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显而易见，前稿不应该用trees（树），而且是复数；但后者为押韵而加添please，更不妥。
附曹植《七步诗》翻译探讨（旧稿加新稿）
（一）旧稿
（金于2009年9月9日发稿）
曹植那首《七步诗》脍炙人口，短短四句，通俗有趣，大概网友都能背诵。我见到两种译文。先抄录如下：
七步诗
曹植
煮豆燃豆箕，豆在釜中泣：
本是同根生，相煎何太急？
《现代汉语词典》在“箕”字只举例“簸箕”，回避了“箕”是“豆的茎”还是“豆荚”这个问题。
译文一（柳无忌译）
VERSES COMPOSED INSEVEN PACES
By Cao Zhi
A kettle had beans inside,
And stalks of the beans made a fire;
When the beans to the brother stalks cried,
“We sprang from one root, why such ire?”
（见文殊选注《诗词英译选》31页，外语教学与研究出版社1989年10月第1版）
译文二（许渊冲译）
Written While TakingSeven Paces
CaoZhi
Pods burned to cook peas，
Peas weep in the pot：
“Grown from the same trees，
Why boil us so hot？
（见许渊冲《元明清诗选》（汉英对照）（中国对外翻译出版公司
2009年1月出版）
对比研究后，我觉得，前者不如后者“达”（通俗简练），但后者不如前者“信”（比较符合原意）。比如，后者使用过去分词burned（被焚烧，被燃烧）和代词us（我们，我俩），使人感觉是“豆萁qi”也是被害者，因此“我们”很容易使英美读者误解为“豆”和“豆萁qi”双方都遭到火的“煎熬”，这就违背了兄弟相残的原文原意了。至于前者，只要反过来直译成汉语，即可感觉少了原滋原味：
一个茶壶里放有豆子，
豆子的茎生起了火；
这时作为兄弟的豆茎向豆子哭道：
“我们来自一个根，为何这样生气发火？”
When the beans to the brother stalks cried,
“We sprang from one root, why such ire?”
两首诗都押韵。前者（译文一）the brother stalks
这样的用法，实不可取；用ire（古词）跟fire押韵，也有损原作的口语特点。但ire诗里用，表示“怒火”，倒也符合原诗的意境。后者（译文二）Pods表示“豆荚”。也还可以，但用trees跟peas押韵，也因辞害意，因为豆类作物不能叫做“树”。经过学习与借鉴，我也试译如下，抛砖引玉，欢迎评论。
A Poem in Seven Steps
By CaoZhi
Pods burn to cook peas，
Peas cry in the pot：
We are of the same root，
Dont boil me so hot，please..
（二）新稿
（曾冲明2012年7月20发稿）
一年后我重译此诗如下：
A Story of APoem
By Czo zhi
Stalks burn to cook beans,
Beans are crying in the pot:
“We both are of the same root,
Why do you press me so hard?”
我根据在“信”与“达”的基础上求“雅”的理念，在同义词里选择beans，因为beans与汉语“豆”在词义上对等，二者都表示豆类植物的总称。而且通常都指“大豆”或“黄豆”这个主要品种。而peas通常只指“豌豆”。根据我年轻时那点下乡学农的实际生活体念，大锅里煮黄豆，锅台下的炉膛里烧着干豆茎，这种情景还历历在目。而煮豌豆吃，通常是连同豆荚一起煮，即使剥去豆荚，也不用（不便用）来当柴火烧。
至于押韵，我当然也主张押韵，但我主张语言的自然押韵，即主张“顺口溜”，如果能“押尾韵”，当然好！但不能“押尾韵优先”，以辞害意，削足适履，“戴着枷锁跳舞”，做这种“实质上不可能”的事情。
刚才从网上读到H.A.Giles 的译文，看来我们中国两位翻译家都参考借鉴了此译文
，特复制如下：
The Brothers
They were boiling beans on a beanstalk fire;
Came a plaintive voice from the pot,
"O why, since we sprang from the same root,
Should you kill me with anger hot?"
曹植《七步诗》英译对比资料
（曾冲明2012年12月18日整理补充）
七步诗
曹植
煮豆燃豆萁，
豆在釜中泣。
本是同根生，
相煎何太急。
H.A. Giles 译
TheBrothers
They were boiling beans on a beanstalk fire;
Came a plaintive voice from the pot,
"O why, since we sprang from the selfsame root,
Should you kill me with anger hot?"
柳无忌译：
VERSES COMPOSED IN SEVEN PACES
By Cao Zhi
A kettle had beans inside,
And stalks of the beans made a fire;
Whenthe beans to the brother stalks cried,
“We sprang from one root, why such ire?”
许渊冲译：
Written While Taking SevenPaces
Pods burned to cook peas,
Peas weep in the pot:
"Grown from the same trees,
Why boil us so hot?"
卓振英译：
A Seven Pace Poem
Cao zhi
The flames of burning pods malignly leap,
The beans in th cooking pan do weep:
“Are we not growths of the same stems androots?
Whereat should you bear us a hate so deep?”
汪榕培译：
（该诗另一个版本）
煮豆持作羹，漉豉以为汁。
萁在釜下燃，豆在釜中泣。
本是同根生，相煎何太急！
An Off HandPoem
Green beans are stewed hot and slow;
Fermented beans have a different taste.
The stalks are burning hard below;
The beans are moaning in the pot sad faced.
Out of the selfsame root both of us grow,
But why do you boil me in such a haste!
刘国善、王治江、徐树娟 等编译：
Poem Composed Within Seven PacesTime
O beans should be boiled on a beanstalk fire!
From the pot a plaintive voice out shoots:
"Why do you burn with seething ire,
As indeed we sprang from the selfsame roots?"
网上署名“雨打萍”：
The boiled beans’made into the curd like,
After filtering, changed into the juicedrink.
The bean stalks burning heat acauldron,
All of the boiling beans weep on andon;
You and I were born of the samefamily,
as stalks and beans growing upon oneroot
Why do you hate me badly out ofjealousy?
雨译注Notes
（0）"Seven－Step－Poem" After Cao Pi became anemperor
he hated his talented younger brother, Cao Zhi. Once, heasked
Cao Zhi to make a poem just within the seven steps. Ifnot, Zhi
would be killed, and Cao Zhi ranging from his voice down,he made
a six line poem, which is the above mentioned popularpoem. Being
made as limiting within seven steps, it is later known asthe
"Seven Step Poem”.
曾冲明译：
A Poem in SevenSteps
By CaoZhi
Pods burn to cook peas，
Peas cry in the pot：
We are of the same root，
Dont boil me so hot，please..
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