古诗词是中华文化一块璀璨的瑰宝，它们流传千年，至今仍被传诵。中国古诗词的美，美在其形式，美在其韵律，美在其情感，美在其意境。
国有边界，语言也有边界，因此用另一种语言来诠释古诗词似乎会破坏掉这些只能身受不能言传的美。
“书销中外百余本，诗译英法唯一人”的翻译大家许渊冲老先生通过翻译再创造了古诗词的美，他以一人之力，用诗词连接了古今中外。
今天，让我们来欣赏一下许老英译古诗词的经典之作，一同看看英文翻译和中国古诗词会发生怎样的化学反应吧
There is a maiden fair
Whom a young man is wooing. (Cooing and Wooing)
昔我往矣，杨柳依依。
今我来思，雨雪霏霏。——《采薇》
When I left here,
Willows shed tear.
I come back now,
Snow bends the bough. (A Homesick Warrior)
彼采葛兮。一日不见，如三月兮。
彼采萧兮。一日不见，如三秋兮。——《采葛》
To gather vine goes she.
I miss her whom I do not see,
One day seems longer than months three.
To gather reed goes she.
I miss her whom I do not see,
One day seems long as seasons three. (One Day When I See Her Not)
蒹葭采采，白露未已。
所谓伊人，在水之涘。——《蒹葭》
Bright, bright the reed,
With frost dews blend.
Where is she I need,
At river’s end. (Where is She?)
欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。——《登鹳雀楼》
You can enjoy a great sight,
By climbing to a greater height. (On the Stock Tower)
夜来风雨声，花落知多少。——《春晓》
After one night of wind and showers,
How many are the fallen flowers? (Spring Morning)
生当作人杰，死亦为鬼雄。——《绝句》
Be man of men while you’re alive,
And soul of souls if you’re dead. (A Quatrain)
寻寻觅觅冷冷清清，凄凄惨惨戚戚。——《声声慢》
I look for what I miss,
I know not what it is.
I feel so sad, so drear,
So lonely, without cheer. (Tune: “Slow, Slow Tune”)
庭院深深深几许，杨柳堆烟，帘幕无重数。——《蝶恋花》
Deep, deep the courtyard
where he is, so deep
It’s veiled by smokelike willows
heap on heap,
By curtain on curtain and
screen on screen. (Butterflies in Love with Flowers)
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。
举头望明月，低头思故乡。——《静夜思》
Abed, I see a silver light,
I wonder if it’s frost aground.
Looking up, I find the moon bright,
Bowing, in homesickness I’m drowned. (A Tranquil Night)
夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。——《登乐游原》
The setting sun seems so sublime.
But it is near its dying time. (On the Plain of Tombs)
莫愁前路无知己，天下谁人不识君。——《别董大》
Fear not you have not admirers as you go along,
There is no connoisseur on earth but loves your song. (Farewell to a Lutist)
千山鸟飞绝，万径人踪灭。
孤舟蓑笠翁，独钓寒江雪。——《江雪》
From hill to hill no bird in flight,
From path to path no man in sight.
A lonely fisherman afloat,
Is fishing snow in lonely boat. (Fishing in Snow)
无边落木萧萧下，不尽长江滚滚来。——《登高》
The boundless forest sheds its leaves shower by shower,
The endless river rolls its waves hour after hour. (One the The Beautiful Lady Yu")
浑身碎骨仍不怕，要留清白在人间。——《石灰吟》
Though broken into pieces, you’ll have no fright.
You’ll purify the world by washing it e’er white. (Song to the Lime)
几时归去，作个闲人。对一张琴、一壶酒、一溪云。——《行香子·述怀》
So I would be
A man carefree.
I would be mute before my lute;
It would be fine in face of wine;
I would be proud to cleave the cloud. (Song of Pilgrimage)
葡萄美酒夜光杯，欲饮琵琶马上催。
醉卧沙场君莫笑，古来征战几人回!——《凉州词》
With wine of grapes the cups of jade would glow at night,
Drinking to pipa songs we are summoned to fight.
Don’t laugh if we lay drunken on the battleground!
How many warriors ever came back safe and sound? (Starting for the Front)
通过以上这些例子，想必大家都能品读出这些英译古诗词的别样风采吧。
中国古诗词讲究句式工整，诗人所采用的修辞手法以及诗句传达出的高深幽远的意境给译者设下了许多难题。
但许老成功地将原诗的美通过英文重现，实在是令人敬佩!
Ref:
《诗经(汉英对照)》
《唐诗三百首新译》
《宋词三百首(汉英对照)》