雙語詩歌翻譯|羅隱·《英雄之言》

《英雄之言》是唐代文學(xué)家羅隱的一篇散文，出自《讒書》。這篇文章所批評的是借“救民涂炭”口號而竊取政權(quán)的帝王們的本性，短短二百來字，以簡捷警策取勝，代表了晚唐犀利激拗的文風(fēng)。

羅隱 《英雄之言》

物之所以有韜晦者，防乎盜也。故人亦然。

夫盜亦人也，冠履焉，衣服焉；其所以異者，退遜之心，正廉之節(jié)，不常其性耳。

視玉帛而取之者，則曰，牽于寒餓；視家國而取之者，則曰，救彼涂炭。牽我寒餓者，無得而言矣；救彼涂炭者，則宜以百姓心為我心，而西劉則曰：“居宜如是！”楚籍則曰：“可取而代！”意彼未必?zé)o退遜之心、正廉之節(jié)，蓋以視其靡曼驕崇，然后生其謀耳。

為英雄者猶若是，況常人乎？是以峻宇逸游，不為人所窺者，鮮也。

On the Words of Great Men
Luo Yin

Sometimes things may have an insignificant appearance in order toprevent them from being despoiled. So it is with people.

Now a robber is also ahuman being; he wears hats and clothes. He is distinguishable only by anunstable character as regards personal morals.

When one steals valuables, onemay make the excuse that cold and hunger leave no alternative; when one takesover a state, one might argue that its people must be rescued from oppression.We need not bother about the former excuse; as for the latter a concern for thepeople is essential. But Liu Bang’s only words were, “This is the way in whicha great man should live.” And Xiang Yu said, “We can take his power from him.”I do not suppose that they lacked a sense of modesty and moral scruples, butbecause they witnessed the luxury and exalted status of the emperor theystarted to have such ideas.

So seldom are grand palaces and splendid trappings not coveted byothers, that great men as well as ordinary people behave in this way.