李白《月下獨酌》八種英譯及漢語回譯

李白這首詩恐怕是英文翻譯中國詩歌中版本最多的，去年初從一個網站上得到將近三十個已經出版了的版本(當然，肯定還是不全的)，這裡貼出來的是二戰之前的英文翻譯，以及我的回譯。

回譯，自然是不能用原文來思考的，而必須儘量從英文來考慮，因此除非是中外文直接對等的，否則我儘量不朝中文原文上靠，儘量不借用原文的詞。雖然我們可能說英文翻譯了的中文詩歌根本不是詩，但在如此說之前，也要想一想我們漢語翻譯了的外國詩再回譯到原文中去，恐怕一樣令人失望。

當然，這裡還有前後兩個譯者的水平差異。不過，這麼多譯本的差異本身就已經足以說明詩歌翻譯中的種種問題。詩，經過翻譯，再回來，還是不是詩？或者，這兩次翻譯中，除了無法保存諸如韻律等形式因素之外，除了字面意思之外，到底還保存了什麼？

An arbor of flowers and a kettle of wine:Alas! In the bowers no companion is mine.Then the moon sheds her rays on my goblet and me,And my shadow betrays we’re a party of three!Thou』 the moon cannot swallow her share of the grog,And my shadow must follow wherever I jog,Yet their friendship I』ll borrow and gaily carouse,And laugh away sorrow while spring-time allows.See the moon–how she dances response to my song;See my shadow–it dances so lightly along!While sober I feel, you are both my good friends;While drunken I reel, our companionship ends,But we』ll soon have a greeting without a goodbye,A tour next merry meeting away in the sky.On Drinking Alone by MoonlightHere are flowers and here is wine,But where’s a friend with me to joinHand in hand and heart to heartIn one full cup before we part?Rather than to drink alone,I』ll make bold to ask the moonTo condescend to lend her faceThe hour and the scene to grace.Lo, she answers, and she bringsMy shadow on her silver wings;That makes three, and we shall be.The modest moon declines the cup,But shadow promptly takes it up,And when I dance my shadow fleetKeeps measure with my flying feet.But though the moon declines to tippleShe dances in yon shining ripple,And when I sing, my festive song,The echoes of the moon prolong.Say, when shall we next meet together?Surely not in cloudy weather,For you my boon companions dearCome only when the sky is clear.Amongst the flowers is a pot of wineAmongst the flowers is a pot of wineI pour alone but with no friend at handSo I lift the cup to invite the shining moon,Along with my shadow we become party of threeThe moon although understands none of drinking, andThe shadow just follows my body vainlyStill I make the moon and the shadow my companyTo enjoy the springtime before too lateThe moon lingers while I am singingThe shadow scatters while I am dancingWe cheer in delight when being awakeWe separate apart after getting drunkForever will we keep this unfettered friendshipTill we meet again far in the Milky Way             W. J. B. Fletcher 1919(?) One pot of wine amid the flowersAlone I pour, and none with me.The cup I lift; the Moon invite;Who with my shadow makes us three.The moon then drinks without a pause.The shadow does what I begin.The shadow, Moon and I in fereRejoice until the spring come in.I sing: and wavers time the moon.I dance: the shadow antics too.Our joys we share while sober still.When drunk, we part and bid adieu.Of loveless outing this the pact,Which we all swear to keep for aye.The next time that we meet shall beBeside yon distant milky way. 
Drinking Alone by MoonlightA cup of wine, under the flowering trees;I drink alone, for no friend is near.Raising my cup I beckon the bright moon,For he, with my shadow, will make three men.The moon, alas, is no drinker of wine;Listless, my shadow creeps about at my side.Yet with the moon as friend and the shadow as slaveI must make merry before the Spring is spent.To the songs I sing the moon flickers her beams;In the dance I weave my shadow tangles and breaks.While we were sober, three shared the fun;Now we are drunk, each goes his way.May we long share our odd, inanimate feast,And meet at last on the Cloudy River of the sky.Drinking Alone in the Moonlight       Florence Ayscough & Amy Lowell (1921)A pot of wine among flowers.I alone, drinking, without a companion.I lift the cup and invite the bright moon.My shadow opposite certainly makes us three.But the moon cannot drink,And my shadow follows the motions of my body in vain.For the briefest time are the moon and my shadow my companions.Oh, be joyful! One must make the most of Spring.I sing–the moon walks forward rhythmically;I dance, and my shadow shatters and becomes confused.In my waking moments we are happily blended.When I am drunk, we are divided from one another and scattered.For a long time I shall be obligated to wander without intention.But we will keep our appointment by the far-off Cloudy River. 
Three with the Moon and his ShadowWith a jar of wine I sit by the flowering trees.I drink alone, and where are my friends?Ah, the moon above looks down on me;I call and lift my cup to his brightness.And see, there goes my shadow before me.Ho! We’re a party of three, I say,–Though the poor moon can’t drink,And my shadow but dances around me,We’re all friends to-night,The drinker, the moon and the shadow.Let our revelry be suited to the spring!I sing, the wild moon wanders the sky.I dance, my shadow goes tumbling about.While we’re awake, let us join in carousal;Only sweet drunkenness shall ever part us.Let us pledge a friendship no mortals know,And often hail each other at eveningFar across the vast and vaporous space! 
《與月亮和自己的影子成為三個》 
　　　　小畑薰良　英譯(1922) 
Drinking Alone with the MoonFrom a pot of wine among the flowersI drank alone. There was no one with me–Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moonTo bring me my shadow and make us three.Alas, the moon was unable to drinkAnd my shadow tagged me vacantly;But still for a while I had these friends.To cheer me through the end of spring . . .I sang. The moon encouraged me.I danced. My shadow tumbled after.As long as I knew, we were boon companions.And then I was drunk, and we lost one another... . Shall goodwill ever be secure?I watch the long road of the River of Stars.