汉译英散文佳作赏析：徐迟《枯叶蝴蝶》

 　　枯叶蝴蝶

　　Lappet Butterflies

　　徐迟

　　By Xu Chi

　　峨嵋山下，伏虎寺旁，有一种蝴蝶，比最美丽的蝴蝶可能还要美丽些，是峨嵋山最珍贵的特产之一。

　　At the foot of Mount Emei, around Fuhu Temple, there lives a species of butterfly--one of the rarest rarities of the mountain-that is probably even more beautiful than the most beautiful butterflies in the world.

　　当它阖起两张翅膀的时候，像生长在树枝上的一张干枯了的树叶。谁也不去注意它，谁也不会瞧它一眼。

　　With its wings closed it resembles a withered¹ tree leaf hanging from a branch--scarcely noticeable to the human eye. Gathering² its wings with exquisite³ patterns, it conceals⁴ its beautiful colors.

　　它收敛了它的花纹、图案，隐藏了它的粉墨、彩色，逸出了繁华的花丛，停止了它翱翔的姿态，变成了一张憔悴的，干拈了的，甚至不是枯黄的，而是枯稿的，如同死灰颜色的枯叶。

　　When it flutters out from a cluster of blooming flowers and alights somewhere in the middle of its graceful⁵ flight, it turns into a dried leaf, not even of a withering⁶ yellow, but of a deathly grey.

　　它这样伪装，是为了保护自己。但是它还是逃不脱被捕捉的命运。不仅因为它的美丽，更因为它那用来隐蔽它的美丽的枯搞与憔悴。

　　It disguises its shape and colours in order to protect itself, but nevertheless it can't help ending up in being captured, not only because of its beauty, but more because of the withered quality of its appearance that covers up its beauty.

　　它以为它这样做可以保护自己，殊不知它这样做更教人去搜捕它。有一种生物比它还聪明，这种生物的特技之一是装假作伪，因此装假作伪这种行径是瞒不过这种生物—人的。

　　It is misled to believe that by so doing it can keep itself out of danger. On the contrary it makes itself more attractive, because there is another creature-man-that is cleverer than this butterfly. 'Ibis creature is extremely skilled in masquerading himself; no masquerading whatsoever⁷ can slide by under his nose.

　　人把它捕捉，将它制成标本，作为一种商品去出售，价钱越来越高。最后几乎把它捕捉得再也没有了。这一生物品种快要绝种了。

　　Man captures it, makes a specimen⁸ of it and sells it in the market at increasingly high prices. What happens as a result is that there is hardly any of the butterflies to be found-the species is dying out.

　　到这时候，国家才下令禁止捕捉枯叶蝶。但是，已经来不及了。国家的禁止更增加了它的身价。枯叶蝶真是因此而要绝对的绝灭了。

　　The government has now decided⁹ to put a ban on its capture, but it's too late. The ban, instead, multiplies its price. The butterfly is on the verge¹⁰ of extinction¹¹.

　　我们既然有一对美丽和真理的翅膀，我们永远也不愿意阖上它们。做什么要装模作样，化为一只枯叶蝶，最后也还是被售，反而不如那翅膀两面都光彩夺目的蝴蝶到处飞翔，被捕捉而又生生不息。

　　Since we have got a pair of wings of beauty and truth, there is no reason to hide them. Why do you have to turn yourself into a withered-leaf-like butterfly as you are bound to be netted and sold at the market? Isn't it better to fly around freely on your flashing, colorful wings and keep up the line of your species though some of you have to meet their doom¹²?

　　我要我的翅膀两面都光彩夺目。

　　I want both sides of my wings to shine.

　　我愿这自然界的一切都显出它们的真相。

　　I hope everything in the world shows their true colors.

1 withered   

adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The grass had withered in the warm sun. 这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。
• The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered. 这棵树下的叶子干枯了。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 exquisite   

adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的

参考例句：

• I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
• I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

4 conceals   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He conceals his worries behind a mask of nonchalance. 他装作若无其事，借以掩饰内心的不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Drunkenness reveals what soberness conceals. 酒醉吐真言。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

6 withering   

使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的

参考例句：

• She gave him a withering look. 她极其蔑视地看了他一眼。
• The grass is gradually dried-up and withering and pallen leaves. 草渐渐干枯、枯萎并落叶。

7 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

8 specimen   

n.样本，标本

参考例句：

• You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
• This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

11 extinction   

n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种

参考例句：

• The plant is now in danger of extinction.这种植物现在有绝种的危险。
• The island's way of life is doomed to extinction.这个岛上的生活方式注定要消失。

12 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。