—Trifles in a Remote Village(Supplementary Ci Poem to Miscellaneous Rural Poems · Recollections of Distant Years)
By Tong ShanleiThe Southern Sage
Lean of frame, with a sharpened face,Villagers far and near call her "Sister-in-law".Who would doubt the goodness of her family traditions of old?By nature she is warm and attentive,Respecting the elders, cherishing the young.Ever mindful,She obeys her husband,And treats others with gentle grace.
Who could have foreseen,When the educated youth arrived,Her idle heart would be stirred to mischief?Often she listens to the faint voices next door,Then spreads words at will,Breeding endless gossip and strife.The lodger is plagued with worry,Yet she can only think—Heaven alone knows the truth.
原词关键词
英文译词
意象 / 含义对应说明
隔帘听
Listening Behind the Curtain
点明词题场景,暗含 “偷听” 的隐秘感
僻乡琐屑事
Trifles in a Remote Village
精准对应乡村里细碎、不起眼的日常小事
瘦削短身尖面
Lean of frame, with a sharpened face
白描人物外形,用词简洁贴合原词的质朴风格
远近皆呼嫂
Villagers far and near call her "Sister-in-law"
还原乡邻间亲切的称呼,体现人物在当地的身份
家风好
goodness of her family traditions
对应原词中人物的教养底色
殷勤
warm and attentive
准确传达人物待人勤快周到的品性
上慈下孝
Respecting the elders, cherishing the young
直译传统伦理观念,符合英文表达逻辑
顺夫君
obeys her husband
对应原词里人物对丈夫的温顺体贴
知青
the educated youth
采用特定历史背景的标准译法
闲心挑
idle heart would be stirred to mischief
既译出 “闲心”,又用 “stirred to mischief” 暗含挑起是非的意味
言声杳
faint voices
还原隔壁声音微弱、模糊的状态
信意传出
spreads words at will
对应 “随意传播” 的动作,凸显人物的轻率
是非多少
endless gossip and strife
概括流言引发的纷争,贴合原词语境
客烦恼
The lodger is plagued with worry
“客” 译为 lodger,点明知青的房客身份,“plagued with worry” 强化烦恼的程度
Listening Behind the Curtain //—Trifles in a Remote Village //(Supplementary Ci Poem to Miscellaneous Rural Poems · Recollections of Distant Years) //
By Tong Shanlei /The Southern Sage //
Lean of frame, with a sharpened face,/Villagers far and near call her "Sister-in-law".//Who would doubt the goodness of her family traditions of old?//By nature she is warm and attentive,/Respecting the elders, cherishing the young.//Ever mindful,/She obeys her husband,/And treats others with gentle grace.//
Who could have foreseen,//When theeducated youth arrived,/Heridle heartwould be stirred tomischief?//Often she listens to thefaint voices next door,/Thenspreads words at will,/Breedingendless gossip and strife.//Thelodgerisplagued with worry,/Yet she can only think—/Heaven alone knows the truth.//