some
households. Occasionally, you may come upon a dog lying there, which, however, never
gives a bark at you.
The charm of the lane lies in its absolute serenity. No matter who you are, if you loiter
around in the lane for a while, your mind will become as unruffled as the ancient well at
the end of the lane. There you will experience a kind of peaceful calmness rather than
gloomy sternness. There reigns peace and quiet in the midst of noisy bustle. It is a world of
its own on earth. It may be a modern version of Wu Yi Xiang, a special residential area of
nobility in the Jin Dynasty southeast of today’s Nanjing, where each family, secluded
behind closed doors, has its own covered-up story of joys and sorrows, and rise and decline.
When the sun is setting, swallows will fly low over wild flowers and grass on their way to
their nests. The all-pervading and all-purifying atmosphere of water-like placidness makes
one forget all cares and worries.
Aren’t you weighed down with cares in this life of hard toil and exhausted physically
and mentally? I would like to advise you often to take a walk in the lane in your off-duty
hours. That is the best way to take a rest. It will dissipate your fatigue and relieve your
nervous tension. When you are fidgety or depressed, go to the lane and wander around
reciting or composing poems with your hands crossed behind your back. You will then
suddenly fall into a bright mood and enjoy inner peace, forgetting both yourself and the
external world. Don’t you have a sweetheart? Let me suggest that, instead of
accompanying her on a visit to famous park or scenic spot, you take her with you for a
stroll in the lane at dawn or dusk. Over there, you two can chat freely and with even deeper
affection, free from greedy sidelong glances or malicious squints such as you often meet
with in busy streets. Suddenly, at a creaking sound, there may appear a figure by a
door—usually an unsophisticated young girl. She will, at the sight of you, withdraw coyly
into the house.
The lane is a safe haven for those struggling in the turbulent sea of humans to enjoy a
sense of security. It is a heavenly abode in the midst of confusion. Unlike the erstwhile
plank-paved path used exclusively by the imperial family for their vehicles to move on
smoothly, the lane is place for the common people to roam about leisurely.
Those who strive after fame and gain, and haggle over every penny, please go to the
downtown area! Those who are sharp-tongued and quarrelsome, please go to the teahouse
or restaurant! Those who love deafening gongs and drums as well as noisy wind and string
instruments, please go to the opera house or theatre! Those who are given to profound
meditation and a quiet life without worldly desires, welcome to the lane!
注释
《巷》是柯灵（1909- ）写于1930年秋的一篇著名散文。作者以沉挚细腻的笔调叙述江南小城市中的小巷，向往那里悠闲宁静的情调，流露出对大都市喧闹纷争的生活的厌恶。
(1)“飘逸恬静”译为gentle gracefulness，把原文两个并列形容词转变为英语“定语＋抽象名词”的形式，内容不变。这是文学翻译时常用方法。
(2)“常在河南的小城市中”译为Often tucked away in a small town south of the Yangtse River，
其中动词短语to tuck away作“使隐藏”、“把……置放在隐蔽的地方”解，是添加成分，原文虽无其词而有其意。 ★本★作★品★由★★網★提★供★下★載★與★在★線★閱★讀★
(3)“它不是乡村的陋巷”意即“它和乡村的陋巷不同”，因此全句译为The lane has nothing in
common with the mean rural alleys，其中成语in common的意思是“共同”。
(4)“湫隘破败”译为narrow and low-lying，未交代“破败”，因它的意思已包含在句中“陋”、
“坎坷”等形容词中。但如照译不误，也无不可：narrow, low-lying and in bad condition (out of
repair)。
(5)“头发乱似临风飞舞的秋蓬”中的“蓬”是一种草，即“蓬蒿”，秋时干枯，临风飞舞，
现将此句译为“disheveled like wind-blown withered grass in autumn.
(6)“颓然”意即“没精打采”或“慢吞吞”，译为languidly或sluggishly。
(7)“好像已经堵塞了”意即“好像是死胡同”，故译为it seems to be a blind alley。
(8)“那里是寂寂的，寂寂的”语气强调，故相应译为 There is nothing but stillness there。
(9)“修竹森森，天籁细细”中的“修”作“高”解；“森森”作“茂密”解，“天籁”作“自
然界的音响”解。两句一并译为dense groves of tall bamboos as well as soft sounds of nature。
(10)“阴森和肃杀”译为gloomy sternness，也是把原文两个并列形容词转化为英语“定语＋
抽象名词”的形式。
(11)“乌衣巷“在今南京市东南，东晋时为望族居住的地方，现采取释义法把它译为Wu Yi
Xiang, a special residential area of nobility in the Jin Dynasty south