鲁迅·《湘灵歌》英译

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湘灵妆成照湘水，皎如皓月窥彤云。

高丘寂寞竦中夜，芳荃零落无余春。

鼓完瑶瑟人不闻，太平成象盈秋门。

 

一九三一年

 

The Song of the Goddess of the Xiang River

Lu Xun

 

Green ran the Xiang like dye, they used to say,

But now I learn of a river stained with rouge.

The goddess admires her finery in its waters,

White like a gleaming moon that peeps through crimson clouds.

Lonely and scared the high hill is at midnight;

Few are the fragrant plants when spring has gone.

The jade lute’s music dies; the player disappears:

Symbols of peace alone adore the city.

 

（W.F. F. Jenner 译）

 

Song of the Nymphs of the Xiang River¹

March 5^th, 1931

 

I was told the Xiang River used to be blue like having been dyed;

I am told the Xiang River is now red like the rouged tide².

The Nymphs of Xiang, having dressed, look into the river,

Just like the moon peeping through the clouds, in the great mirror.

Forlorn is our motherland; at midnight, the Horror sways,

The fragrant plants are decayed, and no sign of Spring stays.

Their precious lutes are played, yet no people e’er do hear,

While the Capital is full of “peaceful atmosphere”.³

 

1. It is said in the legend that there are two nymphs in the Xiang River.

2. Here it means that the water is red with people’s blood because of the reactionaries’ slaughter.

3. The whole country is overwhelmed with horror and the rulers think there is peaceful atmosphere around them.

 

（吴钧陶 译）

 

Song of the Hsiang Spirit¹

March 5, 1931

Lu Hsun

 

Once the Hsiang River was said to be blue as dyed,

Now the Hsiang River is stained with the traces of blood².

The Hsiang Spirit has dressed up and looks at the waters,

As the moon through the red clouds her white face shines.

Terror and silence reign our land in the dead of night³,

The scented flowers wither, with no trace of spring⁴.

After playing her jasper lute, who would enjoy the tune⁵?

And the west gate is nothing but a scene of phoney peace⁶.

 

1. According to Chinese mythology, the Hsiang Spirit was the daughter of Emperor Yao, a wise ruler of ancient China, who married his daughter to another wise ruler, Emperor Shun, who succeeded Yao’s throne. Later she was drowned in the Hsiang River and became the Goddess of Hsiang. She was noted to be very beautiful and good at playing her jasper lute.

2. The Hsiang River is one of the largest rivers in Hunan Province. This line refers to the bloody massacre of the people by the Kuomintang reactionaries from 1927 to 1930 in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province.

3. This line refers to the two banks of the Hsiang River and the other parts of the land under the reign or white terror.

4. This line refers to the desolate scene after the massacre.

5. This line refers to the sad tune of the Hsiang Spirit.

6. This line refers to Nanking and the Kuomintang-controlled areas where the Kuomintang chieftains could enjoy their “peaceful scene” while the common people went through deep sufferings.

 

（黄新渠 译）