王建(约767—约830),字仲初,颍川人,世称王司马。中唐新乐府运动代表,与张籍并称“张王乐府”。家贫,中年曾入军幕,仕途沉沦。其乐府直面徭役、织户、海民、边地变迁,白描质朴,民歌气息浓郁;近体绝句清新蕴藉,于寻常风物藏深沉感慨。不作空泛议论,专以人间百态入诗,是中唐现实主义诗歌的重镇。

今天我们来欣赏一下他的代表作:

《北邙行》

【唐】王建

北邙山头少闲土,尽是洛阳人旧墓。

旧墓人家归葬多,堆著黄金无买处。

天涯悠悠葬日促,冈坂崎岖不停毂。

高张素幕绕铭旌,夜唱挽歌山下宿。

洛阳城北复城东,魂车祖马长相逢。

车辙广若长安路,蒿草少于松柏树。

涧底盘陀石渐稀,尽向坟前作羊虎。

谁家石碑文字灭,后人重取书年月。

朝朝车马送葬回,还起大宅与高台。

打开网易新闻 查看精彩图片

截至目前,尚未有王建此诗英译本问世,那么由我来首次独创英译,助力王建佳作文化出海。

Ballad of Mount Beimang

By Wang Jian

Translated by Wang Yongli

On Beimang’s heightscarce idle ground is seen;

All are old tombs where Luoyang’s dead have been.

Many clans bring their kinsmen here to lay;

Gold heaped high, yet no new grave to buy.

Far heaven stretches wide; burial hourspress fast,

O’er rugged slopesthe chariot wheels still pass.

White drapes aloft around the mortuarystreamers spread;

Beneath the hill, dirges are sung whilemourners rest.

North and east of Luoyang’s wall, the scene holds true:

Spirit carts and hearse steeds meet inendless view.

The ruts stretch broad as Chang’an’s ancient way;

Less wormwood grows than pines andcypresses grey.

Down in the vale rough boulders dwindleslow;

All carved to sheep and tigers by thegraves below.

Whose stele’s worn,its script erased by time?

New hands recarve the years, renew therhyme.

Each day the funeral trains return andpart,

Then raise grand halls and towers lofty intheir heart.

本译韵律:采用A B A B隔行押韵,两行一换韵组,贴合乐府歌行连绵咏叹的节奏,读来沉郁苍凉,适配咏古挽歌基调。

意境还原:北邙 Beimang,保留专名;铭旌 mortuary streamers,古典汉诗英译传统表达,指丧礼铭旗;魂车spiritcarts,祖马hearse steeds,恪守唐代丧仪意象,不随意简化。盘陀 rough boulders,对应校注“山石不平貌”;坟前羊虎,是墓前石兽sheepand tigers,保留中原墓葬文化符号。

炼字和节奏,用词简练,句式长短随原诗起伏,不堆砌西式长句,适合吟诵,力求可传世。

当然,因水平有限,不足之处,敬请专家学者和读者批评指正。笔者愿尽绵薄之力,为中华文化出海减少“文化折扣”贡献点滴力量。(王永利)