【双语阅读】习马会致辞中引用的中华传统典故的英文翻译

摘要：习近平先生和马英九先生于11/6号在新加坡举行会面。这一会面变打破了两岸领导人将近66年的断隔！两位先生在会晤的致辞中多引用典故和古文。想要知道这些典故和古文翻译成英文会是什么样子吗？快和澳际一起来学习吧！

海峡两岸领导人习近平、马英九在新加坡的历史性会面上的致辞中引用了许多中国传统典故。毕竟同是炎黄子孙，虽说二人致辞也谈不上多有文采，可听起来觉着挺亲。习马二先生致辞各有什么语言点？

非知之艰，行之惟艰

Knowing is not that difficult, but doing is。

详解：

这个用法是大有出处的，孙中山《建国方略》的序言里就多处出现，他提到禁锢国人几千年的旧思想是阻止民国事业建设发展的大敌，所谓“知之非艰，行之惟艰”也。

此说最早处于出自《尚书·说命》中傅说对武丁之言：“知之非艰，行之惟艰。”马先生引中山先生引用的《尚书》，颇有承继道统、政统、学统的意思，此外“知行之道”也是蒋先生最仰慕的王阳明心学的核心。

为天地立心，为生民立命，为往圣继绝学，为万世开太平。

To ordain conscience for Heaven and Earth. To secure life and fortune for the people. To continue lost teachings for past sages. To establish peace for all future generations.

详解：

这是北宋大儒张载(人称横渠先生)的话。2005年，时任台湾国民党主席的连战先生访问大陆，曾用以寄语北大学子。另外，蔡英文指责马先生“以个人评价框限台湾未来”，可马先生说自己搭桥铺路，“为万世开太平”，可见马英九引言的良苦用心。

这四句中不容易翻译的是“为天地立心”。笔者理解：天地本无心，所谓老子的“天地不仁，以万物为刍狗”，即大自然“优胜劣汰”的道理没有什么伦理可言，可我们要树立道德律。

正如德国哲学家康德所说：“有两种东西，我对它们的思考越是深沉和持久，它们在我心灵中唤起的惊奇和敬畏就会日新月异，不断增长，这就是我头上的星空和心中的道德律。”

可见中西之血是贯通的。这也可以证明为什么《国富论》的作者斯密还写了《道德情操论》，用温爷爷的话说，企业家的血液里应该留着道德的血液。

习先生的致辞更加平实朴素，有两个“俗语”颇引关注。

打断骨头连着筋

新华社将其译成“connected by our flesh even if our bones are broken”。

血浓于水

“血浓于水”本身就是一个英国说法的倒译：blood is thicker than water。朗文异译这样解释：The relationship between people of the same family is stronger than other relationships。

从文风比较，马先生的致辞很务实，他说，“7年多来，两岸签订了23项协议，创造了4万多学生交流、每年800万旅客往来与1700多亿美元贸易的空前荣景。”

其实这话既是“摆事实”，又是“摆功劳”，与其说是给习先生听，不如说是给台湾民众和民进党听的。

习先生的致辞更壮阔些。“曾几何时，台海阴云密布，两岸军事对峙，同胞隔海相望，亲人音讯断绝”。这一演讲思路不免让笔者想起1982年《廖承志给蒋经国的信》。

孙先生手创之中国国民党，历尽艰辛，无数先烈前仆后继，终于推翻帝制，建立民国。光辉业迹，已成定论。国共两度合作，均对国家民族作出巨大贡献。首次合作，孙先生领导，吾辈虽幼，亦知一二。再次合作，老先生主其事，吾辈身在其中，应知梗概。

我读书时，曾有两篇作为精译范本的文章。一篇英译汉，王佐良翻译培根的《论读书》;另一篇汉译英，就是张培基翻译的《廖承志给蒋经国的信》。今天听二位先生致辞，又想到当时字斟句酌的情形，联想到今天的情形，心下更平添了几分感动。含英咀华，挑取片段以飨读者。

咫尺之隔，竟成海天之遥。南京匆匆一晤，瞬逾三十六载。

Who would have expected that the short distance between us should be keeping us poles apart! It is now more than 36 years since our bri encounter in Nanjing.

幼时同袍，苏京把晤，往事历历在目。

The days we spent together in childhood as well as later in the Soviet capital, however, are still as fresh as ever in my memory.

惟长年未通音问，此诚憾事。近闻政躬违和，深为悬念。

But it's a pity indeed that we haven’t heard from each other for so many years. Recently it filled me with much concern to learn of your indisposition.

人过七旬，多有病痛，至盼善自珍摄。

Men aged over seventy are liable to illness. I hope you will take good care of yourself.

吾弟尝以“计利当计天下利，求名应求万世名”自勉.

You used to seek self-encouragement from the motto, “The interests to be considered should be the interests of all; the fame to be sought should be an everlasting fame.”

倘能于吾弟手中成此伟业，必为举国尊敬，世人推崇，功在国家，名留青史。

If you should be instrumental in bringing about the cause of national reunification, you will certainly win esteem and praise nationwide and your meritorious service to the country will earn you a niche in the temple of fame.

局促东隅，终非久计。明若吾弟，自当了然。

After all, dragging out your existence in that tight eastern corner is by no means a permanent solution. This should be crystal clear to a man of your wisdom.

如迁延不决，或委之异日，不仅徒生困扰，吾弟亦将难辞其咎。

Procrastination, hesitation or sleeping over the problem will only lead to adversity and you, my brother, will hardly be able to escape censure.

事虽经纬万端，但纵观全局，合则对国家有利，分则必伤民族元气。

Complicated as the matter was, an overall view of the situation will show that united, the country and the nation benit; divided, they suffer.

吾弟一生坎坷，决非命运安排，一切操之在己。千秋功罪，系于一念之间。

Dear brother, the frustrations marking your lifetime are by no means predestined. You yourself alone are master of your own fate. Merits and demerits to be recorded in history hinge on the decision made in a moment.

当今国际风云变幻莫测，台湾上下众议纷纾岁月不居，来日苦短，夜长梦多，时不我与。

The present international situation is capricious. Throughout Taiwan people of all strata are talking about their future. Time does not stay and bri is the day. A long night invites bad dreams; time and tide wait for no man.

盼弟善为抉择，未雨绸缪。“寥廓海天，不归何待?”

I hope you, my brother, will make a wise choice and repair the house bore it rains. “Vast is the expanse of sky and water. What are you waiting for, staying away from home?”

“度尽劫波兄弟在，相逢一笑泯恩仇”。

“For all the disasters the brotherhood has remained; a smile at meeting and enmity is banished.”

遥望南天，不禁神驰，书不尽言，诸希珍重，伫候复音。

When I look south towards the distant horizon, my heart cannot help going out to my compatriots there. No word is enough to express what I wish to say. It is hoped that you will take good care of yourself. I am looking forward to a reply from you.

When I look south towards the distant horizon, my heart cannot help going out to my compatriots there. No word is enough to express what I wish to say. It is hoped that you will take good care of yourself. I am looking forward to a reply from you.

后来，“经国吾兄”并未回信，宋美龄倒是回了一封公开信。这些年解密了出来，读来文气确实有所不逮。虽说立场殊异，她也承认廖承志情真意切。“余阅及世侄电函，本可一笑置之。但念及五十六七年前事，世侄尚属稚年，此中真情肯綮，殊多隔阂。”