张若虚的《春江花月夜》具有极高审美价值，素有“孤篇盖全唐”之美誉。春、江、花、月、夜，这几个字放在一起，诗意自然而起。闻一多先生更是盛赞此为“诗中的诗，顶峰上的顶峰”。先来拜读和抄录一遍中文版的它吧。

《春江花月夜》by 张若虚（唐）

春江潮水连海平，海上明月共潮生。

滟滟随波千万里，何处春江无月明！

江流宛转绕芳甸，月照花林皆似霰；

空里流霜不觉飞，汀上白沙看不见。

江天一色无纤尘，皎皎空中孤月轮。

江畔何人初见月？江月何年初照人？

人生代代无穷已，江月年年望相似。

不知江月待何人，但见长江送流水。

白云一片去悠悠，青枫浦上不胜愁。

谁家今夜扁舟子？何处相思明月楼？

可怜楼上月徘徊，应照离人妆镜台。

玉户帘中卷不去，捣衣砧上拂还来。

此时相望不相闻，愿逐月华流照君。

鸿雁长飞光不度，鱼龙潜跃水成文。

昨夜闲潭梦落花，可怜春半不还家。

江水流春去欲尽，江潭落月复西斜。

斜月沉沉藏海雾，碣石潇湘无限路。

不知乘月几人归，落月摇情满江树。

该诗中一共出现了15个“月”字、12个“江”字、4个“春”字、2个“花”字和2个“夜”字。

再来拜读和抄录一遍许渊冲先生翻译的英文版吧。

The Moon over the River on a Spring Night

Zhang Ruoxu

　　In spring the river rises as high as the sea,

　　And with the river's tide uprises the moon bright.

　　She follows the rolling waves for ten thousand li,

　　Where’er the river flows, there overflows her light.

　　The river winds around the fragrant islet where,

　　The blooming flowers in her light all look like snow.

　　You cannot tell her beams from hoar frost in the air,

　　Nor from white sand upon the Farewell Beach below.

　　No dust has stained the water blending with the skies;

　　A lonely wheel-like moon shines brilliant far and wide.

　　Who by the riverside did first see the moon rise?

　　When did the moon first see a man by riverside?

　　Many generations have come and passed away;

　　From year to year the moons look alike, old and new.

　　We do not know tonight for whom she sheds her ray,

　　But hear the river say to its water adieu.

　　Away, away is sailing a single cloud white;

　　On Farewell Beach are pining away maples green.

　　Where is the wanderer sailing his boat tonight?

　　Who, pining away, on the moonlit rails would learn?

　　Alas! The moon is lingering over the tower;

　　It should have seen her dressing table all alone.

　　She may roll curtains up, but light is in her bower;

　　She may wash, but moonbeams still remain on the stone.

　　She sees the moon, but her husband is out of sight;

　　She would follow the moonbeams to shine on his face.

　　But message-bearing swans can't fly out of moonlight,

　　Nor letter-sending fish can leap out of their place.

　He dreamed of flowers falling o’er the pool last night;

　　Alas! Spring has half gone, but he can't homeward go.

　　The water bearing spring will run away in flight;

　　The moon over the pool will in the west sink low.

　　In the mist on the sea the slanting moon will hide;

　　It's a long way from northern hills to southern streams.

　　How many can go home by moonlight on the tide?

　　The setting moon sheds o'er riverside trees but dreams.

该译文中一共出现了15处moon包括2处moonlight、2处moonbeam和1处moonlit；8处river”、2处stream和2处sea；3处spring、2处flower和3处night。

 

尤喜：

1.英译版本中8次使用了she和7处her，增添了《春江花月夜》的柔情蜜意。

2.两处感叹：Alas!

3.两句may：

She may roll curtains up, but light is in her bower;

She may wash, but moonbeams still remain on the stone.

让我想起

让我想起青石板上槌衣裳的画面，而以前在乡村的确常见。

4.强调：did first see~

Who by the riverside did first see the moon rise?

When did the moon first see a man by riverside?

5.碣石潇湘无限路~

It's a long way from northern hills to southern streams.

南北，山川。长长情路无限……

6.落月摇情满江树~

The setting moon sheds o'er riverside trees but dreams.

Trees as well as dreams~

 

疑惑：

这里有nor，无需倒装么？

But message-bearing swans can't fly out of moonlight,

Nor letter-sending fish can leap out of their place.

附：

bower (花园或树林中的)树荫 [文学性]