－－Robert Frost
This is one of my favorite English poems ever, composed by celebrated American author, Robert Frost , written in plain, everyday language, tells a simple, short episode of life, yet it explores deep philosophical themes in life. Here are the different Chinese translations I can find of it, let's compare them with each other.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
谁家的林，我想我知道。
虽然他家要在村里找；
他不会见我在此驻足
看他的林子白雪浩浩。
身旁小马定狐疑满腹
附近看不见什么农户
停在树林和冰湖之间
驻于一年最黑的夜幕。
马儿摇动头颈铃儿喧
探问停在这里为哪般。
别无声响只有风习习
轻轻地吹落雪花片片。
树林可爱，幽暗又深密。
但诺言须守怎能儿戏，
想要歇息还需行万里，
想要歇息还需行万里。
雪夜林畔小驻（译）余光中
暗夜飘雪似飞花，林木繁茂知谁家；
雪夜过寒林-四联绝句体译
我心知是哪家林, 远有人居傍小村
擅自停车意难止, 原来披雪最销魂
四下无人我自知, 暂停归路马迟迟
银湖玉树谁欲静, 夜色一年唯此时
空林寂寂响鸾铃, 似问缘何在此停
除却轻风无天籁, 枝间尽是雪来声
林深林暗惹心开, 一诺千金兀自来
此去求眠路多少, 归程多少计难哉
Which translation do you like best ? Which version is the closest to the original? Which version is more like a rewrite of the original, following the same theme? Which one best preserves the essence of the original? How much liberty should a translator be allowed to take ?
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