ifindthereseemsomesimilaritiesbetweenourminds.YetIcannothelplamentingtheirliterarymasterpieceswhileIamstrugglingfortheverycauseinmyinnermostworld.NowIcometorealizethatithasbeenridiculousformetoequatedeathwithlife,longlifewithshortlife.Thedescendentsviewusjustthewaywelookatourpredecessors,andhowwoefulitis!HenceIwritedownallthenamesoftheattendeesandputtheirpoetryintorecord.Conditionsmaygowiththechangesoftime,butpeople’semotionsshallstaythesame.Ibelievethefollowingreaderswillstillhavemuchtomediateaboutlifeanddeathwhenappreciatingthispoetryanthology.每览昔人兴感之由，若合一契，未尝不临文嗟悼(jiēdào)，不能喻之于怀。固知一死生为虚诞，齐彭殇(shāng)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。