征求英译“欲把西湖比西子，淡妆浓抹总相宜”，

在我的博文「東坡啊！東坡！」提到了林語堂翻譯的蘇東坡詩文集中，林先生的譯文是

I like to compare the West Lake to ‘Miss West’,

Pretty in a gay dress, and pretty in simple again

博主 diaozhi 的譯文是

The West Lake, how you are just like Miss 

Well made-up or in plain, always the best!

于是，我想到来美语坛征求不同版本的译文，应该也挺好玩的

The West Lake shining like a beauty

with always compatible makeup, light or heavy

with always compatible makeup, light or heavy!

Nice rhyme:)

好久不见，欢迎来美坛玩。西施翻译成Miss West，很有趣。：）

Good one. ：）

I would like to compare the West Lake to ‘Miss West’,

a true beauty in light or heavy makeup, which suits her well

觉得西子应该译成Xishi或者Beauty Xishi

我觉得 “欲把” 二字应当译出来。带出两个 Xi 更好。

I'd compare Xi Lake to Beauty Xishi fair,

Subtle or heavy makeup, always a perfect pair.

Good to use “true beauty”!

Should use Lake Xi?

I don't quite know. I go either way.

这是整首的林版翻译

水光潋滟晴方好     The light of water sparkles on a sunny day

山色空蒙雨亦奇     And misty mountains lend excitement to the rain

欲把西湖比西子     I like to compare the West Lake to 'Miss West'

淡妆浓抹总相宜     Pretty in a gay dress, and pretty in simple again

林先生好像喜欢‘gay', 也许是从前文雅的用法。 他就用了‘gay' 比喻苏东坡 “苏东坡传” -- The Gay Genius: The Life and Times of Su Tungpo

 

我对这个翻译的主要问题是，它第四句的gray dress原文在哪里？“淡妆浓抹”是指面部化妆吧？

我也挺惊讶，为什么是gay dress?

How Lake West is like XiShi, beautiful in plain or color!

重点是否是西湖，讲它春天五彩斑斓也美，秋冬日另一种美法。

Good point!

老外不好理解Xi