Random Thoughts on Giving Away Books何为He Wei🔥背景知识：《散书偶感》是当代著名作家何为写于2000年12月的一篇佳作。英译时略有删节。乍一听来，“散书”的说法很费解。The idea of giving away one’s books sounds rather puzzling at first.🎈「乍一听来」译作at first。at first thought 初一想，乍一想at first blush 乍一看，一瞥at first sight 乍一看，初看之下那天京华老友在长话中说，他们有些上年纪的同行，正在散书或考虑散书。他就是其中的一个。The other day, my friend Jing Hua told me over the long-distance that some of his elderly colleagues were giving away or considering giving away the books they owned and that he himself was doing the same.🎈「在长话中说」译为 told me over the long-distance，其中the long-distance，即the long-distance phone call。🎈told后跟了两个that从句：told me that… and that…🎈he himself was doing the same: himself表示强调，其他自己，他本人等等。又，do the same替代「散书」一事，值得学习。原来“散书”之说，出自一位德高望重的世纪老人、前辈作家，大意谓少年是集书的时候，老年是散书的时候。The idea originated with a venerable old veteran writer, who said something to the effect that youth is the time for collecting books and old age for giving away books. 🎈「大意谓」译为 something to the effect that，其中 to the effect 作大意是、意思是解。是啊，人到老年，有些事不能不考虑该如何处理了。Yes, getting on in years, one needs to ponder over the question of how to deal with certain things in life.🎈getting on in years最伴随状语。🎈沉思、深思、考虑ponder over例句The more I pondered over this harpooneer, the more I abominated the thought of sleeping with him.我越想到这个标枪手, 越厌恨要跟他一起睡的念头。散书也是近年来我常常想到的问题。我的所谓藏书，实在并不足道，In recent years, I, too, have often turned over in my mind the question of books though, in fact, my so-called private library is not worth mentioning.🎈too位置灵活。🎈turn over in my mind… 意为「…在我脑海里翻转」，此处表示「常常想到」，值得借鉴。🎈is not worth mentioning：worth是形容词，意为「值得……的，有……价值（的）」1、在be worth +n结构中，当名词为表示「金钱」的词时，译为「值…」例句This dictionary is worth ten dollars.这本词典值十美元。2、sth be worth doing某事值得被做。例句The question is worth discussing again and again.这个问题值得被反复讨论。不过从幼时学文开始，数十年文学生涯中，相偕而来的书日益增多。Nevertheless, it has kept accumulating in the scores of years of my literary career.🎈数十年 the scores of years 吴冠中《毁画》数十年风风雨雨中作了大批画……I produced a great many paintings during the scores of difficult years.现在只能将书刊杂乱地到处堆置，倘若集中起来，也是一个小小的书城。Now, piled up in a jumble here and there in my house, they add up to quite a large number though.🎈piled up in a jumble here and there in my house 对they（书）的状态进行补充说明。🎈「也是一个小小的书城」可按「加起来也为数可观」之意译为add up to quite a number，其中add up是成语，作「加起来共计」解。🎈though 可用作副词,放在句末(不放在句首)，意为「可是」「不过」那年我的工作调到福州，搬家最苦最累的是搬书。Years ago, when I was transferred to a new post in Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian Province, the removal of my books gave me a big headache.🎈the capital city of Fujian Province是增译成分，以辅助外国读者对文章的理解。🎈让人头疼的事情 a big headache季羡林《论包装》及至拿到或运到家中，打开时也是煞费周折。And it is also a big headache to have it opened at home.到福州数年，“文革”期间我的书幸而未遭劫，During the several years when I was in that city, my books were lucky enough to survive the disaster of the so-called “Cultural Revolution”.🎈During the several years when I was in that city: when引导定从，先行词是years。🎈「未遭劫」反话正说，译作survive the disaster。及至下放到偏僻的闽北山区，全部书籍都随卡车装去，那真是一种磨难。But, when I was sent to do manual labour in the remote mountains of northern Fujian, all the books had to go with me by truck, which plunged me into a world of trouble. 🎈此处「下放」是在特殊年代具有特殊含义的词汇，需要解释为be sent to do manual labour，外国人才知道「下放」是指去偏远山区「从事体力劳动」🎈把脑力劳动与体力劳动结合到一起 combine mental with manual labour🎈使某人陷入…… plunge sb into…萧乾《假如我是一个日本人》「生灵涂炭」就是「老百姓遭殃」，现译作plunge into the abyss of untold suffering（让老百姓置身无尽苦难的深渊、将老百姓置于水深火热之中）两年后忽又调回省城，于是所有的书又装车回到福州。长途漫漫，车上驮着沉重的书，山一程，水一程，书上沾着山野的露水，带着青草的香味。Two years later, when I was suddenly transferred back to Fuzhou, the books had to be loaded on a truck again for a long ride over mountains and rivers, exposing themselves to the dew drops of the mountain area and inhaling the aroma of green grass.🎈「长途漫漫，车上驮着沉重的书，山一程，水一程」，即路长，书重，跨过山和水。路长：a long ride。load这个单词已经包含了书重的意味。山和水出现具体意象mountains and rivers即可。将几个信息点整合成一句话即可。现译为the books had to be loaded on a truck again for a long ride over mountains and rivers long ride over mountains and rivers。直至数年后，那整箱整箱的书又运回上海，重返我离去的地方。It was not until many years later that the books, then packed in boxes, were at last transported back to Shanghai, the place where I had originally come from.🎈It was not until many years later that the books…是not until的强调句式。🎈then packed in boxes中then表示「当时」，而非「然后」🎈the place where I had originally come from是Shanghai的同位语。全靠我家老二的强劳力和灵巧聪慧，才能保全颠沛流离中的旧书。I owe the safety of my books to the efforts of my second son, who is physically strong and bright and clever. 🎈把A归因/归功于B owe A to B例句He owed his survival to his strength as a swimmer…他是因为水性好才幸免于难的。在焚书的年代，保存旧书无异是一笔小财富。Books that have survived the age of obscurantism are without doubt an invaluable asset.🎈「焚书的年代」可译为the age of book-burning,现译为the age of obscurantism，意思相同，obscurantism 原意是「蒙昧」🎈without doubt也可换作no doubt、absolutely等。这些旧书伴随我一生。All my books are my life-long companions.🎈「伴随我一生」译作are my life-long companions，涉及词性转化。在我的人生道路上相伴愈久，依恋之情也愈深。The longer the companionship, the more profound my attachment for them.🎈译文是the+比较级，the+比较级结构🎈「特别喜欢」可译作like…very much或have a special attachment to…一般说来，私人藏书大致可分三类：待读又不可不读的书，可读可不读的书，不读的书。Generally speaking, there are three kinds of books in my private collection, namely, books for required reading that have not yet been read, books for optional reading and books unworthy of reading. 🎈「待读又不可不读的书」译为books for required reading that have not yet been read，其中 required 作「必须的」解。最后一类最简单，论斤卖掉当纸浆即可。Books of the last kind can be disposed of easily, that is, by selling them off cheap as waster paper bound for the pulp mill.🎈「论斤卖掉当纸浆」未按字面直译为by selling them off by the jin as paper pulp, 现译为 by selling them off cheap as waste paper bound for the pulp mill,其中用cheap 替代 by the jin，用as waste paper bound for the pulp mill 替代as paper pulp，有助理解。第二类最难处理，大体上总要过目一遍，常常为一本书的去留煞费踌躇。The second kind of books are most difficult to handle. I generally give a glance into them before making a difficult decision on whether to keep them or not.🎈「大体上总要过目一遍，常常为一本书的去留煞费踌躇」即指「判断此类书是否留下需要花费一些力气」。至于要花费什么力气？答案很明显是「要过目一遍」。故译作I generally give a glance into them before making a difficult decision on whether to keep them or not.书是有感情的，总是藕断丝连地依依不舍，恨起来快刀斩乱麻统统散掉。Books are emotional and always reluctant to part from me. And sometimes, in a fit of impatience, I will even feel like resolutely doing away them all at once.🎈依依不舍be reluctant to何为《生命》依依不舍地转身离去reluctantly turned round and left🎈「恨起来快刀斩乱麻统统散掉」即「有时一阵心烦，就想立刻把它们都散掉」，现译为And sometimes, in a fit of impatience, I will even feel like resolutely doing away them all at once。其中，in a fit of +表示情绪的词语，是固定搭配，表示情绪，比如in a fit of anger表示「一怒之下」🎈例如暨南大学MTI考试汉译英中有句话是：他情不自禁地对陪同他的藏族副县长说：“你真幸福啊！你是世界上最美丽的县的县长。”He then turned to his escort, the Tibetan deputy head of a county, and said in a fit of admiration, “How lucky you are to govern the most beautiful place in the world!”我年轻时曾说过，书是最忠实的，只要你不离弃，它永不背叛你。啊，我的书！As I said in my young days, books are most faithful and will never betray you so long as you don’t abandon them. Oh, my books!🎈faithful也可换作loyal🎈只要 as/so long as巴金《做一个战士》每个人都可以做战士，只要他有决心。Anyone can be a fighter so long as he has the determination.夏衍《野草》只要生命存在，这种力就要显现It will display itself so long as there is life.说到第一类书，古典文学名著的精品以外，有许多文友们著作的签名本，也有自己喜欢的杂书，都是非保留不可的，Books of the first kind consist of many autographed copies of works by my literary friends and miscellaneous favorite books of mine as well as deluxe editions of literary classics. They are to be kept intact by all means. 🎈consist of ：「组成、构成」有很多表达，平时注意积累。Venice is a port composed of more than 100 small islands cut by a broad winding waterway serving as its avenue and numerous small crisscross water courses serving as its alleys.威尼斯却是由一百多个小岛（组成）的，一条较宽的曲折的水道，就算是大街，其余许许多多纵横交织的小水道，就算是小巷。🎈签名本autographed copies 精品、豪华版deluxe edition🎈「都是非保留不可的」译作They are to be kept intact by all means。注意be to do的结构，及by all means指千万百计，对应「非（保留）不可」之意。生也有涯，将来不得而知。But, as there is a limit to human life, the future of these books is unknown.🎈as there is a limit to human life：as引导原因状语从句。散书的年纪到了。It is high time for me to give away my collected books.🎈是时候……It is high time for sb to do🎈「散书的年纪到了」是作者「年岁愈久」所发出的感慨，意同「我到了该散书的年纪了」我也想有所行动，然而那些山积的旧书，倘若分门别类，分批分散出去，从包扎装箱到邮寄，如此繁杂的体力劳动，现在我是无能为力了。But it is beyond my power to do the toilsome labour of sorting out piles upon piles of books and then doing all the wrapping, packing and mailing.🎈「不能」译作beyond我还没有那么大的本事it is far beyond my capacity to 老舍《养花》不可能beyond the possible 聂绀弩《我若为王》不可描述beyond words无能为力beyond my power🎈翻译时先找句子主干，可以使句子更加有逻辑，避免行文松散。本句主干为：现在我是无能为力做…..。中文先分后总，英文先总后分。这里的「如此繁杂的体力劳动」属于总，所以翻译的时候先说the toilsome labour，后面再详细举例。武峰12天里的举例是这样的：中国选手在跳水、乒乓球、羽毛球等项目上都获得了金牌。译文：The Chinese athletes won gold medals in these events, such as diving, table tennis and badminton.幸而我故纸堆里有价值的东西不多，姑且等一等再说。Fortunately, there are few things of much worth among piles of my musty old books. So I might as well take it easy.🎈做…倒也无妨might as well 🎈别着急take it easy ，是口语中的常用表达。例句Take it easy! Don’t panic.沉住气！不要惊慌。🔥必背词汇musty adj. 有霉味的，发霉的英义Something that is musty smells old and damp.例句There are racks of musty clothing and piles of junk.有几架子发霉的衣物和成堆的废旧杂物。score 数量词.许多，大量英义If you refer to scores of things or people, you are emphasizing that there are very many of them. 例句Campaigners lit scores of bonfires in ceremonies to mark the anniversary.参加运动的人们在各种仪式上点起一垛垛篝火以纪念周年庆典。veteran cn.有经验的人，老手英义You use veteran to refer to someone who has been involved in a particular activity for a long time.例句We often asked the veteran workers for advice.我们常常向老工人求教。venerable adj.因年高睿智德高望重的，令人崇敬的英义A venerable person deserves respect because they are old and wise.例句Her Chinese friends referred to the Empress as their venerable ancestor.她的中国朋友们说这位女皇是他们值得敬仰的祖先。jumble cn.杂乱的一堆，混乱的一团英义A jumble of things is a lot of different things that are all mixed together in a disorganized or confused way.例句The shoreline was made up of a jumble of huge boulders.海岸线上堆着一大堆杂乱的巨石。headache cn.使人头痛的事，棘手的事，难题英义If you say that something is a headache, you mean that it causes you difficulty or worry.例句The airline’s biggest headache is the increase in the price of aviation fuel.令航空公司最头痛的事就是航空燃料价格的上涨。🔥重点表达偶感 random thoughts散书give away one’s books那天，前几天 the other day大意谓 something to the effect that人到老年 get on in years常常想到 turn over in one’s mind堆置 pile up到处 here and there加起来共计 add up to未遭劫 survive the disaster文革 Cultural Revolution使经历/使陷入（不快的事情）plunge sb into sth.露水 dew drops青草的香味 the aroma of green grass 把A归功于B own A to B由……构成 consist of 一定，务必，尽一切办法 by all means是时候做某事 It is high time for sb to do sth.某人无能为力做某事 it is beyond one’s power to do sth.分门别类 sort out不妨做某事 might as well do sth.🔥复盘测试偶感散书那天，前几天大意谓人到老年常常想到堆置到处加起来共计未遭劫文革使经历/使陷入（不快的事情）露水青草的香味把A归功于B由……构成一定，务必，尽一切办法是时候做某事某人无能为力做某事分门别类不妨做某事🔥表达对比「处理」you有几种表达？是啊，人到老年，有些事不能不考虑该如何（处理）了。 Yes, getting on in years, one needs to ponder over the question of how to deal with certain things in life.我不认为我现在这个年纪还能应（付这）些了。 I don’t think I could cope with all the long slogs now at my age.他说道，如果企业要（应对）本世纪的挑战，这些创新思想举足轻重。 And these ideas are important, he said, if businesses are going to tackle the challenges of this century.通常来说，员工们需要（处理）安全性问题，或者由管理员，或者审计员，或者经理来强化安全防御机制。 Often, staff is simply asked to address security issues or to increase their security posture by a manager, or an auditor, or an executive.
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爱是一颗心遇到另一颗心（出处+配图） 
