2014年上海外国语大学翻译真题汉译英

2014年上海外国语大学翻译真题汉译英

倘使我们一检查中国民族，可发见一下优劣之点。在劣的方面，我们可以举出，政治的贪污，社会纪律之缺乏，科学工业之落后，思想与生活方面留存极幼稚野蛮的痕迹，缺乏团队组织团体治事的本领，好敷衍不澈底之根性。在优的方面，我们可以举出历史的悠久继长，文化的统一，美术的发达（尤其是诗词，书画，建筑，磁器），种族上生机之强壮，耐劳，幽默，聪明，对文士之尊敬，热烈的爱好山水及一切自然景物，家庭上之亲谊，及对人生目的比较确切的认识。在中立的方面我们可以举出守旧性，容忍性，和平主义，及实际主义。此四者本来都是健康的征点，但是守旧易致于落伍，容忍则易于妥洽，和平主义或者由于体魄上的懒于奋斗，实际主义则凡是缺乏理想，缺乏热诚。统观上述，可见中国民族特征的性格大多属于阴的，静的，消极的，适宜一种和平坚忍的文化，而不适宜于进取外展的文化。此种民性，可以“老成温厚”四字包括起来。

中国的人文主义者，自信对于人生真义问题已得解决。自中国人的眼光看来，人生的真义，不在于死后来世，因为基督教所谓此生所以待毙；中国人不能了解，也不在于涅槃，因为这太玄虚；也不在于建树勋业，因为这太浮泛；也不在于“为进步而进步”因为这是毫无意义。所以人生真义这个问题，久为西洋哲学家宗教家的悬案，中国热恩以只求实际的头脑，却解决的十分畅明，其答案就是在于享受淳朴生活，尤其是家庭生活的快乐（如父母俱存兄弟无故等），及在于五伦的和睦。木从碧山来，山月随人归，或是云淡风轻近午天，傍花随柳过前川，这样淡朴的快乐，自中国人看来，不仅是代表含有诗意之片刻心境，乃为人生追求幸福的目标。得达此境，一切泰然。这种人生理想并非如何高尚，也不能满足哲学家玄虚的追求，但是却来得十分实在。愚见这是一种异常简单的理想，因其异常简单，所以非中国人的实事求是的头脑想不出来，而且有时使我们诧异，这样简单的答案，西洋人何以想不出来。鄙见中国与欧洲之不同，即欧洲人发明可享乐之事务日新月异，却较少有消受享乐的能力，而中国人在单纯的环境中，据有消受享乐之能力与决心。

If we examine the Chinese entity,we shall find a group of unique characteristics.On the debit side,we must place political corruption,lack of social discipline,backwardness in science and technology,extreme primitivism in certain aspects of thought and life,incapacity for organization,worldliness and a too great tendency to compromise.On the credit side,we must place historical continuity,cultural homogeneity,high development of the fine arts(poetry.painting, architecture and calligraphy), extreme vitality and endurance ,humor, intelligence, respect for the scholar, simplicity, an intense love of nature,love the family,and a juster conception of the true ends of life.Among neutral qualities I must mention general conservation ,pacifism, tolerance,and extreme realism.These last may all be sound qualities,but conservatism leads naturally to backwardness,pacifism may spring from a physiological aversion to fighting,extreme tolerance may become more of a vice than a virtue, and realism accounts for the general lack of enthusiasm in idealistic adventure.You will perceive that all these qualities, good bad and indifferent,are more or less negative in character, and suggest a civilization built for peace and endurance rather than enterprise and progress.I should sum up these qualities under the term “mellowness”。

The Chinese Humanists believe they have found the true end of life and are conscious of it.For the Chinese, the end of life lies neither in life after death ,for the idea that we live in order to die, as taught by Christianity, is incomprehensible; nor in Nirvana, for that is too metaphysical; nor in the satisfaction of accomplishment ,for that ,too, is too vainglorious;nor yet in progress for progress’sake,for that is meaningless.This end ,the Chinese have decided in a singularly clear

manner,lies in the enjoyment of a simple life,especially the family life,and in harmonious social relationship.

The first poem that a Chinese child learns is relationship: Lured by flowers past the river, I roam on and on. They will say＂Look at that you old man on a spree.” They know not that my spirit’s on happiness borne.

That represents to the Chinese not just a pleasant poetic mood, but the sumum bonum of life. It is an ideal of life that is neither ambitious,nor metaphysical ,but nevertheless immensely real.It is , I must say, a brilliantly simple ideal, so brilliantly simple that only the matter-of-fact Chinese mind could have conceived it, and yet we often wonder how the West how the West could have failed to see it.The difference between Chinese and Europe seems to be that the Europeans has a greater capacity for getting and making more things and a less ability to enjoy them,while the Chinese have a greater capacity and determination to enjoy the few things they have.