魏晉南北朝史論集 · 馬譯《世說新語》商兌之餘
美國米尼索達大學馬瑞志（Richard B. Mather）教授，趙元任先生入室弟子也。以二十年精力，英譯《世說新語》正文及劉孝標註，嘉惠西國士林，功莫大焉。然臨川之書夙稱難解，異國學人更不免於隔閡。兩年前居美就養，與老友匹資堡大學王伊同（斯大）教授研討譯文，舉四百餘事與馬教授商榷。馬氏欣然採納，於所未安者並通函討論。因成《馬譯世說新語商兌》一文，1990年12月刊於新竹清華大學之《清華學報》新20卷第2期。今年北京大學《國學研究》創刊徵稿，愧無以應。《商兌》文成以後，不無剩義，因摘錄以供補白，並就正於大洋彼岸之王馬兩教授。
依《商兌》之例，以羅馬數字代表篇，阿拉伯數字代表節。首列馬氏譯文，次列原文及解釋，最後附訂正之譯文。
Ⅰ/27 The director-general from Chih's staff had been secretly laying aside provisions and wanted the silk. ……and furthermore ate very little rice himself. ……Wei therefore repaid and thanked him and sent him on his way.
「質帳下都督陰齎糧要之，……又進少飯。……謝而遣之。」「進少飯」謂都督進飯於胡威，非指其自身。譯文中都督索絹及胡威付與云云皆譯者所增。絹原為威父所賜，初無付與都督之必要。
……had been secretly carrying provisions…… offered some rice to Wei. ……thanked him and sent him away.
Ⅰ/29 When Yüeh talked with the chancellor he always made a discreet intimacy his first principle.
「長豫與丞相語，恆以慎密為端。」「慎密」兩字為一詞，猶言小心謹慎，密字無親密之義。譯文每割裂一詞中兩字，分別迻譯，遂不可通。
……he always made caution his first principle.
Ⅰ/30 Since this gentleman had a reputation in the past, and in addition enjoyed the praise of the former generation,……
「此公既有宿名，加先達知稱。」「公」字承上文深公而言，乃尊稱僧人。「宿名」猶言久有名譽，非過去之意。「先達」猶前輩。法深亦渡江南來，與桓彝同時人而年輩略長，譯文徑作為前一代人所知稱，似欠貼切。
Since this master has long been held in good reputation, and in addition enjoyed the praise of the elders.
Ⅰ/41 ……he went directly to his private residence and never returned.
「率而去下舍，便不復還。」
《商兌》建議改正譯文為he casually left his official residence，而未暇申論，茲補述之。此節正文中「去」字，日本諸家所譯《世說新語》亦皆解為「往」、「赴」之意。如川勝義雄等譯本（《世界文學大系》第71卷《中國古小說集》）作「ふらっと私邸に向ぅ；」大村梅雄譯本（《中國古典文學全集》第32卷）作「にわかに私邸ヘぃつて……；森三樹三郎譯本（《中國古典文學大系》第9卷）作「急に私宅に入りこみ……」。（以上三條皆承劉俊文君從日本錄寄美國，謹志感謝）目加田誠氏譯文（《新釋漢文大系》第76卷）最晚出而其口語譯文最能表達六朝語氣，亦作「ちつちと私宅ヘ歸り……」。馬氏英譯及諸家日譯皆有兩誤：去乃離去而非往或赴之意，下舍乃官舍而非私邸也。
《說文解字》云：「去，人相違也。」段註：「違，離也。人離故從大，大者人也」。去之本義為離去，參看《說文通訓定聲》豫部第九。檢《世說》用例，凡言去者皆離去之義，如「直是清虛日來，滓穢日去耳」（言語30）。「殷中軍嘗至劉尹所，……殷去後……。」張退，劉曰：「卿且去……」（文學33、53）。「太丘捨去，去後乃至。……答曰：待君久不至，已去。友人便怒曰：非人哉！與人期行，相委而去」。「庾公臨去（指逃離建康）。」「王飲酒畢，因得自解去」（方正1、35、63）。「日旰未得前，王便引去」（雅量30）。「劉晨去夕反。」「賀未語，令：且去，見張廷尉當為及之」（規箴4、13）。「使人題門作活字，便去」（捷悟1）。「康臨去，登曰……」。「山公將去選曹」（棲逸2、3）。「侃猶不返，達曰：卿可去矣。」「汝去郡邑數年」（賢媛19、23）。「卿復少時不去，我成輕薄京尹」（寵禮4）。「民吏皆去，唯郡卒獨以小船載冰出錢塘口」「臨去，都下人因附百許函書」（任誕30、31）。以上訓離去之去字諸例以外，唯賢媛13「卿往不如不去」，往與去互文，與今日口語用法相同。此中消息，治中古語法詞彙者必將有說，非我所敢妄論。然「率而去下舍」之去必作離去解，則可以無疑。今日口語之去字，《世說》多用往字，其例甚夥。偶亦用之字，不過數見。
《說文解字》舍字下云：「市居曰舍。」南朝史科有時「邸舍」連稱，尚存市居之義。《釋名·釋宮室》稱：「舍，於中舍息也。」舍指止息之處，而非家宅。漢代丞相、御史大夫、郎、吏皆有居住之官舍，蓋在衙署附近，便於辦公，休沐之日始歸家。（參看木言《官舍和廉吏》，載1990年8月29日《光明日報·史學》）下舍雲者，蓋晉代官舍之稱。《晉書》五九趙王倫傳言，「（義陽王）威懼，自崇禮闥走還下舍。」司馬威時官中書令，下舍當即中書令所居處。《初學記》十一尚書令條引《十洲記》：「即尚書令下舍之門」。殷仲堪欲奪殷覬所任南蠻校尉之職，《世說》此條之下舍即南蠻校尉之下舍。殷覬去任不使人知，「便不復還」即不還下舍。如解下舍為其私宅，則還字無所承矣。文字表面明白，而理解可以完全相反，此《世說》之所以難讀，吾儕固不宜苛求於外國譯者也。
……he casually left his official residence and never returned.
Ⅰ/45 ……this was the reward of the "unmixed filial devotion".
「時人以為純孝之報也。」「純」字直譯為不雜似欠妥。
……the reward of the genuine filial devotion,
Ⅰ/47 (1) ……also was well aware of the situation.
「康伯亦甚相知」。「相知」猶言見知，所知者吳氏兄弟之為人，非指任何情況。
Po himself also knew them well.
(2) was an intelligent and enlightenecl woman.
「聰明婦人也。」聰明二字為一詞，譯作intelligent已足。
(3) till the end of the funeral.
「終其喪如此」。此「喪」字指服喪期間，非指下葬。
till the end of the mourning period.
Ⅱ/1 (1) summoned the recluse Hsü Yü for an interview.
「昔堯聘許由」。「聘」即《禮記·月令》所謂「聘名士，禮賢者」，指禮敬之意。譯文未見，殊失帝堯禮敬許由欲讓天下之旨。譯為invited較妥。
(2) made an offering of food equivalent to that for the Five Sacred Peaks.
「以配食五嶽」。「配食」謂祭五嶽之神時以箕山公神配享即陪同受祭，乃指祭禮規格而言。
made an offering of food worthy of the same rank as that of the Five Sacred Peaks.
Ⅱ/6 whereupon he made no further reply.
「故不相答」。此四字亦元方之語。「故」字解釋其不回答原因，皆應在引號之內。譯文誤解為敘述之文。
Therefore I don't want to give you any reply.
Ⅱ/9 to hide behind "goodness and morality".
「仁義之慝」。譯文誤解慝字為匿。慝有邪惡之義，即harmful to…
Ⅱ/10 Tsao Tsao was subtle in his literary tastes.
「妙選文學」。此句主語為曹操不誤，但非記述其本人之文學修養，乃謂其精心選擇文學優長之士隨侍太子。
Tsao Tsao carefully selected some distinguished literary talents.
Ⅱ/14 first discovered its divine properties.
「首獲神效」。「神效」猶雲miraculous effect. 譯文直譯神字，誤譯效字，遂失原意。
Ⅱ/15 (1) began to study reading and writing.
「歸便就師誦書」。「誦書」謂讀書，譯文分割誦與書為兩事，誤解書為寫。
(2) That's the only reason I ask.
「故問耳」之「耳」此處不宜拘泥於而已之訓，譯文以only表達，反失原意。
That's why I asked.
(3) he would examine cases calmly and pass sentences with composure.
「閒詳安諦」四字指神態安詳，與決獄判案無干。
He would keep calm retaining great composure.
Ⅱ/18 (1) never copied.
「棄而不錄」之「錄」非指抄錄，乃保留、保存（keep）之意，如此理解始與下文「好事者或存之」相呼應。
(2) practical joker
「好事者」譯為惡作劇者，誤。譯curious person較近似。
(3) What Just that thing?
「可復爾耳。」不知譯文何據。原文意為All right, it can be done.
Ⅱ/19 sighed with relief.
「嘆服」。譯文未見「服」字，實為sighed in admiration.
Ⅱ/36 was immediately encourage any exclaimed.
「便遊樂不住」。原文之意似為溫嶠遂安心而悠遊自得thereupon he enjoyed himself without any worry.
Ⅱ/58 was travelling to take up his assignment.
「行部」。譯文嫌不明確，行部乃漢代以來成語。
was making a tour of inspection.
Ⅱ/59 (1) The grand narshal has newly…
「大司馬方將……」此句非完成式而應是未來式is just going to…。
(2) pacified the gods of soil and grain.
「內鎮社稷」。社稷分別為兩神名，此處複合為一詞，應譯regime或government.
Ⅱ/61 wrapped in a napkin preserved in the ancestral temple.
「巾笥而藏於廟」。「巾笥」乃笥上覆以巾——box covered with cloth.
Ⅱ/63 A holy man and raising horses don't go together.
「道人畜馬不韻」。譯文蓋釋「韻」字為協調，不確。
It is not graceful for a monk to raise horses.
Ⅱ/65 (1) most memorable.
「絕可想」。「想」非指記憶，乃想念、想慕之意，當譯admirable.
(2) Ping followed the tradition of his father implicitly, performing all the observances.
「秉群從父率禮相承」。此句中「父」字為衍文，參看徐震堮《校箋》，故譯文全誤。原文謂秉與其群從兄弟之間以禮相處——on courteous terms with one another.
Ⅱ/71 discussing the meaning of literature.
「講論文義」。「文義」乃六代習語，義指談義，即玄學，應譯literature and philosophy.
Ⅱ/75 (1) Though worthies and sages are set apart from other men, the distance between is also slight.
「賢聖去人，其間亦邇。」譯文誤解「去」字為隔離，分句中八字為兩事，以為賢聖遠離眾人，而又相去不遠。原文實僅謂聖賢與眾人相距不遠。
The distance between the sages and other men is rather slight.
(2) he certainly wouldn't have considered it "as limitless as the Milky way".
「必不至河漢」。「河漢」一詞直譯較費解，不如迻譯為disagree.
Ⅱ/78 gathering of his nephews and nieces at a banquet.
「當與子侄燕集。」原文只言「子侄」——sons and nephews。侄字古代雖包括婦女，劉義慶時侄當已只指男子。
Ⅱ/82 (1) Hsieh finally rose from his seat.
「謝遂起坐」。原文當指謝於委頓之後聞高之議論，遂精神振奮。起坐非離坐而去，而是sat straight.
(2) By this means he was able at last to quit his seat.
「謝因此得終坐」。譯文理解終坐為離席，與原文之意恰相反。原文意為謝萬由於高崧之談論而終未離坐而去。
On account of this Hsieh afforded to sit through the meeting.
Ⅱ/88 until evening of the funeral day he had not gone to the coffin to weep.
「至暝不臨。」
黃昏臨哭乃依喪中常制，原文無「葬日」二字。
Ⅱ/90 I can't begin to describe them.
「使人應接不暇」。此指景色之變化多端，使人目不暇接，與描述無干。
There are too many things for the eye to take in.
Ⅲ/1 to visit the jail.
「付獄」應是to put in jail.
Ⅲ/2 a mother who had abandoned her child on the grass receiving mat and had not picked it up.
「民有在草不起子者。」「在草」謂懷孕生產，「起」猶言舉，謂餵養。譯文未明其義，誤解為拋兒於草褥而不抱起，殊失原文意旨。
a mother who has given birth to a child but does not raise it.
Ⅲ/5 he was disappointed and frustrated.
「非望路絕」。原文謂由於山濤領吏部，抱非分之望者路絕即不得進用。譯文誤以山濤為主語，遂不可解。
those who were unduly ambitious got frustrated.
Ⅲ/6 to sort out and establish…
「分定禮儀律令」。「分定」謂數人分別——respectively——制定，譯文誤解為分出。
Ⅲ/16 if it had been gotten from someone else…
「若他所得」。譯文誤解「他」為他人。實則他字乃相對於上文之力役而言，指所得方式。
if it had been gotten otherwise (or by other way)…
Ⅲ/18 documents and letters.
「看文書」。「文書」一詞即documents，與信札無干。
Ⅲ/20 affairs moved so slowly it took years before anything got done.
「事動經年然後得過。」「事」指文書，非事務。參看《魏晉南北朝史札記·南史》。「經年」非多年。
It often took a year or so to have any document handled.
Ⅳ/1 (1) Whenever he passed any mountain or stream he would take in it's aspect in a single glance, never forgetting any of it to the end of his life.
「每經歷山川，及接顏一見，皆終身不忘。」「接顏」謂與人晤面，與經歷山川並列，言兩者皆終身不忘。譯文混為一事，遂不可通。
Whenever he passed any mountain or stream and met any people even for once, he would never forget to the end of his life.
(2) despoiling a great man.
「賊夫人之子」，語出《論語·先進》，意為委巷之言為害於青年——harmful to the young men，譯文誤解為有害於馬融。
Ⅳ/5 barely finished editing
「撰四本論始畢」，「撰」應為writing．
Ⅳ/6 Do you care to raise any objections?
「可得復難不？」
Is it possible for you to raise any objections again?
Ⅳ/24 working on grand schemes and intrigues.
「大修計校」。「計校」一詞不易解，譯文亦不知所云。田餘慶教授《東晉門閥政治》104頁引《世說》此條，有注云：計，計簿；校，校實。「大修計校」當謂大聚甲兵錢穀諸事。《三國志·魏志·崔琰傳》曹操領冀州牧，「校計、甲兵」，《太平御覽》卷二六引此，作「計校甲兵」。據此則「計校」與甲兵相關聯，計蓋指計數即清點，校蓋指檢查，姑試譯為to examine and make an inventory of the armament on a large scate.
Ⅹ/10 little boy
「小郎」即今語小叔——husband's younger brother，譯文誤。
ⅩⅨ/4 went to farther.
「因不復前」。「前」指見面，非前後之意。參看《魏晉南北朝史札記·晉書》。
thereapon she no longer wanted to see him.
1990年夏返北京後，得讀唐異明《評世說新語英譯本》，載《讀書》1986年第2期。嗣又得知，中國廣播電視出版社曾出版《梁實秋讀書札記》，其中亦有文評馬氏譯本。附記於此，以供海內外嗜讀臨川之書者參考。
此稿中之英文翻譯承北京大學王岷源教授審核，謹致謝忱。
1992年6月4日寫成
（原載《國學研究》第一卷）