(1)If the scholar be not grave,he will not call forth any veneration and his learning will not be solid.Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.Have no friends not equal to yourself.When you have faults,do not fear to abandon them.(Legge)
(2)If a gentleman is frivolous(i.e.irresponsible and unreliable in his dealing with others),he will lose the respect of his inferiors and lack firm ground upon which to build up his education.First and foremost he must learn to be faithful to his superiors,to keep promises,to refuse the friendship of all who are not like him.And if he finds he has made a mistake,then he must not be afraid of admitting the fact and amending his ways.(Waley)理雅各的英译,如果要还原成语体中文,大约可以是:"如果学者不严肃,他就不会得到尊敬,他的学习也不会踏实。所以要把忠实和诚恳当成首要原则。朋友不应该是比不上你的人。如果你有错误,不要害怕改正。"这几乎是字对字的直译,但是读后不容易看出上下文的联系。韦利的英译可还原如下:"如果一个上流人士轻浮(和别人打交道时不负责任,又不可靠),他就会失掉下级对他的尊敬,并且缺少建立教育的巩固基础(韦利认为原文有误)。首要的是,他必须学会忠于上级,遵守诺言,拒绝与那些和他不同的人交朋友。如果他发现自己犯了错误,那他一定不要害怕承认事实,并且改正自己的方式。"韦利把"不重"从正面说成是"轻浮",并且注明是"不负责,不可靠",这就译出了表层结构和深层内容。但是"无友不如己者"的理解就和理雅各不同。究竟谁是谁非？我想提出新的译法,以供研究:
An intelligentleman should not be frivolous or he would lack solemnity in his behavior and solidity in his learning.He should be truthful and faithful,and be friend his equals.He should not be afraid of admitting and amending his faults.首先,对"君子",我采用了钱锺书先生的译法。其次,对"不重",我采用了韦利的反词正译法。第三,我译"不威",用了solemnity(严肃庄重)一词,而译"不固",则用了solidity(巩固踏实),原文"不威"和"不固"对称,这两个词有三个元音(o,i,y)和三个辅音(s,l,t)是一样的,看起来有"形美",听起来有"音美",并有对称之美。"忠信"译成truthful和faithful也是一样。"无友不如己者"用反词正译法,说和自己同等的人交友,那就避免了"不如"是"不像"或"不及"的问题,可见翻译有时要明确,有时要模糊。
