曾子曰:"吾日三省乎吾身:为人谋而不忠乎?与朋友交而不信乎?传不习乎?"这是孔子的弟子曾子每天检查自己的三个问题。我们现在看看理雅各和韦利是如何翻译这三句话的。
(1)The philosopher Zeng said:"I daily examine myself on three points:— whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;— whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;— whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher." (Legge)
(2)Master Zeng said, everyday I examine myself on these three points: In acting on behalf of others, have I always been loyal to their interests? In intercourse with my friends, have I always been true to my word? Have I failed to repeat the precepts that have been handed down to me? (Waley)
"三省吾身",两位译者都说是在三点上检查自己。第一点"为人谋",理雅各说是为别人办事,韦利说是代办,前者一般化,后者特殊化,一般比特殊好。对"忠"字的翻译,理雅各的宗教意味重,不够明确;韦利政治气息浓,后面加了"利益"一词,就增加了经济意义。第二点"与朋友交",两人一样,理雅各把"信"字说是诚恳,不如韦利说的"忠于所言",但两种译文和原文有没有距离呢?似乎还可以研究。第三点两人都把"传"理解为孔子的教导。全句可以考虑翻译如下:
I ask my self, said Master Zeng, three questions everyday: Indealing with others, have I not thought of their interests? In making friends, have my deeds not agreed with my words? In teaching students, have I not put into practice what I teach them?
曾子的"三省吾身"能不能应用于译者呢?
第一,"忠"字可以应用于原作者,这就是说,译者应该忠于原作,但
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