林语堂英译《归去来兮辞》

网上求《归去来兮辞》 (公元405)  英译， 惟林语堂所译为明易顺畅，又难得， 乃录此共赏。

陶渊明原文：

归去来兮！田园将芜胡不归？既自以心为形役，奚惆怅而独悲？悟已往之不谏，知来者之可追；实迷途其未远，觉今是而昨非。舟遥遥以轻飏，风飘飘而吹衣。问征夫以前路，恨晨光之熹微。

乃瞻衡宇，载欣载奔。僮仆欢迎，稚子候门。三径就荒，松菊犹存。携幼入室，有酒盈樽。引壶觞以自酌，眄庭柯以怡颜。倚南窗以寄傲，审容膝之易安。园日涉以成趣，门虽设而常关。策扶老以流憩，时矫首而遐观。云无心以出岫，鸟倦飞而知还。景翳翳以将入，抚孤松而盘桓。

归去来兮！请息交以绝游。世与我而相违，复驾言兮焉求？悦亲戚之情话，乐琴书以消忧。农人告余以春及，将有事于西畴。或命巾车，或棹孤舟。既窈窕以寻壑，亦崎岖而经丘。木欣欣以向荣，泉涓涓而始流。善万物之得时，感吾生之行休。

已矣乎！寓形宇内复几时，曷不委心任去留？胡为乎遑遑欲何之？富贵非吾愿，帝乡不可期。怀良辰以孤往，或植杖而耘耔。登东皋以舒啸，临清流而赋诗。聊乘化以归尽，乐夫天命复奚疑！

——选自中华书局排印本《陶渊明集》

补充注释

（1）归去来兮：意思是“回去吧”。来，助词，无义。兮，语气词。

（2）田园将芜胡不归：田园将要荒芜了，为什么不回去？胡，同“何”。

（3）以心为形役：让心神为形体所役使。意思是本心不愿出仕，但为了免于饥寒，违背本意做了官。心，意愿。形，形体，指身体。役，奴役。

（4）奚惆怅而独悲：为什么悲愁失意。惆怅，失意的样子。

（5）悟已往之不谏：觉悟到过去做错了的事（指出仕）已经不能改正。谏，谏止，劝止。

（6）知来者之可追：知道未来的事（指归隐）还可以挽救。追，挽救，补救。

（7）实：确实。

（8）舟遥遥以轻飏[yáng]：船在水面上轻轻地飘荡着前进。遥遥，摇摆不定的样子。以，而。飏，飞扬，形容船行驶轻快的样子。

（9）征夫：行人而非征兵之人。

（10）以：拿（以前路问征夫）后文中：“农人告余以春及”也是这样的。

（11）恨晨光之熹微：遗憾的是天刚刚放亮。恨:遗憾。熹微，微明，天未大亮。

（12）乃瞻衡宇，载欣载奔：看见自己家的房子，心中欣喜，奔跑过去。瞻，远望。衡宇，简陋的房子。

（13）稚子：幼儿。

（14）三径就荒，松菊犹存：院子里的小路快要荒芜了，松菊还长在那里。三径，院中小路。汉朝蒋诩[xǔ] 隐居之后，在院里竹下开辟三径，只于少数友人来往。后人图、、以“三径”待之隐士所居。就，近于。

（15）盈樽：满杯。

（16）引：拿来。 觞[shāng]

（17）眄[miǎn]庭柯以怡颜：看看院子里的树木，觉得很愉快。眄，斜看。这里是“随便看看”的意思。柯，树枝。以：为了。怡颜，使面容现出愉快神色。

（18）寄傲：寄托傲然自得的心情。傲，指傲世。

（19）审容膝之易安：觉得住在简陋的小屋里也非常舒服。审，觉察。容膝，只能容下双膝的小屋，极言其狭小。

（20）园日涉以成趣：天天到园里行走，自成一种乐趣。涉，涉足，走到。

（21）策扶老以流憩：拄着拐杖出去走走，随时随地休息。策，拄着。扶老，手杖。憩，休息。流憩，游息，就是没有固定的地方，到处走走歇歇。

（22）时矫首而遐观：时时抬起头向远处望望。矫，举。遐，远。

（23）云无心以出岫[xiù]：云气自然而然地从山里冒出。无心，无意地。岫，山穴，此处泛指山峰。

（24）景[yǐng}翳[yì]翳以将入：阳光黯淡，太阳快落下去了。景，同“影”，日光。翳翳，阴暗的样子。

（25）扶孤松而盘桓：手扶孤松徘徊。盘桓，盘旋，徘徊，留恋不去。

（26）请息交以绝游：息交，停止与人交往断绝交游。意思是不再同官场有任何瓜葛。

（27）世与我而相违，复驾言兮焉求：世事与我所想的相违背，还能努力探求什么呢？驾，驾车，这里指驾车出游去追求想要的东西。言，助词。

（28）情话：知心话。

（29）春及：春天到了。

（30）将有事于西畴：西边田野里要开始耕种了。有事，指耕种之事。事，这里指农事。畴，田地。

（31）或命巾车：有时叫上一辆有帷的小车。巾车，有车帷的小车。

（32）或棹[zhào]孤舟：有时划一艘小船。棹，本义船桨。这里名词做动词，意为划桨。

（33）既窈窕以寻壑：经过幽深曲折的山谷。窈窕，幽深曲折的样子。壑，山沟。

（34）亦崎岖而经丘：走过高低不平的山路。

（35）木欣欣以向荣：草木茂盛。欣欣，向荣，都是草木滋长茂盛的意思。

（36）涓涓：水流细微的样子。

（37）善万物之得时，感吾生之行休：羡慕自然界万物一到春天便及时生长茂盛，感叹自己的一生行将结束。善，欢喜，羡慕。行休，行将结束。

（38）已矣乎：算了吧。

（39）寓形宇内复几时，曷[hé]不委心任去留：活在世上能有多久，何不顺从自己的心愿，管它什么生与死呢？寓形，寄生。宇内，天地之间。曷，何。委心，随心所欲。去留，指生死。

（40）胡为乎遑遑欲何之：为什么心神不定，想到哪里去呢？遑遑，不安的样子。之，往。

（41）帝乡不可期：仙境到不了。帝乡，仙乡，神仙居住的地方。期，希望，企及。

（42）怀良辰以孤往：趁着春天的美好时光，独自出去。怀，怀着，趁。良辰，好时光。

（43）或植杖而耘耔：有时放下手杖，拿起农具除草培土。植，置。耘，除草。籽，以土培苗根。

（44）登东皋[gāo]以舒啸：登上东面的高地放声长啸，皋，高地。啸，撮口发出的长而清越的一种声音。

（45）聊乘化以归尽：姑且顺其自然走完生命的路程。聊：姑且。乘化，随顺大自然的运转变化。归尽：到死。尽，指死亡。

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《归去来兮辞》 林语堂译 (来源）

Homeward Bound (归去来兮辞, composed in 405 AD)

by Tao Yuanming (陶渊明, 365-427)

translated by Lin Yutang (林语堂, 1895-1976)

Ah, homeward bound I go!
Why not go home, seeing that my field
and gardens are overgrown?
Myself have made my soul serf to my body:
why have vain regrets and mourn alone?
*
Fret not over bygones
and the forward journey take.
Only a short distance have I gone astray,
and I know today I am right,
if yesterday was a complete mistake.

*

Lightly floats and drifts the boat,
and gently flows and flaps my gown.
I inquire the road of a wayfarer,
and sulk at the dimness of the dawn.

*

Then when I catch sight of my old roofs,
joy will my steps quicken.
Servants will be there to bid me welcome,
and waiting at the door are the greeting children.

*

Gone to seed, perhaps, are my garden paths,
but there will still be
the chrysanthemums and the pine!
I shall lead the youngest boy in by the hand,
and on the table there stands a cup full of wine!

*

Holding the pot and cup, I give myself a drink,
happy to see in the courtyard the hanging bough.
I lean upon the southern window with an immense satisfaction,
and note that the little place is cosy enough to walk around.

*

The garden grows more familiar
and interesting with the daily walks.
What if no one knocks at the always closed door!
Carrying a cane I wander at peace,
and now and then look aloft to gaze at the blue above.

*

There the clouds idle away from their mountain recesses
without any intent or purpose,
and birds, when tired of their wandering flights,
will think of home.
Darkly then fall the shadows and, ready to come home,
I yet fondle the lonely pines and loiter around.

*

Ah, homeward bound I go!
Let me from now on learn to live alone!
The world and I are not made for one another,
and why go round like one looking for what he has not found?

*

Content shall I be with conversations with my own kin,
and there will be music and books
to while away the hours.
The farmers will come and tell me that spring is here
and there will be work to do at the western farm.

*

Some order covered wagons;
some row in small boats.
Sometimes we explore quiet, unknown ponds,
and sometimes we climb over steep, rugged mounds.

*

There the trees, happy of heart, grow marvelously green,
and spring water gushes forth with a gurgling sound.
I admire how things grow and prosper
according to their seasons,
and feel that thus, too, shall my life go its round.

*

Enough!
How long yet shall I this mortal shape keep?
Why not take life as it comes,
and why hustle and bustle like one on an errand bound?

*

Wealth and power are not my ambitions,
and unattainable is the abode of the gods!
I would go forth alone on a bright morning,
or perhaps, planting my cane,
begin to pluck the weeds and till the ground.

*

Or I would compose a poem beside a clear stream,
or perhaps go up to Tungkao**
and make a long-drawn call on top of the hill.
So would I be content to live and die,
and without questionings of the heart,
gladly accept Heaven's will.

**Note: The term tungkao means "eastern high ground", and is not a proper noun.