曹雪芹《红楼梦》首回顽石偈英译欣赏

青埂峰偈
 
无才可去补苍天，枉入红尘若许年。
此系身前身后事，倩谁记去作奇传？
 
杨宪益、戴乃迭译文
Unfit to mend the azure sky,
I passed some years on earth to no avail;
My life in both worlds is recorded here;
Whom can I ask to pass on this romantic tale?
 
David Hawkes译文
Found unfit to repair the azure sky,
Long years a foolish mortal man was I.
My life in both worlds on this stone is writ:
Pray who will copy out and publish it?
 
H. Bencraft Joly译文
Lacking in virtues meet the azure sky to mend,
In vain the mortal world full many a year I wend,
Of a former and after life these facts that be,
Who will for a tradition strange record for me?

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