George Louis Leclerc Buffon 喬治·路易·勒克萊爾·布封
Of all animated beings this is the most elegant in form and the most brilliant in colors. The stones and metals polished by our arts are not comparable to(1) this jewel of Nature(2). She(3) has placed it least in size of(4) the order of birds(5), "maxime miranda in minimis."(6) Her masterpiece is this little humming-bird, and upon it she has heaped all the gifts(7) which the other birds may only share. Lightness, rapidity, nimbleness, grace, and rich apparel(8) all belong to this little favorite. The emerald(9), the ruby(10), and the topaz(11) gleam upon its dress(12). It never soils them with the dust of earth, and in its aerial life scarcely touches the turf an instant. Always in the air, flying from flower to flower, it has their freshness as well as their brightness. It lives upon their nectar, and dwells only in the climates where they perennially bloom.
中文譯文:
在一切生物中,要算蜂鳥體形最優(yōu)美、顏色最鮮艷。經(jīng)過工藝加工的各種寶石和金屬是無法跟這個大自然的珍寶媲美的。大自然按照鳥類的大小把它列為最小號,真是"最小的絕妙珍品"。這種小蜂鳥是大自然的杰作。大自然把其他鳥類只能分有其中的一部分的種種天賦全部慷慨地給了它。這個不寵兒具有輕盈、敏捷、靈活、優(yōu)雅以及羽毛絢麗等一切妙處。那翠綠的、艷紅的、嫩黃色的羽毛閃閃發(fā)光。蜂鳥從不讓它的羽毛沾染塵土,它生活在天空中,一刻也不碰到草皮。它總是空中飛翔,從花叢飛向花叢;它象花一樣的新鮮,又象花一樣的艷麗。鳥*花蜜為生,它只生活在四季鮮花盛開的地帶。
英文注釋:
(1) are not compareble t 比不上……的。
(2) this jewel of Nature: 這個大自然的珍寶。這里作者把美麗無比的蜂鳥比作大自然中的一顆天然珍寶。
(3) she: 指 Nature.
(4) in size of: 按……大小。
(5) the order of birds: 鳥類。
(6) maxime niranda in minimis: 拉丁語。 maxime 解作"最大", miranda 解作"值得稱羨的東西",minimis 解作"最小"。
(7) upon it she has heaped all the gifts...: 大自然賦予蜂鳥……的一切資質(zhì)。
(8) rich apparel: 原義為色彩鮮艷的衣服,這里借喻蜂鳥絢麗的羽毛。
(9) emerald: 原義綠寶石,這里指翠綠色。
(10) ruby: 原義紅寶石,這里指艷紅色。
(11) topaz: 原義黃玉,這里指嫩黃色。
(12) dress: 這里借喻蜂鳥的羽毛。