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去年微博上有人分享过一篇老外看三国的读后感：  当时甚至有几家媒体还为此整理了评论合集，但几乎没看见中英对照的翻译。我本人实在太喜欢这篇读后感了，现在提供一个中英对照版，让大家完整感受下这个老外的完整心路历程： iiiiiiiiii The Death of Greatness关羽之死By Brian Lanning “Then Sun Ch’uan asked Lü Meng, saying, ‘If he fly to a distance, how can he be captured?’ ” 孙权问吕蒙道，“如果他能飞，怎么可能被抓住？” ‘The divination exactly fits in with my schemes,’ replied he, ‘and though Kuan had wings to soar to the skies he would not escape my net.’”
“预言正合我的计策”，他答道，“就算关羽身如插翅能飞冲天，他也逃不脱我的天罗地网” I’m reading in my living room on a comfortable rocking chair with my feet on a little footrest. I can smell the pages of the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms; they have that nice “old book” smell like dried-out leaves in autumn. I’m reading about a chaotic time in China, and numerous characters and events, but I can find myself only thinking about Kuan Yu, the man that Sun Ch’uan and Lü Meng are plotting against. The great and invincible Kuan Yu, with his hundred-pound halberd and his long flowing beard, giving him the nick-name “Kuan Yu of the beard.” This is the end of the chapter, so I close the book and put it on the ledge next to me. I slouch down in my rocking chair, knowing full well that these two imps could never defeat the great Kuan Yu. 我坐在起居室舒服的摇椅上，脚搭在搁凳，悠闲的读着。我能嗅到这本历史小说《三国演义》的纸页，有一种像秋后干透了的树叶的味道，正是那种美妙的“旧书”的气味。我读的是一本描述古代中国混乱时期的小说，有大量的角色和史事。但我只关注关羽，现在孙权吕蒙正要设计谋害的这个人。伟大的无敌的关羽， After slouching comfortably for a minute or two I get up to walk around, and take some pacing steps around my living room. The warm carpet feels nice and relaxing on my socked-feet. I’m not pacing in anxiety or anything, just getting the blood flowing again. I’ve been in that chair reading for about an hour now and just felt like moving. I can hear the soothing sounds of the rain hitting the roof. I feel secure in this room. The room has this nice warm lighting, where it’s not too bright, nor too dark; that’s why I always do my reading in this room. “Maybe,” I think, “I’ll just read another chapter before going to bed.” I stretch my chest, and feel a nice, light pulling in the front of my shoulders.
他有一把几百磅重的长刀和修长的胡须，人称“美髯公”。这章就要结束了，所以我合上书页，放到旁边的窗台之上。我瘫在摇椅内，非常确信这两个小鬼绝不可能打败无敌的关羽。 在摇椅里躺了一两分钟，我站起来在起居室里溜达起来。暖和的地毯很软和，放松了我的脚。我并没有焦虑或者别的什么感觉，只是想让双脚的血液流通一点。我已经坐在那读了大约一个小时了，现在就是想动一动。我能听见雨滴落在屋顶，在这屋里，我觉得安心。灯光是宜人的暖色，既不太亮也不太暗，所以我总是在这儿读书。“也许，” 我想，“上床前我再读另一章吧。”我伸展了我的胸脯，觉得肩膀舒服了一点。 I return to the chair and ease into it, putting my feet back on the little footrest. I pick the book back up from the ledge, open it up and smell that sweet autumn fragrance emanating and lingering. “When Kuan Yu mustered his fighting men in the city, he had but three hundred, all told.” I let out a little chuckle. These would seem like dire straits to anyone who was not familiar with the hardships that the great Kuan Yu has overcome in his lifetime. This is the man that road out of a kingdom alone and had to slay six officers in order to escape. This is the man that knowingly went to a banquet designed to assassinate him, and walked out unscathed holding the host in the air. His enemies, the country of Wu, is led by Sun Ch’uan and his adviser Lü Meng. They have devised a ploy to make Kuan Yu’s entire troop defect to Wu.
我回到摇椅躺了进去，脚搁在搁凳上。拿起窗台上的书，打开书页又闻到那种美妙的秋之气息散发出来缠绵在我的周遭。“当关羽检阅了城中他的军士时，他总共只剩三百名了。”我不禁笑了。关羽一生中曾克服过那么多艰难险阻，对那些不熟悉这一点的人来说，这点人实在太窘迫了。这个男人曾过五关斩六将，这个男人曾单刀赴会。他的敌对方，吴国由孙权和他的谋士吕蒙领导。他们已经设计要关羽的军队叛逃到吴国去。
Their plans are working out fine for them, but I’m still comfortable in my chair knowing that Kuan Yu is worth a thousand soldiers. However, to hold a city you’ll need more men and resources than they have. They decide to retreat by a certain path leading out of the castle. “Wang Fu opposed it, pointing out that they would surely fall into an ambush. The main road would be safer. ‘There may be an ambush, but do I fear that?’ said the old warrior. Orders were given to be ready to march.” I lift my eyes from the page and smile. You have to love a great hero that knows that he’s a great hero.
他们的谋划进展得很顺利，但我舒服而自信的坐在椅子上，因为我知道关羽以一敌千。然而守住一个城池，你需要更多的人和资源。他们决定从一条离开城堡的小道撤退。王福反对这个计划，他指出从这条小道撤退一定会陷入埋伏。大路更加安全。“也许有埋伏，但我会怕？”衰老的武士说道。命令传了下去，军士们准备行军。我两眼离开了书页，笑了起来。这个英雄知道自己是个伟大的英雄，你不得不爱上他。
After a couple of laughs I continue my reading, and guess what, they’ve gotten ambushed. “Soon appeared a large force with Chu Jan at their head. He came dashing forward, and summoned the small party to surrender if they would save their lives. But Kuan Yu whipped his steed to a gallop and bore down on the leader with anger in his eyes. Then Chu Jan ran away.” “Smart man,” I think to myself. Another small fit of laughter escapes me. What is Wu thinking? You can’t capture or kill the great Kuan Yu, you can only hope that you’re not the one in his path. Lifting my eyes from the pages, I look at the light bulbs.
笑了几声，我继续阅读，猜想他们已经中了埋伏。果然，朱然率领了一大队伏兵冲到阵前，他要劝降关羽，说可以饶了士兵们的性命。但关羽怒火中烧，打马飞奔冲向这名吴国将军。朱然便跑了。“聪明人，”我一边想一边笑出了声。吴国人在想什么？你不可能抓住或杀掉伟大的关羽，你最好希望自己不是挡在他路上的那个人。双目离开书页，我瞄了一眼灯泡。
I love doing this in this room, because these light-bulbs don’t give me that “sun-spot” in the middle of my vision, so I just get the warm feelings that brightness give. I roll my shoulder in its socket just to stretch it out a little bit. I shift some in my seat because my legs are getting a little numb. Returning my eyes to the page, I’m trying to see if I was right about the lack of “sun-spot.” Yep, I’m right, no “sun-spot.”
我喜欢在这个房间读书，这个灯泡光线柔和不刺眼，不会让人眼产生“黑视”。我晃了晃肩膀伸展开来。我的腿有点僵硬，在座椅上挪了挪。眼睛回到书页上看看是否我对黑视的想法是对的。对，我说对了，并没有什么黑视。
Another ambush by another captain, and another captain flees from Kuan Yu. I start shaking my head thinking about the stupid persistence of Wu generals. Seriously, why would you engage someone in battle if you were just going to run away? “It doesn’t matter,” I say to myself, “just read.” “Presently the small party stumbled into another ambush, and the men thrust forth hooks and threw ropes. Entangled in these, Kuan Yu’s horse fell, and Kuan Yu reeled out of the saddle.” “This can’t be good,” is frantically repeating through my head. “In a moment he was a prisoner.”
另一个裨将率领的另一队伏兵，伏兵又一次的从关羽面前逃走。我开始对吴国将领的治军无方摇了摇头。认真地说，你为什么在一场注定要逃走的战斗中集结军队呢？没关系，我对自己说，接着读。目前，这一小兵军士又陷入了另一个埋伏，伏兵们扔出了爪钩和绳套，撂倒了关羽的坐骑。关羽从马鞍中蹒跚着站了起来，这不好了，这个念头在我脑子中疯狂地重复，一时间，他已被抓住成了一个囚犯。
But at least he’s still alive. As long as the great Kuan Yu is alive, there is nothing to fear. I’ve noticed that my leg is twitching, and that nice comfortable warmth has turned into humid heat. I feel itchy all over. I start scratching my ears; they’re itching the worst. I pull my hat off and rub my hair, pulling the hat back over my head very tightly. The air is way too sticky, and I can’t seem to get a breath of fresh air. I cover my mouth with my left fist, and cough a little bit.
但至少他还活着。只要伟大的关羽活着，就没什么好怕的。我注意到我的双腿有点颤抖，那种舒服的暖洋洋也变成了一种难受的湿热。我觉得有点痒，我抓了抓耳朵，耳朵是最痒的地方。我摘下了帽子，抓了抓头皮，又戴上了帽子。空气有点沉重，我几乎透不过气来，我用左拳捂住了嘴巴，清了清嗓子。
Sitting up straight in the chair and staring fiercely at the pages I start reading quickly. The generals of Wu have brought Kuan Yu before Sun Ch’uan. Sun Ch’uan asks him to switch sides to Wu. “But Kuan Yu only answered roughly, ‘You green-eyed boy! You red-bearded rat!’” I’m thinking “Ahhh… this is where the great Kuan Yu is going to slaughter everybody in the room, whether he’s bound or not!” One of Sun Ch’uan’s generals says that evil will come if they spare Kuan Yu. “Sun Ch’uan reflected for some time. ‘You are right,’ said he presently, and gave the order for execution.” “This can’t be!” My mind is frantic; they’ve just executed the invincible Kuan Yu. His death was at the hands of men that combined couldn’t exist as the great Kuan Yu’s pinkie-finger.
我坐直了身子，眼睛死死的盯住页面，我开始速读。吴国的将军们抓住了关羽，把他带到孙权的面前，孙权劝他投降。但关羽只是粗暴的回答他，“你这个绿眼顽童，你这个红胡子鼠辈”，我想到，“啊，在这里关羽要干掉所有人了，不管他是被捆着还是没有。”吴国的一名将军说如果释放关羽就会闯大祸。孙权考虑了一会，“你是对的，”孙权说道，并下了处刑的命令。“这不可能！”我的大脑开始暴走，他们要处死无敌的关羽了！这群人加起来也伤不了关羽一根手指头，关羽居然要死在这些人手里！
I stand up in haste, throwing the book to the floor, shove my feet into my shoes without tying them, and then walk out into the rain. It’s pitch-dark outside. It’s cold. I look up and try to see the moon. There is no moon. There aren’t even any stars out tonight, just the rain. I’m looking around for some form of celestial light, but all that I can see is one flickering light bulb. How is this one light bulb going to brighten the darkness?
我猛地站了起来，把书扔到地上，试都没试地把脚塞进了鞋子，冲进了外面的大雨中。外面是一片黑黢黢的，冷，我抬起头想看月亮，看不见，今晚外面连一颗星星都没有，只有雨。我想看看天空中有没有什么光亮。什么都没有，只有屋里的灯光一闪一闪。这点光怎么能照亮这么大的黑暗！ I’m shivering, I’m soaked, and I need a cigarette. I pull my pack out of my pocket and grab one. It’s been out of the box for like two-goddamn-seconds and it’s already wet. I’m looking down as I’m lighting it, cupping my hand around the lighter so that the wind and the rain don’t extinguish it. I can see the wet blacktop. The water passing over it is the blackest thing that I’ve ever seen. To me it seems like emptiness in motion, this black-liquid coming from nowhere, heading nowhere, and washing away whatever it can find.
我开始发抖，我浑身湿透了，我需要一支烟。我掏出烟盒，抓住了一根。拿出来时只有该死的两秒钟，但已经湿了。我要点燃它，用手遮住打火机，这样风就吹不灭。我能看见湿漉漉的柏油路面，这是我看过的最黑的东西了。它像是我情绪里的一片空虚，这种黑色的流质无处而来，无处可去，也无法洗去。
I find that my imagination has been washed away. I’m trying to think. About Kuan Yu, about my life, about anything. Nothing is coming to mind. There is a black void where all of my fancies and aspirations of greatness used to fill. This is uncomfortable. For the past three-weeks my imagination has been running loose. Everything I’ve thought about or thought-up has been wild and epic; I was plotting world-domination schemes and ways to restore the chaotic order of great Kuan Yu’s time.
我发现我的想象力都被冲刷干净了，我试着思考。思考关羽，思考我的人生，什么都行，但什么都想不出来，一片空白。过去我脑子中的奇思妙想，对伟大人物的崇敬都消失了。这一点都不愉快，过去三周，我的想象力都漫散开了，我想的都是些狂野的史诗般的东西，我甚至制定统治世界的计划和终结他们那个时代的混乱的方法。
Now it feels like there is no point to having great fantasies, or to become great at all. The greatest hero this world has ever known met an ignoble end at the hands of inferior men. Reading about this man’s life had given me hope that greatness would resound through history. He’s in books, movies, and video games; but none of it matters. His life was washed away, leaving me feeling empty. The cigarette is done, the end is still glowing but there’s not much more to smoke. I drop it on the wet blacktop and hear the hiss of the embers being extinguished. The cigarette-butt starts washing away. There is a poem in this novel that keeps resounding in my head. Normally, I’d be able to visualize what it says, but now I can only remember the words and can’t see the dragon or the phoenix. 但现在，奇思妙想和成为伟人对我来说都无关紧要了。这个世界上已知的最伟大的战士屈辱的死在一群挫逼手中了。阅读这个伟大男人的人生经历曾给我一种希望：英雄们的事迹会穿越时空，在历史中长久的回响。他存在于书籍中，存在于电影中，存在于电脑游戏中，但都不重要了。他的事迹逐渐褪色，只让我感到迷惘。烟已经熄灭了，末端还亮着但也没什么好吸的了。我把烟蒂扔到柏油路面上，听着余烬被浇熄的丝丝声，然后烟蒂被冲走了。这部小说里有一首诗一直回旋在我脑海中，我曾经能想象诗的意象，但现在只能记起词句，想象不出来龙或者凤凰了。
“The dragon in a puddle is the sport of shrimps, the phoenix in a cage is mocked of small birds.”
“龙落泥淖遭虾戏，凤入牢笼被雀奚”
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