凡讀過《紅樓夢(mèng)》的人都會(huì)對(duì)第一回中的《好了歌》有深刻的印象。大多數(shù)讀者都能夠?qū)⑺痴b下來。這不僅因?yàn)椤逗昧烁瑁┱Z言樸質(zhì)無華，自然流暢，富有韻律感，而且因?yàn)樗侨珪摹办`魂”所在。紅學(xué)界認(rèn)為，《好了歌》是全書的“綱”。那么，從翻譯的角度講，譯好《好了歌》就能夠?qū)θ珪姆g起到提糾挈領(lǐng)的作用。每一位中外翻譯家都認(rèn)識(shí)到這一點(diǎn)，并花費(fèi)了很大功大來翻譯《好了歌》。下面我們簡(jiǎn)要比較一下《好了歌》宗教文化內(nèi)容的翻譯。

好了歌

跛足道人

世人都曉神仙好，惟有功名忘不了！

古今將相在何方？荒家一堆草沒了。

世人都曉神仙好，只有金銀忘不了！

終朝只恨聚無多，及到多時(shí)眼閉了。

世人都曉神仙好，只有姣妻忘不了！

君生日日說恩情，君死又隨人去了。

世人都曉神仙好，只有兒孫忘不了！

癡心父母古來多，孝順兒孫誰見了？

從內(nèi)容上分析，《好了歌》可以分為四意思。第一層意思講的作官，第二層講發(fā)財(cái)，第三層說夫妻關(guān)系，第四層則是父子關(guān)系。概括起來，《好了歌》也可以分為兩大部分。前部分講升官發(fā)財(cái)，后部分講親情關(guān)系。《好了歌》的主旨是，所謂功名、金錢、姣妻、兒孫統(tǒng)統(tǒng)是空的，絲毫不值得留戀，只有忘掉這一切，才能進(jìn)入神仙般的世界。

請(qǐng)比較下面四種不同譯文。

譯文一：

To train for a saint we know is best,

But love of fame distracts our mind.

Where are honored sages now?

Grass grows on their place of rest.

To train for a saint we know is best,

But love of wealth distracts our minds.

Our eyes on gleaming treasures dote

Till they close in death. Ah bootless zest!

To train for a saint we know is best,

But love of son distracts our minds

Oh, foolish doting! Poor return!

Whoe'er with filial son was blest?

To train for a saint we know is best,

But love of wife distracts our minds,

Eternal love to us she vows,

When we're dead, then others fill her breast.

                                                          （E.赫德森 譯）

譯文二：

We all envy the immortals because they are free,

But fame and fortune we cannot forget.

Where are the ministers and generals of the past and the

present? ---

Under neglected graves overgrown with weeds.

We all envy the immortals because they are free,

But gold and silver we cannot forget.

All our lives we save and board and wish for more,

When suddenly our eyes are forever closed.

We all envy the iumortals because they are free,

But our precious wives we cannot forget.

They speak of love and constancy while we live.

But marry again soon enough after we are dead.

We all envy the immortals because they are free,

But our sons and grandsons we cannot forget.

Many they are, of doting parents, from ancient

times ---

But how few of the sons are filial and obedient!

                                                            （王際真 譯）