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登幽州台歌 (唐) 陈子昂 前不见古人，后不见来者。 念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下。 On the Tower at Youzhou Where are the great men of the past? And where are those of future years? The sky and earth forever last; Here and now I alone shed tears. (Translated by Xu Yuanchong) Traveling not only brings a feast (盛宴) for the eyes but also gives people a chance to think and express their feelings. On the Tower at Youzhou, written by Chen Zi’ang (661-702) in the Tang Dynasty, is an example. Chen wrote this poem in 696. At that time, he was frustrated (沮丧的) in his army career (从军生涯) under the rule of Empress Wu Zetian. He climbed to the top of Youzhou Tower and was amazed by the view of the earth and sky. He couldn’t help wondering where the great men of the past and those of the future are. Compared to the universe, the poet felt that people are small and unimportant. What lasts forever is the vast earth and sky. Nobody can be free of death. Even so, Chen still wanted to serve his country and people in his short life. But the rulers didn’t see his talents, so Chen felt sad and shed his tears alone. With sincere feelings that fit the setting, Chen created a moving scene in the poem. He was sad but not discouraged. His language is plain (朴素的) but carries deep meaning. That’s why the poem is still popular now. 许渊冲先生在本诗的翻译上充分贯彻了“音美、形美、意美”的“三美”原则。首先，译作采用abab韵，past与last，years和tears分别押韵，读起来朗朗上口。其次，形式与原诗相近，句式整齐，结构相似，符合“形美”的要求。在前两句的翻译上，许先生用了疑问句式，虽然语气变了，但是传达出了原文中的意思，传神到位。 |
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