張培基英譯中國現(xiàn)代散文選(一)之《清 貧》

清 貧 

——方志敏 

   我從事革命斗爭，已經(jīng)十余年了。在長期的奮斗中，我一向是過著樸素的生活，從沒有奢侈過。經(jīng)手的款項(xiàng)，總在數(shù)百萬元；但為革命而籌集的金錢，是一點(diǎn)一滴地用之于革命事業(yè)。這在國民黨的偉人們(1)看來，頗似奇跡，或認(rèn)為夸張；而矜持不茍，舍己為公，卻是每個(gè)共產(chǎn)黨員具備的美德。所以，如果有人問身邊有沒有一些積蓄，那我可以告訴你一樁趣事(2)： 

   就在我被俘的那一天——一個(gè)最不幸的日子，有兩個(gè)國民黨的兵士，在樹林中發(fā)現(xiàn)了我，而且猜到我是什么人的時(shí)候，他們滿肚子熱望在我身上搜出一千或八百大洋(3)，或者搜出一些金鐲金戒指一類的東西，發(fā)個(gè)意外之財(cái)(4)。那知道從我上身摸到下身，從襖領(lǐng)捏到襪底，  除了一只時(shí)表和一枝自來水筆之外，一個(gè)銅板都沒有搜出。他們于是激怒起來了，猜疑我是把錢藏在那里，不肯拿出來。他們之中有一個(gè)左手拿著一個(gè)木柄榴彈，右手拉出榴彈中的引線(5)，雙腳拉開一步，作出要拋擲的姿勢，用兇惡的眼光釘住我，威嚇地吼道： 

  “趕快將錢拿出來，不然就是一炸彈，把你炸死去！(6)” 

  “哼！不要作出那難看的樣子來吧！我確實(shí)一個(gè)銅板都沒有存；想從我這里發(fā)洋財(cái)，是想錯(cuò)了(7)。”我微笑著淡淡地說。 

  “你騙誰！(8)像你當(dāng)大官的人會(huì)沒有錢！(9)”拿榴彈的兵士堅(jiān)不相信。 

  “決不會(huì)沒有錢的(10)，一定是藏在那里，我是老出門的(11)，騙不得我。”另一個(gè)兵士一面說，一面弓著背重來一次將我的衣角褲襠過細(xì)的捏，總企望著有新的發(fā)現(xiàn)。 

  “你們要相信我的話，不要瞎忙吧(12)！我不比你們國民黨當(dāng)官的，個(gè)個(gè)都有錢，我今天確實(shí)是一個(gè)銅板也沒有，我們革命不是為著發(fā)財(cái)啦！”我再向他們解釋。 

   等他們確知在我身上搜不出什么的時(shí)候，也就停手不搜了；又在我藏躲地方的周圍，低頭注目搜尋了一番，也毫無所得，他們是多么地失望呵！那個(gè)持彈欲放地兵士，也將拉著的引線，仍舊塞進(jìn)榴彈的木柄里，轉(zhuǎn)過來搶奪我的表和水筆。后彼此說定表和筆賣出錢來平分，才算無話。他們用懷疑而又驚異的目光，對我自上而下地望了幾遍，就同聲命令地說：“走吧！” 

   是不是還要問問我家里有沒有一些財(cái)產(chǎn)？請等一下，讓我想一想，啊，記起來了，有的有的，但不算多。去年暑天我穿的幾套舊的汗褂褲，與幾雙縫上底的線襪，已交給我的妻放在深山塢里保藏著——怕國民黨軍進(jìn)攻時(shí)，被人搶了去，準(zhǔn)備今年暑天拿出來再穿；那些就算是我唯一的財(cái)產(chǎn)了。但我說出那幾件“傳世寶”來，豈不要叫那些富翁們齒冷三天？(13)！ 

清貧，潔白樸素的生活，正是人們革命者能夠戰(zhàn)勝許多困難的地方！

 

注釋： 

《清貧》是方志敏烈士1935年英勇就義前在江西國民黨監(jiān)獄中寫下的不朽散文。 

(1)“國民黨偉人們”指“國民黨要人們”，故譯為Kuomintang VIPs。 

(2)“一樁趣事”可譯為amusing event, occurrence、episode等，但以episode 較為合適，因?yàn)樗敢幌盗惺录械囊患?nbsp;

(3)“一千或八百大洋”中“大洋”指“銀元”故譯為silver dollars。 

(4)“發(fā)個(gè)意外之財(cái)”譯為had come upon a windfall，其中windfall本指a piece of fruit blown off a tree by the wind，現(xiàn)指a piece of unexpected fortune。 

(5)“拉出榴彈中的引線”中的“引線”不是“引信”（fuse），故譯為cord。 

(6)“不然就是一炸彈，把你炸死去”本可按字面直譯為or the bomb finishes you off，現(xiàn)譯為or you die，簡潔明白，較口語化。又動(dòng)詞die用作現(xiàn)在不定式，不用將來式will die，是為了表達(dá)一種必然將發(fā)生的事（a certainty）。 

(7)“想從我這里發(fā)財(cái)，是想錯(cuò)了”譯為You’re barking up the wrong tree to seek a fortune from me，其中to bark up the wrong tree是常見于口語的習(xí)語，意即“找錯(cuò)地方”或“找錯(cuò)人”。 

(8)“你騙誰”是粗話，相當(dāng)于“胡說”，不宜直譯，現(xiàn)譯為Shit。 

(9)“像你當(dāng)大官的人會(huì)沒有錢”譯為A big shot like you ain’t got no money?，其中ain’t等于hasn’t，常見于口語。又譯句中用兩個(gè)否定（double negative）表達(dá)一個(gè)否定，為文化低的人所用的不規(guī)范英語。 

(10)“決不會(huì)沒有錢的”是惡狠狠的話，不宜直譯，現(xiàn)根據(jù)人物對話情景譯為No money? Impossible，取其神似。 

(11)“老出門的”意即“老手”，故譯為an old hand。 

(12)“不要瞎忙吧”意即“別胡鬧”，可譯為don’t act or speak stupidly，但欠口語化，現(xiàn)譯為stop messing around或stop mucking around。 

(13)“叫那些富翁們齒冷三天”意即“被那些有錢人盡情嘲笑”，現(xiàn)譯為make myself an object of lively ridicule to the rich。 

Honest Poverty 

——Fang Zhimin 

    I have been engaged in the revolutionary struggle for more than a decade. During these long militant years, I have lived a plain life with no luxuries to speak of. Millions of dollars passed through my hands, but I always saw to it that every singly cent of the money raised for the revolution was spent for no other purposes. This may sound like a miracle or an exaggeration to Kuomintang VIPs. Self-discipline and self-sacrifice, however, are the virtue characteristic of a communist. Therefore, should anyone inquire of me about my personal savings, let him read the following amusing episode: 

    On the day of my capture—a most inauspicious day it was—two Kuomintang soldiers discovered me in a wood. Sizing me up, they thought they had come upon a windfall and started making a frantic body search, hopefully to find on me hundred of silvers dollars or some jewellery like gold bracelets or rings. They frisked me from top to toe and passed their hands over everything on me from the collar of my jacket to the soles of my socks, but, contrary to their expectation, they found nothing at all, not even a single copper, except a watch and a fountain pen. They were exasperated, suspecting that I had my money hidden somewhere and refused to give it up. One of the two men had in his left hand a wooden-handled grenade. He pulled out the cord from inside the wooden handled and moved his legs one step apart as if he was about to throw the grenade. Glowering at me ferociously, he threatened loudly, 

   “Out with your money quick, or you die!” 

   “Hey!” I said drily with a faint smile. “Don’t you put on such nasty airs! True I haven’t got a single copper with me. You’re barking up wrong tree to seek a fortune from me.” 

   “Shit! Nobody can ever believe a big shot like you ain’t got no money!” the soldier with the grenade remained wholly incredulous. 

   “No money?” the other soldier joined in. “Impossible! It must be hidden somewhere. No fooling an old hand like me.” Meanwhile, he bent low to pass his hand again meticulously over every nook and corner of my clothes and the crotch of my trousers, still holding out high hopes of making a new discovery. 

   “You should believe me and stop messing around!” I explained again. “Unlike your Kuomintang officials who’re rolling in money, I’m really penniless. We join the revolution not for personal gain.” 

Finally, when they knew for certain that there was no money on me, they gave up the body search. Nevertheless, they lowered their heads to scan here and there the place where I had hidden myself, but again in vain. How frustrated they must have felt! The soldier holding grenade pushed the cord back into its wooden handle, and turned round to scramble for my watch and fountain pen. The two men, however, settled their dispute by agreeing to divide the money equally between them after selling the spoils. They eyed me up and down with suspicion and amazement before barking out in chorus,” come along!” 

    Dear readers, maybe you wish to know if I have any private property at home. Just a minute! Let me see… Ah, here it is, but nothing much though. I have left with my wife for safekeeping a few changes of used underwear and a few pairs of socks with mended soles, all of which I used to wear last summer. She has now put them away in a remote mountain valley to prevent them from being stolen in case of Kuomintang attack, so that I may wear them again this summer. These are all the property I have to my name. But wouldn’t the declaration of my “family treasures” make myself an object of lively ridicule to the rich? 

    To remain honest though poor, to live a clean and simple life—that is what we revolutionaries count on to overcome innumerable difficulties!